Why people recommend it
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt is a powerful, darkly humorous memoir detailing the author's harrowing and impoverished childhood growing up in Limerick, Ireland, after his family moved back from New York. Jordan Peterson enthusiastically recommended and praised the book during multiple appearances, including on the Lex Fridman Podcast and The Joe Rogan Experience, citing it as a beautiful work that effectively illustrates the complex psychological concept of honoring imperfect parents by separating their genuine virtues from their personal flaws. Bill Burr discussed the memoir on the Monday Morning Podcast, characterizing it as one of the most brutal books he had ever read due to its stark depiction of Irish poverty, starvation, and alcoholism. Stephen Dubner reflected on the book and its film adaptation during No Stupid Questions, expressing deep admiration for both the written text and the cinematic version, while other guests on The Book Review referenced the memoir when discussing genre-defining autobiographies. Theo Von also discussed McCourt's life and subsequent sequel on This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von, highlighting how the original memoir chronicled the author's early years until he finally moved back to New York City at the age of nineteen. Across these podcast discussions, speakers consistently emphasized the memoir's raw emotional honesty, its depiction of resilience amid extreme hardship, and its enduring literary significance.
Who recommended it
- Jordan Peterson Recommended
- Bill Burr Discussed
- Stephen Dubner Discussed
- Jordan B. Peterson Discussed
Jordan Peterson — 2 mentions
“I read this book called Angelus Ashes by Frank McCort.”
“And I read a book called "Angela's Ashes" that was written by an Irish author, Frank McCourt, fantastic book, beautiful book.”
Bill Burr — 2 mentions
“one of the most brutal books I ever read was Angela's Ashes a classic Irish tale of disappointment sadness starvation and alcoholism”
“you guys ever read that book Angela's Ashes Jesus Christ you know do you thought Charlie Brown had it bad trying to kick the football [ __ ] poor bastards waiting for that dad to come home with the money never came on went to the ghost you know spoiler alert goes to the pub every [ __ ] time”
Stephen Dubner — 2 mentions
“like I can think of one book that I loved loved loved and I saw the film and I didn't hate it and that was Angela's Ashes which I thought was a pretty good film”
“I can think of one book that I loved and saw the film, and I didn't hate it, and that was Angela's Ashes, which I thought was a pretty good film. I did not know that was a film.”
Jordan B. Peterson — 1 mention
“and you could think of honor the same way is that you know I read this book by Frank McCourt called Angela's Ashes and in that book he talks about his father back in Ireland”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 3
“And I read his—and I read the guy, you know, Frank McCourt? I read he has one called 'Tis' that's his second book! Frank McCourt, so Angela's Ashes was his time in Ireland till he was 19, and then at 19 he moved to New York City in like the 50s!”
“or Angela's Ashes Angela's Ashes or This Boy's Life”
“Um, Angela's Ashes? Angels in the Outfield? Um, anyway, I missed all the football.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- A Billion Wicked Thoughts
- A childhood, the biography of a place
- Autobiography of a Face
- Born Standing Up
- Dancing with Cuba
- Demons
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Angela's Ashes kind of an [ __ ] in 2019 with the wife and kid at home goes out and gets [ __ ] hammered at a bar”