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Death Need Not Be Fatal

by Malachy McCourt, Brian McDonald

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323749,648 (4)None
"Before he runs out of time, Irish bon vivant Malachy McCourt shares his views on death--sometimes hilarious and often poignant--and on what will or won't happen after his last breath is drawn. During the course of his life, Malachy McCourt practically invented the single's bar; was a pioneer in talk radio, a soap opera star, a best-selling author; a gold smuggler, a political activist, and a candidate for governor of the state of New York. It seems that the only two things he hasn't done are stick his head into a lion's mouth and die. Since he is allergic to cats, he decided to write about the great hereafter and answer the question on most minds: What's so great about it anyhow? In Death Need Not Be Fatal, McCourt also trains a sober eye on the tragedies that have shaped his life: the deaths of his sister and twin brothers; the real story behind Angela's famous ashes; and a poignant account of the death of the man who left his mother, brothers, and him to nearly die in squalor. McCourt writes with deep emotion of the staggering losses of all three of his brothers, Frank, Mike, and Alphie. In his inimitable way, McCourt takes the grim reaper by the lapels and shakes the truth out of him. As he rides the final blocks on his Rascal scooter, he looks too at the prospect of his own demise with emotional clarity and insight. In this beautifully rendered memoir, McCourt shows us how to live life to its fullest, how to grow old without acting old, and how to die without regret"--… (more)
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Very enjoyable read, much different style and story from the other, more famous McCourt brother. Not quite as good, but I don't think that was the intent. ( )
  Cantsaywhy | May 22, 2023 |
"Death Need Not Be Fatal" is a fun look back at the McCourt family from what turned out to be its second most famous member, Malachy. For most of his life, Malachy McCourt was actually the most famous member of the family, only to be eventually supplanted by his brother Frank, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of "Angela's Ashes."

Malachy looks back upon his life among all those brothers (and one sister) with great humor and a certain amount of hindsight that serves him well. The man, who spent a good portion of his life in bars as patron, server, and owner seems to have a song for every occasion - and this being an audiobook, the reader gets to hear the author actually sing them instead of having to rely on only the written lyrics. Of course, Malachy was also an actor and a writer among his many other roles in this life.

Malachy McCourt, now deceased, did not fear death in any way, and he makes that very obvious in this, his final memoir. He was not at all a religious man; for him it was all about family and friends and being remembered by those he loved best and most. His was a life well lived, and "Death Need Not Be Fatal" is a memorable piece of writing. ( )
  SamSattler | Dec 5, 2018 |
To say that Mr. McCourt has seen a few things in his eighty plus years is an understatement. Growing up in poverty in Limerick, Ireland he escaped back to New York, where he had been born, to find work as a young man as well as create a new life for himself. Over the course of his long life, he has managed some things that many only dream of doing, such as owning a popular bar, appearing on television in a soap opera for many years as well as writing a best seller or two. In this latest book he recounts events of his life, giving the reader a glimpse into a world full of family, friends and a passion for living. His story is told with great wit and humor, with numerous tragedies that befell his family conveyed with grace and deep emotion that show a great strength of character. Once I got started in his story I couldn't put it down.

Thanks to Shelf-Awareness Giveaway for allowing me to read this book.
More reviews at: www.susannesbooklist.blogspot.com ( )
  SUS456 | May 18, 2017 |
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McDonald, Brianmain authorall editionsconfirmed
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"Before he runs out of time, Irish bon vivant Malachy McCourt shares his views on death--sometimes hilarious and often poignant--and on what will or won't happen after his last breath is drawn. During the course of his life, Malachy McCourt practically invented the single's bar; was a pioneer in talk radio, a soap opera star, a best-selling author; a gold smuggler, a political activist, and a candidate for governor of the state of New York. It seems that the only two things he hasn't done are stick his head into a lion's mouth and die. Since he is allergic to cats, he decided to write about the great hereafter and answer the question on most minds: What's so great about it anyhow? In Death Need Not Be Fatal, McCourt also trains a sober eye on the tragedies that have shaped his life: the deaths of his sister and twin brothers; the real story behind Angela's famous ashes; and a poignant account of the death of the man who left his mother, brothers, and him to nearly die in squalor. McCourt writes with deep emotion of the staggering losses of all three of his brothers, Frank, Mike, and Alphie. In his inimitable way, McCourt takes the grim reaper by the lapels and shakes the truth out of him. As he rides the final blocks on his Rascal scooter, he looks too at the prospect of his own demise with emotional clarity and insight. In this beautifully rendered memoir, McCourt shows us how to live life to its fullest, how to grow old without acting old, and how to die without regret"--

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