Journal Entry 1 by snowy652 from Abbotsford, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, August 25, 2005

I have been wanting to read this for a while now -- As I was poking around the book section of a thrift store I found it and bought it. However, I have many books to read before this one -- bookrings-bookrays-trades-as well as mount TBR. Thus I have decided to send this one off on a bookring and allow others to read it as well.

The participants are:



1. perfcangel__ USA (prefer USA willing int)
2. karikitten__ USA (will ship int)
3. BooksAndJava __USA (will ship int)
4. Shimmy-crazy__ UK (will ship int)
5. TheWhiteLion__ UK (will ship int)
6. Cass01 __UK (will ship int)
7. MieLH __Denmark (will ship int)
8. charlenemartel__Canada (will ship int)
9. acountkel__USA (will ship int -- surface)
10. chas04__UK (will ship int)
11. kihli__greece (will ship int)



then back to me -- snowy652

Please journal book when you receive it and when you are done with it -- please pm the next person in line and send it off to them -- journal the book so we all know that it has left your hands. If at all possible please try and read the book with 45 days. Most of all enjoy the book -- this is not a school assignment.


 

Journal Entry 2 by perfcangel on Thursday, September 15, 2005

Received in the mail today and perfect timing, as I just finished my last bookring book. The bookmark was a nice little treat!! Thanks.

Will check back in when I'm finished. 

Journal Entry 3 by perfcangel on Monday, October 03, 2005

Wow. Loved this book! I had very low expectations because I saw the movie when it first came out years ago and was not impressed, in fact, kinda bored. Just goes to show where the true art of storytelling lies.

The story was engaging and was difficult to put down from the beginning. There was so much I loved about it - the honest jealousy about strangers' reactions to Frank and his brother, the loving descriptions of his father despite all his flaws (boy, did I want to reach into the book and strangle that man), the sad stories of all the times he and family members had to swallow their pride.

The book made me appreciate all that I have but also reminded me that people will find joy and laughter wherever they can. Throughout the hellish moments, the family remained hopeful and mostly happy.

Will mail it out to the next in line tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 4 by perfcangel at Controlled Release: Mail in Torrance, California USA on Thursday, October 06, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (10/6/2005 UTC) at Controlled Release: Mail in Torrance, California USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to karikitten. 

Journal Entry 5 by karikitten from Dundalk, Maryland USA on Sunday, October 09, 2005

Just received. Hope to read and ship back out within a week or three... 

Journal Entry 6 by BooksAndJava from Knoxville, Tennessee USA on Saturday, November 12, 2005

Book arrived today! I'm in the middle of another book at the moment, but I will start on this soon. 

Journal Entry 7 by BooksAndJava from Knoxville, Tennessee USA on Friday, December 30, 2005

As I read this book, I kept waiting for the lives of the characters to get better. It's amazing what we can go through and manage to survive. It's even more amazing what we consider "normal" as children.

Sorry it took me so long to finish this, but I will be passing it along in the next couple days. 

Journal Entry 8 by BooksAndJava at Bookring! in Jacksonville, Florida -- Controlled Releases on Friday, January 27, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (1/27/2006 UTC) at Bookring! in Jacksonville, Florida -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

I'm sorry this has taken me so long to pass on, but some personal things have been going on that have prevented it.

Thanks for letting me participate! 

Journal Entry 9 by Shimmy-crazy from Finchley, Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, February 04, 2006

Arrived yesterday, cheers snowy652 and BooksAndJava 

Journal Entry 10 by Shimmy-crazy from Finchley, Greater London United Kingdom on Sunday, March 26, 2006

I've never seen the film and think I was expecting the book to be a lot more grim than it was. However the a times slightly humerous narrative and the realationship between the family members who obviously loved each other despite there faults made it all much more pallitable.

Will send off to TheWhiteLion on monday 

Journal Entry 11 by TheWhiteLion from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Received this book in the mail today, and am looking forward to reading it. 

Journal Entry 12 by TheWhiteLion from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, April 28, 2006

Didn't really enjoy the book as much as I hoped to. The descriptions of the conditions in which Frank grew up left me amazed sometimes - I almost felt guilty for leading a 'normal' life with plenty of everything that I need. However, I often felt the book was long-winded, and at times it felt like I was reading the same thing again and again. Had to force myself to read the book in the end just to finish it. Hope the next reader enjoys it more!

Will mail it off today to the next participant.
 

Journal Entry 13 by Cass01 from Maidstone, Kent United Kingdom on Friday, May 12, 2006

Received last week - thank you! 

Journal Entry 14 by MieLH from Odense, Fyns Amt Denmark on Saturday, July 22, 2006

The book has arrived at my doorstep :) I will start reading straight away. Thank you all for sharing :) 

Journal Entry 15 by MieLH from Odense, Fyns Amt Denmark on Tuesday, August 08, 2006

I finished this book this morning, and it really captured me. I wasn't able to read more than 10-20 pages at a time, because there were so many images and thoughts with each sentence that I needed to digest. Amazing what children can survive...

The following sentence has stayed with me for some reason: "Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood", and among other things that made me realize that I actually know very little about Ireland and its history.

I would like to see the movie (I went to see the trailer on www.imdb.com) just to see what they'd done with it. But mainly to catch the sound of the irish accent. McCourt uses irish words and spells the way the words are said in Ireland, and no matter how much I twisted my tounge I couldn't get the sound right! On several occasions I wished I had an Irishman by my side to help me with the pronunciation :)

I really enjoyed reading this book. Thank you for sharing this rather grim story. It'll travel to charlenemartel in Canada today. 

Journal Entry 16 by charlenemartel on Monday, August 14, 2006

This arrived this morning. I have a couple of books ahead of it to read but will try to get it on its way within a month.

Thank you for sending it on over.
 

Journal Entry 17 by charlenemartel on Thursday, January 04, 2007

Okay, Firstly, huge and I mean huge apologies. I had this book safely aside and when preparing for the move I moved it into a room where I couldn't see it and forgot. I read it a couple of weeks ago finally and thought I had journalled here etc. Obviously I hadn't so a huge thanks to Snowy for giving me a nudge. I have the book safe and I just messaged the next person for their info. I will be getting this book out tomorrow or friday at the latest as I want all the books mailed out before the move to avoid any further mixups. I am not usually this disorganised and truly appreciate your patience.

As for the book. I really loved it. I had no idea that I own a part of that same series too. I bought teacher man a way back and never read it yet, now I know its part of this set I will be reading it as soon as I get unpacked at the other end. Thanks for introducing me to such a great author and book.
 

Journal Entry 18 by acountkel from Charlotte, North Carolina USA on Monday, February 05, 2007

Arrived here safe and sound today.
I have a couple books before this one but I will get to this as soon as possible.
Thanks for including me. 

Journal Entry 19 by acountkel from Charlotte, North Carolina USA on Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Frank McCourt-This is not an ENJOYABLE story. It is, however, interesting. I am part Irish and I am Catholic. So, I felt kind of tied to this life in some way, even if it was several generations back through my family that may have endured a life like this. This book is about Frank and his family. He is born in America, but leaves for Ireland at a very young age. His family is DIRT poor. Mostly because his father drinks away whatever wages he earns. I feel nothing but contempt for this man. I think it’s unfair these children had to grow up like this because of his weakness. The mother, isn’t much better. She has seven children when she should have stayed far away from this low-life and not have mouths she can’t feed. Being Catholic, I do understand her obligation, however. Even if I totally disagree with it. Although the immediate family stuck together and supported each other, I was saddened to see how the aunts, uncles and grandmothers showed almost no support and when they did, they were bitter and angry about it. That’s different from the family I come from. I enjoyed the style of writing and the words. I now know what a pram is. I had to laugh when I read the phrase “I will brain you”. I heard my father, who is Irish, say that when I was growing up. So, now I know where it came from. This book took a while for me to get through. I think mainly because of how dark and depressing it was. I am hoping, the sequel “Tis” is a bit more promising. 

Journal Entry 20 by chas04 from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, April 09, 2007

It finally arrived safely this week, I shall start it as soon as I've finished the other ray I'm reading. Shouldn't be too long. Thanks acountkel and snowy652. 

Journal Entry 21 by chas04 from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 25, 2007

I am now reading everything in an Irish accent!!!! I think that I was all miseried out by the time I came to read this book. I had read at least 2 other quite depressing books before this one and this was the straw that broke the camels back. It was interesting to read about living in Ireland at that time. I never realised the poverty was so bad, even in the 20th century, which is disgraceful really.

However, I won't be reading the sequel, amusing as it was in places to here the insights of a child on certain situations (sin and confessions did make me giggle) I was just willing the book to end. Is that bad? I don't know, I think I needed a cheery read!!!!

PMing kihli for their address. 

Journal Entry 22 by chas04 from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Sunday, April 29, 2007

Ready to go to kihli, releasing to Greece. 

Journal Entry 23 by kihli from Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki Greece on Friday, May 04, 2007

the book arrived today,thank you :) 

Journal Entry 24 by kihli from Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki Greece on Sunday, May 13, 2007

taken from : http://www.brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/471/Angela's%20Ash.htm

"McCourt is a terrific storyteller and the language of the book is wonderful. There are passages you'll want to read aloud and, indeed, I listened to the audio version which he reads and it is absolutely enchanting. He describes a life of grinding, often degrading, poverty with remarkably little bitterness. In fact, the tone of the book is one of fond remembrance, even in the face of illness, hunger, homelessness and domestic strife. It is a remarkable antidote to the continual bitching and moaning of our Oprahfied society. After reading about McCourt's childhood, you'll think twice before complaining about how hard your own life is. Here's his description of the myriad uses of an article of clothing:

...the shirt I wore to bed is the shirt I wear to school. I wear it day in day out. It's the shirt for
football, for climbing walls, for robbing orchards. I go to Mass and the Confraternity in that shirt
and people sniff the air and move away. If Mam gets a docket for a new one at the St. Vincent de
Paul the old shirt is promoted to towel and hangs damp on the chair for months or Mam might use
bits of it to patch other shirts. She might even cut it up and let Alphie wear it a while before it
winds up on the floor pushed against the bottom of the door to block the rain from the lane. "

I liked the book very much! I'll try to find the sequel too. Thanks for sharing!
 

Journal Entry 25 by kihli at on Monday, May 21, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (5/22/2007 UTC) at

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

back to its owner! thanks a lot! 

Journal Entry 26 by snowy652 from Abbotsford, British Columbia Canada on Tuesday, June 26, 2007

book is now back home.

Thank you all for a successful bookring -- this is my first successful one and it brought renewed faith that I will have more successful ones in the future.

I will be putting this on my huge tbr pile and will comment on it once I have read it and then pass it on for someone else to enjoy.

Blessings to all previous readers.