Frank McCourt Gravely Ill, Brother Says

KReidy5504

02:58 PMJul 19 2009

Margaret O'Brien was a good friend of Angela and she called this the story of "fictional" kin.Or has McCourt created a fictive mother? Is Angela's Ashes another example of the now-permeable border that allows fiction and nonfiction to cross over into the other's territory? The Kiss, Kathryn Harrison's scandalous memoir of father-daughter incest, appeared previously as a novel; and Sue Halper reports in the New York Review of Books (September 25, 1997) that she first read the opening chapters of the novel The Story of Junk by Linda Yablonsky as a twenty-page chapter in a nonfiction work.Can memoirs truly be nonfiction? In what sense can these ego-generated stories be true? or factual? Autobiographies and biographies we expect to be grounded in fact, with dates, letters, and corroborating evidence. But the current spate of memoirs seems to call forth more storytelling than fact-checking. Since the author so often turns out to be the story's long-suffering hero or heroine (witness Mary ...

Peg Matt34

05:29 PMJul 17 2009

When I read Angela's Ashes, for the first time, I believed the writer lived next door to me in Philly during that period. I later believed he ws a member of our family, since no else could possibilly knopw what went on in our drpression home. to thisouble

BMDinSoCal

01:53 AMJul 17 2009

I have nver heard of this guy. He will be joining MJ pretty soon now...

DLEFEV001

01:32 AMJul 17 2009

Hpefully ALL will pray for a speedy recovery for you. I was in the hospital 91 day with that in 2002 age 37 then, just really started to recover from it 1 yr ago then i get diagnoised Nov 28 o8 with stage 4 cancer. My prayers will be with you everyday. if your able your mind can help heal you and the people around you. Take care

Prettycolors62

01:20 AMJul 17 2009

Hello I will miss Frank MC Cort and his stories. We are fortunate to get to know him thru his stories. I pray for Frank and his family. He is a GREAT man. The unfortunate side effects of being treated for a deadly melanoma would rape his whole body laying his immune system to ruin. It is always the secondary infections that you have to watch out for any post operation or radiation/chemo treatment. Always a tip pay close attention to what is being given to you and what they do to you. You must advocate for yourself be a squeeky wheel and dont let those Doctors intimidate you!!!We love ya you Special Class Of Person!!!!!!

Verum6

01:20 AMJul 17 2009

My thoughts and prayers are with the McCourt family. Frank's books are such gifts filled with humor and insight.

Mightysparrow76

01:06 AMJul 17 2009

I am so sad to hear this. He is a brilliant writer and has a tremendous talent for turning heartbreaking situations into humorous ones. Angela's Ashes was one of the most remarkable books I've ever read, and "Teacher Man" was just as interesting in a different manner, telling the story of his immigration and struggle to develop a life he could be proud of. Just a tremendous family full of talent, and I'm certain there were more stories left to tell. His talent is in the telling, not in the situations. All the best to his family.

Rnelder6

01:03 AMJul 17 2009

He is a wonderful author/writer. I hope he comes out of it.God bless him during his recovery.

ZOOPA BUG

12:48 AMJul 17 2009

It's very suspicous that right after leaving a hospital he comes down with another disease. Some hospitals have a poor track record for sanitary practices. There should be a check to see what is the rate of hospital infections for the hospital where he was recently treated.

Kellygo23

12:07 AMJul 17 2009

GZ1111, I've had McCourt's *Teacher Man* in my stack of books to read for weeks but kept shifting things to keep it on the bottom. Now, sadly, I'm encouraged to dig in to this. It's clear that he felt that he was on the receiving end of many blessings from his students.