Frank McCourt

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Biography

Born in Brooklyn, Frank moved to Ireland at age four with his parents and brothers. As tough as life had been for the McCourt's in New York, it doesn't compare to the hardships they encounter in their native country. Penniless and destitute, the McCourts finnally make it to Limerick where Frank is introduced to a collection of relatives, some as miserly as it is possible to imagine; some, as generous. Frank's father, Malachy, rarely has a job and when he does, spends his wages in the pubs, leaving Frank's mother, Angela, to beg from churches and charity organizations. Despite the tragedy of his drinking, Frank's dad is as charming as a "shiftless l aquacious alcoholic" could be, and he shares a special bond with Frank, revealed through moments of heartrending tenderness. Near death from typhoid fever, Frank spends several months in quarantine in the hospital where he has steady meals, clean sheets, and best of all, books. It is here that he is first introduced to Shakespeare. "I don't know what it means and I don't ca re because it's Shakespeare and it's like having jewels in my mouth when I say the words."