I read Angela's Ashes some years ago. Did not like it -- hated the idea of such useless, irresponsible parents, who put their own needs before those of their children. Several of my friends (all mothers) also didn't like the book for that reason. The banning of books is terrible. People are now in favor of this, not wanting their children to know anything about the real world; racism (To Kill a Mockingbird) and the holocaust (The Diary of Ann Frank). If they don't like these books, they shouldn't allow their children to read them; but they are works of literature and shouldn't be banned to everyone. Don't they realize that someday books they prefer could join those on the banned list? Even the Bible contains lots of immorality and violence. Here we see a slippery slope.
Judi, it's interesting that you and other mothers reacted to the book that way. My reaction is very different, but then I bring to it a different perspective. I agree that the father is pretty useless. I didn't feel that way about the mother. (Caveat: I still haven't finished the book.) She seems as much a victim of the father's irresponsibility as the children, but I suppose there was more she could have done. It's difficult, of course, to put ourselves in her shoes not being familiar with the community she lived in. We agree about books, and thanks for reminding me that The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the books some school districts have banned. We need to learn from history so we don't allow the worst of it to be repeated.
I read Angela's Ashes some years ago. Did not like it -- hated the idea of such useless, irresponsible parents, who put their own needs before those of their children. Several of my friends (all mothers) also didn't like the book for that reason. The banning of books is terrible. People are now in favor of this, not wanting their children to know anything about the real world; racism (To Kill a Mockingbird) and the holocaust (The Diary of Ann Frank). If they don't like these books, they shouldn't allow their children to read them; but they are works of literature and shouldn't be banned to everyone. Don't they realize that someday books they prefer could join those on the banned list? Even the Bible contains lots of immorality and violence. Here we see a slippery slope.
Judi, it's interesting that you and other mothers reacted to the book that way. My reaction is very different, but then I bring to it a different perspective. I agree that the father is pretty useless. I didn't feel that way about the mother. (Caveat: I still haven't finished the book.) She seems as much a victim of the father's irresponsibility as the children, but I suppose there was more she could have done. It's difficult, of course, to put ourselves in her shoes not being familiar with the community she lived in. We agree about books, and thanks for reminding me that The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the books some school districts have banned. We need to learn from history so we don't allow the worst of it to be repeated.