I've been interested in hearing your reactions to 'Tis; my mother has quite a strongly different reaction to Mr. McCourt. (Her parents/my grandparents were Irish immigrants of the same generation, although 11-20 years older than he.) It was a tough time in which he (and my grandparents) grew up, but it was never stressed as a quite the same sob story (such as it was) in my family, somehow - and my mother in particular was irritated that he portrayed his (alcoholic) father in such a pitying light. Perhaps not how I'd react in either case, but the reaction to the alcoholism in our own family was certainly different - not seen in any sort of kindly manner.
I was interested in his teaching experiences in NYC, though - since I'm still getting my feet wet, and so far all of my teaching experiences have been in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx. Doesn't seem like the kids have changed that much! :-)
I've been interested in hearing your reactions to 'Tis; my mother has quite a strongly different reaction to Mr. McCourt. (Her parents/my grandparents were Irish immigrants of the same generation, although 11-20 years older than he.) It was a tough time in which he (and my grandparents) grew up, but it was never stressed as a quite the same sob story (such as it was) in my family, somehow - and my mother in particular was irritated that he portrayed his (alcoholic) father in such a pitying light. Perhaps not how I'd react in either case, but the reaction to the alcoholism in our own family was certainly different - not seen in any sort of kindly manner.
I was interested in his teaching experiences in NYC, though - since I'm still getting my feet wet, and so far all of my teaching experiences have been in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx. Doesn't seem like the kids have changed that much! :-)
michelle almost 4 years ago