Product Description

An entertaining memoir of a rollicking life in New York of an Irish immigrant. The title is derived from the young Malachy's mishearing of the words 'amongst women' in Hail Mary. Malachy McCourt, younger brother to Frank, had his childhood portrayed in the much loved best-selling book, Angela's Ashes. Here he tells the story of his own hell-raising days when he left Ireland and went in search of fame, fortune and fun in New York. The Exuberance of the Irish lifestyle in New York is matched with the scenes of rollercoaster emotional life, and a fair amount of alcohol. A MONK SWIMMING, the story of a life lived uproariously, is light-hearted and immensely readable, outrageous and comic

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #327576 in Books
• Published on: 1999-08-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Slapped with a libel suit after an appearance on a talk show, Malachy McCourt crows, "If they could only see me now in the slums of Limerick, a big shot, sued for a million. Be jesus, isn't America a great and wonderful country?" His older brother Frank's Pulitzer Prize- winning memoir, Angela's Ashes, took its sombre tone from the bleak atmosphere of those slums, while Malachy's boisterous recollections are fuelled by his zestful appreciation for the opportunities and oddities of his native land. He and Frank were born in Brooklyn, moved with their parents to Ireland as children, then returned to the US as adults. This book covers the decade 1952-1963, when Malachy roistered across the US, Europe and Asia, but spent most of his time in New York City. There his ready wit and quick tongue won him an acting job with the Irish Players and a semi-regular stint on the Tonight show hosted by Jack Paar. And his friendships with some well- heeled, well-born types , who shared his fondness for saloon life, bankrolled him in an East Side saloon, which may have been the first singles bar. He chronicles those events--and many others--with back-slapping bonhomie. Although McCourt acknowledges the personal demons that pursued him from his poverty-stricken childhood and destroyed his first marriage, this is on the whole an exuberant autobiography that pays tribute to the joys of a freewheeling life. --Amazon.com

Review
'One of the funniest books I've ever read. Everyone should rush to buy it' Irish News 'A drunken exhilarating version of the American dream' The Observer 'One grows to like Mr McCourt for his honesty, sympathise with him for his struggle! and laugh and sweat with him when the authorities seem to be closing in! a funny, oddly winning book' New York Times

About the Author
Malachy McCourt, barman, actor, raconteur, is Frank's (Angela's Ashes) younger brother. He is married and lives in New York.

Customer Reviews

Not every Irish Man has the 'gift of the gab'!
After reading 'Angela's Ashes' and the sequel 'Tis' I felt pleasantly surprised when I discovered that Malachy McCourt had also published an autobiography. Prerhaps naively I assumed that 'A Monk Swimming' would somehow fill my craving for more laughs that'Angela's Ashes' provided! Yet, Malachy McCourt writes with an air of arrogance, and an all too common and frankly, a distaseful contempt for the English, which is far too prevalent among many Irish Writers. One example of this ocurrs in the preface when he shows 'gratitude' to the English "who for five-hundred-years stuffed their language down our throats, which we regurgitated with glorious chourus"! Not in your case Malachy! If his swipes at the English were not bad enough, he seemed determined to complicate his syntax, which was so confused at times, that I failed to follow what was going on! All in All, if you feel compelled to read this book, then by all means do, and form your own opinion because I am interested to see what other people make of it.
If you want a great autobiographical read, why not try Kathleen Dayus who combines humour with tragedy so astutely, that it makes her books gripping reads.

Dismal
Having read Angelas Ashes and Tis by Frank McCourt I decided that maybe Malachy McCourt could offer something of similar literary genious. I have never been so dissappointed!! It may be unfair of me to review this book as the writing style annoyed me so much I read little more than the first 50 pages.

A disappointment
I bought this book after the cripplingly funny "Angela's Ashes", written by McCourt's brother.
I admit I haven't read the whole of "Monk Swimming". I simply couldn't find the interest after a chapter or two. It was painful, a sort of display of professional Irishness. With a bit of subtlety, this can be humorous (as in "Ashes"), but without it, it's simply tedious.
Admittedly, however, it is difficult to maintain humour for any distance. The companion volume to "Ashes", 'Tis, came nowhere near the almost brutally funny earlier volume.
Is McCourt perhaps trading on the family name? I don't know - or care very much. The title, as far as I can judge, is perhaps the funniest part of the book. Anyone with an RC education, above all with an Irish tinge, will recognise the reference.