Following are my thoughts on Frank McCourt and his contribution to the memoir. The New York Times published this earlier this week in their Room for Debate Op Ed running commentary:
"Few memoirs do what McCourt’s do–that is, transport us away from ourselves through its characters and somehow lead us back to ourselves through those characters.
In McCourt’s memoirs, particularly *Angela’s Ashes*, we considered our own life story in comparison to his—an interactive dialogue was occurring beneath the surface as we read. We asked: “How would I have survived this?”
McCourt’s memoirs have an unmistakable voice which is why readers will always connect to his stories. His memoirs inspire us to appreciate the journey, both tragic and comical, that is part of all of our lives. His memoirs inform us about ourselves, and so we uncover both writer and reader simultaneously as we turn each page.
McCourt’s journey from impoverished child in Ireland, to teacher in New York City, to published author at the age of 65–most certainly has inspired many a writer to write a memoir. That’s a good thing. Whether those other memoirists wrote “good” or “bad” or even “dishonest” memoirs misses the larger point. McCourt brought new readers to books, introduced many to the memoir genre, and gave unpublished writers, both young and old, the confidence to put pen to paper.
At heart, McCourt, the English teacher, was always deftly teaching us about stories, writing, and life. A good teacher reaches us on a subconscious level. McCourt was a masterful teacher who wrote compelling memoirs that solidified the inherent power of the genre. Well-written memoirs are studies in self-reflection, which when successfully done, teach us volumes about humanity. It’s hard to encapsulate what *Angela’s Ashes* does; it hits you on a subconscious level. Once you’ve read it, it makes you appreciate life, storytelling, and writing more. It becomes one of those barometers other books have to measure up to."
Carole Flynn (Link: Scroll down until you reach #41 http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/24/memoirs-and-mccourt/?apage=2#comments)
Frank McCourt was frequently highlighted on the Literary Itinerary calendar for his numerous appearances as part of the Litchfield County Writers' Workshop Project seminar series in conjunction with The University of Connecticut's English Department. His writing, mentoring, and generosity as a teacher will be missed, particularly here in Connecticut where he lived.
I welcome YOUR thoughts on Frank McCourt and YOUR reactions to his writing for an upcoming essay I will be publishing on Angela's Ashes. I will request permission before attributing your quotations/excerpts. Please share your thoughts (use comments area of blog) on this writer or any of his books: Angela's Ashes, 'Tis, or Teacher Man.
Carole Flynn is the author of Literary Itinerary and Literary Unleashed.
