'Tis: A Memoir

Book Review by Jane
'Tis: A Memoir is the sequel memoir to Angela's Ashes—a book written in the 1990’s that won a Pulitzer Prize in 1997. I read Angela's Ashes back in the 1990’s and loved Mr. McCourt’s humorous and touching personal account of his childhood in Ireland and also in New York City—and back to Ireland again—with a key emphasis on his mother’s trials and the sufferings the family experienced due to their father’s alcoholism. The main thrust of ‘Tis deals with what happened later when the four sons and mother all moved back to America and the scars left from the poverty and alcoholism. While the poverty is not as evident in 'Tis: A Memoir as it was in Angela's Ashes, there are definite references to it and effects from past experiences with poverty, as well as the type of poverty that is found in New York City. Mr. McCourt often deals with this painful subject with humor, and his books are at times laugh out loud funny.

'Tis: A Memoir also deals with Mr. McCourt’s life and how he started out in the United States, starting out working in a hotel and then going into the military, then ending up in college and becoming a teacher. His personal experiences along the way are often very funny, and sometimes painful. Some of what an immigrant suffers becomes apparent in the disappointments that Mr. McCourt lives through. Nevertheless, he breaks away and obtains chances for which others envy him.

Mr. McCourt sometimes writes with great humor. More often, though, he allows the situation, whether it is funny or depressing, to speak for itself. In an odd twist of language, straight and unpretentious, often the words are both depressing and hysterical. The reader never gets too far from knowing that Angela suffered greatly at the hands of Mr. McCourt’s father, and Mr. McCourt struggled with this fact nearly all of his life. It seems that although his father cannot see the truth, Mr. McCourt attends to these "ashes" with honesty and courage by writing these memoirs.

This book is definitely a good read, but I would recommend reading Angela's Ashes before picking this one up. Angela’s Ashes contains more of the Irish story behind what happened before they came to the States. I do not think a reader would appreciate Angela for who she is if she/he does not read the first book. The mother is a key figure in this story in 'Tis: A Memoir, even though there is a focus on Mr. McCourt’s life. Even though this more than likely is not your family, reading these books is like having your eyes opened to some family history previously unknown.

Jane.