Remembering Frank McCourt...

Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes, 'Tis, and Teacher Man, passed away on Sunday, July 19th, 2009.

Here is a link to the very nicely done National Public Radio story on him. There are audio extras and related stories as well.

The Annville Free Library, through a grant from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, hosted a Read About It! book discussion group back in the fall of 2008. One of the books we read was Frank McCourt's book 'Tis.


It so happened that Mr. McCourt was speaking at the Pennsylvania State Capitol as the seventh Speaker's Millennium Lecturer that November. (Listen here: Lecture - click on"Special Presentations" then it's the last one in the drop down box.) Through the PHC's partnering with the Pennsylvania Speaker of the House of Representatives to offer the lecture program the Annville Free Library Read About It! book discussion group was invited to an exclusive book discussion with Frank McCourt held at the Lititz Public Library.

This was an event that I know all of us priviledged to attend will not forget. It was an intimate session where we were able to ask questions about his writing, his family, his views on education and teaching. I remember that he was gracious, charming and funny. Someone in our group said that "he talks just like he writes, in really long sentences."

If you have not experienced any of his books I would highly recommend getting your hands on the audiobooks by Recorded Books because Mr. McCourt does his own reading on them.

It just doesn't get any better than that!