Ultimately, about halfway through the book, McCourt gets a job as a teacher and has to grapple with the age-old question of how to educate a group of teenagers more interested in having fun than having a weighty debate about the merits of James Joyce. This is where the book truly sings and entertains.
Overall, though, the book is uneven and less disturbing than his first memoir.
One of the moving parts of Angela's Ashes is that readers are left feeling as if their problems and life's tragedies pale in comparison to McCourt's. The problems described in 'Tis--racism, poverty, an alcoholic father--are less shocking. And more familiar.
Put another way, it's hard to imagine having to sleep in a bed infested with rats and other living creatures, but reading Ashes, you feel you can almost understand how awful that must have been. In 'Tis--a word he uses throughout conversation in the book--his descriptions about drinking too much or wanting companionship are all too familiar as to be almost boring.
’Tis is still an interesting, well-written book, but it's less enjoyable than and not the excellent work that Angela's Ashes was.
Here's a sample, underwhelming excerpt:
Her husband was Italian and he really knew how to cook but she lost him in the war.
Waw. That's what she says. She really means war but she's like all Americans who don't like to say "r" at the end of a word. They say caw instead of car and you wonder why they can't pronounce words the way God made them.
I like the lemon meringue pie but I don't like the way Americans leave out the "r" at the end of a word.
You can only read so many commentaries about the funny way Americans talk before it becomes as common in a memoir as, well, lemon meringue pie itself.
McCourt’s new book, Teacher Man, focuses on his work as a teacher. I hope the book, released this week, will resemble his first memoir more than the second.
An earlier version of this review appeared at Mindjack.
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.