272 Quotes by Frank McCourt

Where did I get the nerve to think I could handle American teenagers? Ignorance. That’s where I got the nerve.

There are boys here who have to mend their shoes whatever way they can. There are boys in this class with no shoes at all. It’s not their fault and it’s no shame. Our Lord had no shoes. He died shoeless. Do you see Him hanging on the cross sporting shoes? Do you, boys?

A job is death without dignity.

I appealed to my mother. I told her it wasn’t fair the way the whole family was invading my dreams and she said, Arrah, for the love o’ God, drink your tea and go to school and stop tormenting us with your dreams.

This is the situation in the public schools of America: The farther you travel from the classroom the greater your financial and professional rewards.

If you were mean to your parents, they’d give you a good belt in the gob and send you flying across the room.

I want to tell them I won’t be able to die for the Faith because I’m already booked to die for Ireland.

I admire certain priests and nuns who go off on their own and do God’s work on their own, who help in the ghettos, but as far as the institution of the church is concerned, I think it is despicable.

Mikey’s father, champion of all pint drinkers, is like my uncle Pa Keating, he doesn’t give a fiddler’s fart what the world says and that’s the way I’d like to be myself.