Frank McCourt: Teacher Man

What It Takes®

Academy of Achievement

Film, Politics, Arts, Self-help, Sports, Society & Culture, Success, Literature, Humanitarian, Military, Social Justice, Technology, Podcast, Achievement, Music, Science

4.6 • 943 Ratings

🗓️ 22 May 2017

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

No one could tell a story better than Frank McCourt. His first book, Angela's Ashes, remains one of the most compelling accounts of poverty, alcoholism, and the longing for a better life. It won a Pulitzer Prize, and transformed McCourt from a modest immigrant and a lifelong high school teacher, into a literary celebrity. In this episode, you'll hear McCourt hold forth with tremendous humor and that lyrical voice - about the miseries of his childhood in Ireland, as well as his passion for teaching and writing. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017

Transcript

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0:00.0	In 1996 a New York City public school teacher who was getting ready to retire
0:07.8	wrote his first book. It was a memoir about his tragic childhood in Limerick, Ireland, a childhood just bursting at the
0:16.5	seams with misery and alcoholism and poverty.
0:20.9	In economic circumstance, it was desperate. It was Calcutta with rain.
0:25.8	The author of course was Frank McCourt, and the book was Angela's ashes.
0:31.6	Getting published at 66 years old was a lifelong dream from a court, but he didn't just
0:36.8	get published. He won a Pulitzer Prize and became a literary celebrity. It was a stunning turn of events for a humble immigrant.
0:46.2	Back in the slums of Ireland, he barely had an education,
0:50.0	but for some reason, he was always desperate to write.
0:54.4	If they told me to write an essay of 150 words,
0:58.0	I'd write 500 words, so the master said,
1:00.4	stop, McCord, stop, that's enough's enough stop and then they might read it to the class
1:06.3	and then of course I'd be teased again in the school yeah for Jesus sake makop will you
1:10.9	stop writing we have to listen to it?
1:12.8	Well, today we're going to wallow in the sheer joy of listening to Frank McCourt's stories.
1:19.3	He tells him as well as he writes him.
1:22.0	This is what it takes, a podcast about passion, vision, and perseverance
1:27.4	from the audio vault of the Academy of Achievement. Our hashtag is what it takes now. So take a moment and let your friends
1:35.6	know you're listening. I'm Alice Winkler.
1:39.5	Had a maid, this child is gifted. And I heard that enough that I started to believe it.
1:45.0	If you have the opportunity not a perfect opportunity and you don't take it you may never have another child.
1:51.0	It all was so clear.
	...

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