The priest is like the First Confession priest. He has the heavy breathing and the choking sounds.
Ah ... ah ... tell your grandmother to wash God away with a little water and for your penance say one Hail Mary and one Our Father. Say a prayer for me and God bless you, my child.
Grandma and Mam were waiting close to the confession box. Grandma said, Were you telling jokes to that priest in the confession box? If 'tis a thing I ever find out you were telling jokes to Jesuits I'll tear the bloody kidneys outa you. Now what did he say about God in my backyard?
He said wash Him away with a little water, Grandma.
Holy water or ordinary water?
He didn't say, Grandma.
Well, go back and ask him.
But, Grandma ...
She pushed me back into the confessional.
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned, it's a minute since my last confession.
A minute! Are you the boy that was just here?
I am, Father.
What is it now?
My grandma says, Holy water or ordinary water?
Ordinary water, and tell your grandmother not to be bothering me again.
I told her, Ordinary water, Grandma, and he said don't be bothering him again.
Don't be bothering him again. That bloody ignorant bogtrotter.
And ‘Tis, overall, does indeed fall short by comparison. Whereas in Ashes McCourt tells tales of sleeping in mattresses with fleas and ticks, in ''Tis he complains about girlfriends angry with him for getting drunk. Some of the stories in Ashes make readers laugh and cry simultaneously, but some of the personal excesses described in ''Tis just fall short by comparison.
McCourt also irks this reviewer by using some personal descriptions repeatedly. He describes his diseased eyes as "two piss holes in the snow" on at least five occasions, for example. But some parts of the book almost make up for those shortfalls.
For example, anyone who felt inferior to others while in college will be touched by McCourt’s memories of his college days. In one story, he tries to avoid speaking in class because he fears his classmates will laugh at his accent or pay more attention to his Irish brogue than to his words. And when a teacher is moved by a story he writes about his poor life in Ireland, he worries that the rest of the class will find him depressing.
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
Ooooh, new Frank McCourt. Excellent. Nice review, Scott. I pretty much fee like you do, 'Tis just doesn't live up to Ashes.
I met McCourt right around when 'Tis was released, at a lecture/book signing. He seemed a lovely, kind man, and his tales were more endearing read live.
2 - Tan The Man
It isn't as good as Angela's Ashes, but that book was amazing. My favorite part of Tis is when Frank falls in love with the hot blonde. It's kind of funny how insecure, yet confident Frank was. He reminds me of myself when it comes to women.
3 - Scott Butki
Thanks, Mat.
I'm jealous.
I'd love to meet and interview McCourt. Maybe I should see if he'd do an interview for BC with me.
Tan, yeah, that was definitely one of the better parts.
4 - Mat Brewster
Unfortunately at the signing he was pretty rushed when it became my turn. At first he was signing and chatting with everyone, then his management set some rules down and it was just signing his name and moving the line forward. Still he left the impression that he would have sat and talked to the crowd all night.
5 - Scott Butki
That matches what I'd expect of him.
6 - Temple Stark
PICK OF THE WEEK ::: A section editor pointed your way as a pick of the 11-19/11-25 week. Click HERE to find out why.
Cheers. Temple
7 - Scott Butki
very gool. Thanks.
Have others read this or his new one?
8 - Timothy Horan
The guy was, and is a mediocrity. Only in a mediocracy, in a culture of semi-illiteracy, could such an author flourish. From first to last, the man was a schoolteacher. End of story.
9 - Paddy the Stevenson
I enjoyed it. I for one think he definately had/has Social Anxiety Disorder. The way he overthinks everything and never has the courage to speak about anything. I connected with all that because I'm like that myself.
"The guy was, and is a mediocrity. Only in a mediocracy, in a culture of semi-illiteracy, could such an author flourish. From first to last, the man was a schoolteacher. End of story."
^Someone is putting on Airs.