A Long Stone’s Throw by Alphie McCourt (unabridged audiobook)Back-of-the-box blurb: Alphie McCourt was born in Limerick, Ireland, where his father’s departure left misery behind for the family. His loneliness only grew deeper and wider as each of his older brothers (Frank, Malachy and Michael) left for America; so in the year 1959, Alphie followed them.
Alphie’s adolescence in New York was marked by aimlessness, and too much drink. Briefly returning to Ireland, he returned to America only three years later, where this time he settled in California.
Returning to his immigrant roots in New York City, success followed by hardship in business ventures color several of the following years. Then, one night, on Route 80 in New Jersey, drunk, full of despair and driving through the snow, Alphie has an epiphany.
Today …he is home.
She is Too Fond of Books’ thoughts: The first thing to know about this audiobook is that it is read by the narrator. McCourt’s slow deliberate pacing reminds the listener that he is a storyteller, and this is his story. He doesn’t want to rush the story as he relives his childhood in near-poverty in Limerick, his attempts at finding home in Ireland, California, and New York, and the bridge between the family he was born into, and the family he created.
Every once in a while, Alphie McCourt breaks into song, the tunes are sung in an almost mournful Irish brogue. These musical interludes are well-placed, and pick up the pacing of the reading, which can plod along at times (despite McCourt’s engaging lilt).
Like every life, there is a combination of humor, joy, sadness, and sorrow in McCourt’s memoir. He has some interesting stories to share, spanning all the way back from his impoverished childhood in Ireland to the present day. Oftentimes the memoir chronicles a series of failures; it is certainly not an upbeat story, and I don’t believe it is a typical immigrant story (who can say, after all, what is typical). But, it was one man’s journey; he takes full ownership of the choices he’s made through the years.
Readers who’ve enjoyed the stories of Frank and Malachy McCourt might be especially interested in this third perspective and the turns of Alphie McCourt.
Visit the Hachette Book Group website to listen to an excerpt from the audio of A Long Stone’s Throw.
FTC disclosure: This audiobook was given to me by a friend … and it wasn’t even my birthday!
is it just me, or does anyone else thing that these McCourts have made quite the cottage industry of their childhood?
Maybe I am just a mean person…
sounds like a fun listen! thanks for the review!
I thought this audio book “plodded” along at times myself.
I have read Angela’s Ashes, so I am a bit familiar with this family. I think it would be neat to hear the story from another perspective and see how his life differed from that of his brothers. Great review, I am glad you liked it!
I love the accents (Irish in particular) on audio. I know that sounds superficial, but it does make it easy to listen to, and in fact, I want to talk like them when I’m done!
caite – no, you’re not mean! I’d consider this more of an autobiography than a memoir, it covered so much of his life, without a unifying theme (unless the theme was “I tried this and failed … then tried again”)
savvy – it got me on the treadmill, but didn’t keep me there past my allotted workout time …
Kathy – LOL!
zibilee – it might be interesting to see the different paths the brothers’ lives took (and the common threads)
Sandy – I know what you mean; this is authentic, too, not a reader/actor. I think any Irish accent could sing to me, I wouldn’t know it was off-key.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading the perspectives of the other brothers. I didn’t know Alphie had written a memoir. I’ll have to check it out.
I listened to this one too. Can’t say I could have gotten thru the whole thing if I had READ it, but I admit to a love of the accent and like that he narrates it himself. Makes it feel like he’s just telling you his story. It is a bit of a sad and ordinary story, like most people’s lives, and probably wouldn’t warrent a book unless you had a famous storytelling brother.
The little bits of song were definitely the best part for me.
I’ve read all of Frank McCourt’s books, and I’d like to read this one at some point. If I do, I think I’ll go with the audio version. I love the Irish brogue.
The songs were some of the best parts! And I loved his accent, but didn’t you think he sounded just a teensy bit like Elmer Fudd?
I didn’t even realize the third brother had written a book – I may have to pick this one up.
I thought it was both well written and performed well to boot. I think the reviews would have been more positive if it was looked at independently and not in comparison to his brother Frank. Well done Alphie.