FRANK McCOURT- The Teacher Man

seribulan

Just finished reading 'Tis...quite like his weird style of writing....
too much flogging of himself, it was described...will try to find
the time to read Angela's Ashes, the best of his, I heard...
His new book is Teacher Man, memoir of his 30 years teaching
career...

seribulan

A lesson about himself

Review by TEE SHIAO EEK

TEACHER MAN

By Frank McCourt

Publisher: Scribner, 258 pages

(ISBN: 978-0-7432-4377-3/ 0-7432-4377-3)





  
MEA culpa (I am guilty) was the dominant theme running through Frank McCourt抯 debut novel, Angela抯 Ashes, and his follow-up effort, 'Tis. While blaming his miserable life on his miserable Irish childhood was what won him a Pulitzer Prize for Angela抯 Ashes, too much of McCourt flogging himself can get rather tedious.  

So it was with some trepidation that I approached his latest novel, Teacher Man.

Fortunately, in this book, he has toned down his Irish-Catholic fondness for embracing guilt and sin. Having said that, however, his propensity for self-flagellation makes for some darkly humorous reading when he describes his missteps as a teacher and his first marriage.

Teacher Man is a memoir about McCourt抯 30-year teaching career in public high schools around New York. It begins in McKee Vocational and Technical High School, where he learns that vocational school students are perhaps the toughest, most difficult, and yet neediest, kids around.

Slightly blinded by his rose-coloured glasses, he weaves and stumbles through the journey of discovering himself as a teacher.  

From McKee High School, he moves on to New York Community College and

Greenbottle3

....theme running through Frank McCourt抯 debut novel, Angela抯 Ashes.....


hey, i thought angela's ashes was his autobiography????

seribulan

Originally posted by seribulan at 30-1-2006 12:07 PM
While blaming his miserable life on his miserable Irish childhood was what won him a Pulitzer Prize for Angela抯 Ashes

Yup...bull's eye...

thamrong

Yes I heard that he is Irish and a good raconteur. Never read any of his book. May be some time later.

I have read both Angela's Ashes and 'Tis. However,  I prefered the former rather than the latter. Didn't enjoy 'Tis as much as Angela's Ashes. Found it quite dissappointing. Am rather sceptical about Teacher Man. Anyone who has read both his previous books and is now reading Teacher Man could probablly give me an insight that would perhaps change my mind? :bgrin:

I love Frank McCourt! He's got a way of making me feel like crying and laughing at the same time. Ive read both Angela's Ashes and 'Tis. Would love to read Teacher Man next.

I think Angela's Ashes leaves a bigger impact. But 'Tis is also a very fine book. The subjects changed of course but the quality is still very good.

Any more Frank McCourt's fan out there?

rasyid

Originally posted by lmokhtar at 31-1-2006 11:40 PM
I have read both Angela's Ashes and 'Tis. However,  I prefered the former rather than the latter. Didn't enjoy 'Tis as much as Angela's Ashes. Found it quite dissappointing. Am rather sceptical abo ...

Agreed. Angela's Ashes is much better. 'Tis is a bit dragging..Took a day to read Angela's Ashes, but it took me 2-3 days, forcing myself to finish reading 'Tis. i'd be wasting my money if i didn't finish reading it!

Anyone seen the movie Angela's Ashes? it wasn't as good as the book. it was BAD.

Teacher Man, perhaps, nak tunggu paperback. a bit sceptical after 'Tis. but i'd rather buy Grisham's/Crichton's hard cover than  Mccourt

seribulan

read Angela's Ashes...dun know but feel i like reading 'Tis much, much more...