▁dis charg ed , ▁Frank ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁d ab bled ▁with ▁several ▁different ▁jobs ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁accepted ▁into ▁NY U . ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁with ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁English , ▁McC ourt ▁turned ▁to ▁teaching ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁schools . ▁He ▁then ▁obtained ▁his ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁and ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Dublin ▁in ▁purs uit ▁of ▁his ▁Ph D , ▁which ▁he ▁never ▁completed . ▁ ▁Awards ▁Ang ela ' s ▁Ash es ▁won ▁several ▁awards , ▁including ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Pul itzer ▁Prize ▁for ▁Biography ▁or ▁Aut obi ography , ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁National ▁Book ▁Crit ics ▁Circle ▁Award ▁( Bi ography ), ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Bo e ke ▁Prize . ▁ ▁Frank ▁McC ourt ▁was ▁elected ▁Irish ▁American ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Dis put ed ▁mem ories ▁McC ourt ▁was ▁accused ▁of ▁ex agger ating ▁his ▁family ' s ▁imp over ished ▁up br ing ing ▁by ▁many ▁L imer ick ▁n atives , ▁including ▁Richard ▁Harris . ▁McC ourt ' s ▁mother ▁had ▁denied ▁the ▁accuracy ▁of ▁his ▁stories ▁shortly ▁before ▁her ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁walking ▁out ▁of ▁a ▁stage ▁performance ▁by ▁her ▁two ▁elder ▁sons ; ▁Mal ach y ' s ▁re collection ▁is ▁that ▁she ▁said ▁it ▁was ▁" all ▁a ▁pack ▁of ▁lies ." ▁ ▁Local ▁writer ▁and