Sorry if this should be in General Discussion or something... if so, could the moderators move it? I just felt I would post here simce it's the MN board... but anyway...

I never cry alone. I never cry when a famous person dies (I did cry watching Diana's funeral but that was just when I saw the card on her coffin reading "Mummy.") But I did cry today, and alone.

Frank McCourt, Pulitzer prize winning author (and the National Book Critic's Circle Award winner) for "Angela's Ashes" died on Sunday from Melanoma (always use sunscreen and get your moles checked people!)

His memoirs, and together with that of his brothers', weaved a thorough and fascinating story of a poor family from Ireland that immigrated to the US, returned to Ireland, and back again, in dire poverty.

But Frank wrote with humor and wit, and could help place me in his time setting so easily. (Not an easy feat for me to do with historical books.)

Yes, his stories were black and tragic, but his ability to maintain his beautiful personality really shown through in his writing. Plus, he just plain had a fantastic writing style unique to himself and no one else that I have ever read.

So here I am expressing my grief that I never flew somewhere to hear him speak like I promised myself. (I never saw Nirvana either.

Now that he is dead, mint 1st edition signed copies are going to go through the roof. But I promised myself that I would get one to replace that of the fallen... aka my display shelved 1st edition that fell off right into a puddle of doggie pee My grandmother just randomly gave me that book at Christmas. And what a gift it was.

I wasn't planning on adding this last part, so if the mods want to remove it, they certainly can, but:

I would love the opportunity to go on a date with someone who would like to discuss Frank McCourt and other fabulous authors. My promise to you, is that the donation for my conversation time, will go directly into the purchase of said rare book.

Probably an odd post, an odd ad, and an odder promise, but in a weird way, this is definitely probably the most unique way that any Frank McCourt fan will ever be honoring his life's work.

XOXO,
Kyra Keeny

www.geocities.com/Kyra_Keeny