A Monk Swimming by Malaky McCourt

 

A Monk Swimming by Malachy McCourt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Malachy McCourt was a younger brother of the well-known memoir writer Frank McCourt who won the Pulitzer Prize for his book "Angela's Ashes". It doesn't mean Malachy was riding Frank's coat tails. He did initially follow his older brother to the U.S. but that seemed to be the only they shared, If there ever was a stereotypical Irishman Malachy who seemed to drink and fight his way through life. He managed to find his way to being a part part bar owner and even manged to appear on television as a local character while living in New York City. Played on an Irish rugby team and managed to encounter future senator Ted Kennedy at Harvard. He also allegedly encountered members of the royal family too. After that he found a way to supplement his income by smuggling gold bars from Europe to India. After all that he managed somehow to get married and have a baby.

Much of the book is lighthearted and will make you laugh at times. He saves his most serious moments for when for his parents, especially in some anger towards his father who spent most of his time drinking and was in out out of jail leaving Malachy's mother , Angela, raise a family in poverty alone. After Angela, with the help of Frank and Malaky emigrates to the U.S. the father begs, pleads and cajoles his family to bring him over too. Frank and Malaky are skeptical but bow to their mother's wishes to bring him over and give him a chance. It turned out he hadn't changed and was still the same unrepentant alcoholic whom the boys wanted nothing to do with.

Overall the book is an entertaining trip with Malaky who is witty, boisterous and adventuresome. It has it's touching moments but is not as heavy as his brother's more famous memoir. His older brother Frank seemed to be the more intellectual and serious type verses the more out-going and adventurous Malaky. Enjoy.

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