Shamrock Prose

Those still in need of their fix of the Irish on this St. Patrick’s day might want to head over to former-January Magazine contributor David Abrams’ The Quivering Pen for a big ol’ hit of Frank McCourt. Abrams writes:

It might be a bit obvious for a book blog to highlight the late great Frank McCourt on St. Patrick's Day, but the fact of the matter is, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning author wrote one of the best accounts of Irish life I've ever read. Nuala O'Faolain's Are You Somebody? The Accidental Memoirs of a Dublin Woman is also a good book to read over a pint of stout and a slice of soda bread, but Angela's Ashes has it beat for a singular, unforgettable reading experience.

Last night, I was waffling on whether or not to post a pair of decade-old reviews of Angela's Ashes and 'Tis when I got a phone call from my wife from the Chicago airport. On the flight out of Montana, she'd sat next to a chatty older gentlemen named Rick who said he was a devout reader. The book he pulled out of his carry-on bag, saying it was "an incredibly well-written memoir"? Angela's Ashes, of course. That sealed the deal for me.

While we wouldn’t necessarily disagree with Abrams, we would also suggest Roddy Doyle (Paddy Clark Ha Ha Ha, A Star Called Henry) for a hit of beautifully penned Ireland as it was in the bad ol’ days.

Abrams worthwhile musings on the work of Frank McCourt are here.