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'Tis (Abridged): A Memoir Audiobook
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(3.00) - 28,015 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A #1 New York Times bestseller and the eagerly anticipated sequel to the Pulitzer Prize–winning Angela’s Ashes, this masterpiece from Frank McCourt tells of his American journey from impoverished immigrant to brilliant teacher and raconteur.
Frank McCourt’s glorious childhood memoir, Angela’s Ashes, has been loved and celebrated by readers everywhere for its spirit, its wit and its profound humanity. A tale of redemption, in which storytelling itself is the source of salvation, it won the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Rarely has a book so swiftly found its place on the literary landscape.
And now we have ’Tis, the story of Frank’s American journey from impoverished immigrant to brilliant teacher and raconteur. Frank lands in New York at age nineteen, in the company of a priest he meets on the boat. He gets a job at the Biltmore Hotel, where he immediately encounters the vivid hierarchies of this “classless country,” and then is drafted into the army and is sent to Germany to train dogs and type reports. It is Frank’s incomparable voice—his uncanny humor and his astonishing ear for dialogue—that renders these experiences spellbinding.
When Frank returns to America in 1953, he works on the docks, always resisting what everyone tells him, that men and women who have dreamed and toiled for years to get to America should “stick to their own kind” once they arrive. Somehow, Frank knows that he should be getting an education, and though he left school at fourteen, he talks his way into New York University. There, he falls in love with the quintessential Yankee, long-legged and blonde, and tries to live his dream. But it is not until he starts to teach—and to write—that Frank finds his place in the world. The same vulnerable but invincible spirit that captured the hearts of readers in Angela’s Ashes comes of age.
As Malcolm Jones said in his Newsweek review of Angela’s Ashes, “It is only the best storyteller who can so beguile his readers that he leaves them wanting more when he is done...and McCourt proves himself one of the very best.” Frank McCourt's ’Tis is one of the most eagerly awaited books of our time, and it is a masterpiece.
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"A good friend of mine is Roman Catholic. I grew up with Catholics on the East Coast. Based on this book, I was flabbergasted as to the guilt that the author carried from his Catholic roots. Sheesh! Who would have known, if it was not that well written. "
— Ants (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“’Tis a success story, after all.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“Candid and compelling.”
— Chicago Tribune -
“McCourt remains a subtle, hypnotic writer...Readers expecting a reprise of Angela’s Ashes will find much to love in the new book...McCourt grows up both as a man and a writer in ’Tis.”
— Sunday Oregonian -
“Another gift filled with all the humanity and poignancy of the first...heartfelt...sprawling...complex.”
— Rocky Mountain News -
“A glorious book...by turns heart-wrenching and hilarious. It is a compelling portrait of the American immigrant experience.”
— Charlotte Observer -
“’Tis is a gem...And if you don’t have a tear in your eye when you read the last sentence in the book, you’ve missed a little something.”
— Newark Star-Ledger -
“’Tis is the story of a man finding two great vocations—teaching and storytelling...a...lyrical conclusion to the story begun in Angela’s Ashes.”
— Newsweek -
“’Tis, Frank McCourt’s second memoir, is all the things his last memoir was—funny, sad as hell, written with sentences that seem to come from the dream you wish you hadn’t woken up from—but has the additional benefit of being all about New York.”
— Vogue -
“Fans of McCourt should fear not: a second superb memoir proves he is the real thing.”
— Elle -
“Hilarious and heartwarming.”
— Mademoiselle -
“The second installment in McCourt’s fluent and bewitchingly candid memoir will be eagerly embraced by a reading public madly in love with...Angela’s Ashes.”
— Booklist -
“There’s no denying McCourt’s engaging wit.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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A #1 New York Times bestseller
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A USA Today bestseller
'Tis Listener Reviews
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" Liked it, but if I'm going to read Frank McCourt, I choose Angela's Ashes. "
— Darcy, 2/7/2014 -
" I'm sad I bought this book. "
— Kamila, 2/2/2014 -
" Not nearly as good as Angela's Ashes, but still entertaining. "
— Rebecca, 2/1/2014 -
" I could not get into this book at all and I like Frank McCourt. I got futher in Malachy McCourt's book and he's a terrible writer but at least his terrible writing made me curious so I plower further in. "
— Kerry, 1/27/2014 -
" Felt like I was listening to my Uncle Pat tell the stories of being young and wild in NYC- or rather the stories that I'd heard tell of Uncle Pat! Loved the realism of the 1st person account, though in hoping to get more of an understanding of why his eyes were so red (?) I figured I'd go to Angela's Ashes next, right? No. I can't get through it- it's too much heartbreak and despair. Still, though, I enjoyed Tis. "
— Alexis, 1/25/2014 -
" If "Angela's Ashes" and this book "'Tis" are truly Frank McCourt's life, he definitely had something to tell about a pivotal point in history! Reminds me of "Catcher in the Rye", but better. "
— Charlene, 1/21/2014 -
" Not quite as compelling as his first, Angela's Ashes, but still very readable about McCourt's coming to America. "
— Terry, 1/15/2014 -
" Did not like as well as Angela's Ashes, but still worth a read. "
— Lori, 1/13/2014 -
" Love his descriptive abilities and lovelingly brutal assessments of life. "
— Judith, 1/1/2014 -
" This didn't captivate me as much as "Angela's Ashes" but there was still some good writing in "Tis." The last twenty pages really brought it all together and they were worth slogging through the parts that dragged down the pace of the book. Overall, a decent book. "
— Stephanie, 12/12/2013 -
" Not as good as Angela's Ashes. Another thing, it's hard for me to really like a book if I don't like the protagonist, and Frank McCourt reveals himself as kind of a jackass. Good reading, though. "
— Caroline, 12/8/2013 -
" Not a bad read - McCourt is an entertaining author. "
— Julie, 11/25/2013 -
" Adult content. Part of a trilogy about a young Irishman who comes to the United States and eventually becomes a teacher. "
— Colin, 10/25/2013 -
" A memoir by the Author of Angela's Ashes and his immigration to America from Ireland. I loved the book, it makes you laugh and at times cry and realize what a tough time the immigrants really had. He became a teacher and I'm sure he was a great one. "
— Val, 10/11/2013 -
" Un libro che merita di essere riletto. "
— Andrea, 7/4/2013 -
" i have it easy in my life. love the way he tells his story. "
— Michelle, 6/20/2013 -
" Beautifully written it tells the story of the hardships of new immigrants. "
— Bridget, 6/19/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book very much. Slightly long, but the author's unique style of writing is engaging, and captures his mood well. I highly recommend this book to all readers who enjoy memoirs, or have Irish/Irish-American heritage. "
— Leah, 4/7/2013 -
" I loved this book-totally. My friend says it's the most depressing thing he's ever read. We obviously got something different out of it. "
— Dianne, 3/20/2013 -
" Picks up where Angela's Ashes. The circumstances couldn't be more different, however, as this cover's Franks life in America upon his return in the 50's. The story is told in the same way though, so if you enjoyed Angela's Ashes, you'll likely enjoy this. "
— Patrick, 9/2/2012 -
" frank continues his journey and tries to make a life as an immigrant. You just have to love him. "
— Lisa, 7/28/2012 -
" had to read 'tis in school, thought 'tis was not all that great... "
— Marc, 6/16/2012 -
" Although this is the sequel to Angela's Ashes, I read it first without having read Angela's Ashes. I don't think that hindered my enjoyment of this man's Irish Catholic boyhood and coming to America story. I loved this book and enjoyed the story. "
— Kristi, 4/27/2012 -
" Especially interesting to me because the NYU writing teacher he mentions by name, Charles Calitri, was my high school English teacher. And then Frank McCourt himself became my son's high school English teacher. "
— Dorothy, 3/17/2012 -
" i loved 'Tis even more than Angela's Ashes; it was great hearing about what became of his life once he finally achieved his dream of going to America. GREAT!!! "
— Karen, 2/26/2012 -
" How much can one man take? Soooooo depressing "
— Jean, 2/20/2012 -
" Well, I didn't enjoy reading this one as much as "Angela's Ashes". He's a bit too honest with the details of his life and I couldn't help thinking "This guy is an ass". But, it was well written still. "
— Sean, 1/5/2012 -
" I started reading it but it got a tad bit too boring for me. "
— Mirna, 11/9/2011 -
" fails in comparison to Angela's ashes "
— Rowena, 9/29/2011 -
" Almost as good as Angela's Ashes "
— Laura, 5/22/2011 -
" Didn't like this one quite as much as Angela's ashes but still a great read. "
— Diane, 5/13/2011 -
" i love the way that frank mccourt narrates the story of his life, he is at times selfpitying but doesnt apologise for it! "
— Jacqueline, 5/11/2011 -
" Frank McCourt is a wordsmith who bleeds compassion. For reals. "
— Kathleen, 4/24/2011 -
" Just love his skill of writing with which he succeeds to present even the most dire situations in a somewhat humorous light. Read all three of his books. "
— Antje, 4/23/2011 -
" slow,liked the part where he taught high school in New York "
— Janet, 4/20/2011 -
" The subject matter was very interesting, but in one ways it felt like on very long run-on sentence. "
— Elizabeth, 4/18/2011 -
" It was good to hear the second part of his life. Still sad but nice to have closure knowing he had a better life in America. "
— Andrea, 4/15/2011 -
" Avevo già letto ehi prof! e mi era piaciuto, questo è stato una conferma. Ben scritto, avvincente anche se non è un giallo. "
— 61pat, 4/14/2011 -
" Book #2 (of 3) of McCourt's memoirs. Excellent! "
— Lola, 4/6/2011 -
" As with McCourts' previous work, I was sad to finish this. You just keep hoping for one more chapter. This picks up where "Angela's Ashes" left off and goes all the way through to the deaths of McCourts' parents. It takes you from laughter to sorrow and back. "
— Jennifer, 4/1/2011 -
" Tis was really good read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read books that are written out of life experiences. It didn't however have the same impact as Angela's ashes. "
— Carol, 3/27/2011
About Frank McCourt
Frank McCourt (1930–2009) was born in Brooklyn, New York, grew up in Limerick, Ireland, and returned to America in 1949. He taught in New York City high schools for thirty years. His first book, Angela’s Ashes, won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Award. He won the prestigious Ellis Island Family Heritage Award and the John Dewey Award for Excellence in Education in 2006.