The Glass Castle A Memoir

The Glass Castle is an amazing memoir of the life of the author , Jennette,whose family is absolutely dysfunctional ( well that's what most of us would think!!! ), opposite of what you would ever believe is good parenting, nomadic , lacking in what the so called families would want to believe that life should be about. At one point of time you almost feel sorry for the author and want...more

The Glass Castle is an amazing memoir of the life of the author , Jennette,whose family is absolutely dysfunctional ( well that's what most of us would think!!! ), opposite of what you would ever believe is good parenting, nomadic , lacking in what the so called families would want to believe that life should be about. At one point of time you almost feel sorry for the author and want to feel bad about her childhood....but by the time you finish the book you realize that Jeannette had absolutely no self pity , her childhood has been full of learnings of such a wide variety and the family bond is much stronger than that of the "so called normal families". Let me give you a little peak into her life...her father is an alcoholic but most brilliant and imaginative who teaches them physics, geology and lessons of life that you will not learn in a school. Her mother is a free spirited woman who does not like the idea of domesticity but still teaches her children to take care of themselves and love their lives. Jeanette and her siblings went for days without food, living in rags, without a bath , untreated wounds and without heating in the house when it was freezing outside...but then they just learn how to deal with situations and you realize that why do we create such a fuss about all this. But they have all grown up to be extremely successful individuals loving and respecting each other just the way they are Read this book and it will change your view about what normal is !!!   hide

This book makes me feel very sorry for Jeannette Walls. She had to endure so many hard times in her early life, all because of parents who wanted to live freely. More often than not, they chose what was right for themselves rather than what was right for their children. Unfortunately, Jeannette got the brunt of those decisions. She, along with her three siblings, were forced to move over and over...more

This book makes me feel very sorry for Jeannette Walls. She had to endure so many hard times in her early life, all because of parents who wanted to live freely. More often than not, they chose what was right for themselves rather than what was right for their children. Unfortunately, Jeannette got the brunt of those decisions. She, along with her three siblings, were forced to move over and over again, to keep restarting their lives, and do it all with virtually nothing to their names. The story of how their parents threw them in the back of a UHaul van and drove across the country was very troublesome to me. However, her writing is a good example of the all true phrase - whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Ms. Walls has done an excellent job recounting these events with incredible detail. I recommend this book, but also advise readers to be prepared for sadness while they read.   hide

This is a true story (hence the word "memoir" in the title)about the author Jeanette Walls' childhood with a very unconventional mother, alcoholic but borderline-brilliant father and 2 siblings. Constant moves, destitute living conditions,and her father's big plans to build them a mansion one day (the glass castle) pepper her childhood years. As the reader,...more

This is a true story (hence the word "memoir" in the title)about the author Jeanette Walls' childhood with a very unconventional mother, alcoholic but borderline-brilliant father and 2 siblings. Constant moves, destitute living conditions,and her father's big plans to build them a mansion one day (the glass castle) pepper her childhood years. As the reader, you are taken with her as she escapes it all in search of a better life, which she eventually finds, as do her siblings. Her parents never quite get there. It is one of the hardest books to put down that I have ever read. Jeannette Walls must be very talented and very brave as a writer to bare her soul the way she does in this book. I will definitely be looking for more of her books. This will forever be a favorite of mine.   hide

Jeannette Walls is a pillar of strength and resilience and intelligence. Her story is riveting, not at all whiny and well worth reading; I loved her memoir and cheered her on the entire way through. Her parents needed to be institutionalized, in my opinion: her father for alcoholism and her mother for her manic / depressive episodes. I am not sure how this poor child could have escaped any...more

Jeannette Walls is a pillar of strength and resilience and intelligence. Her story is riveting, not at all whiny and well worth reading; I loved her memoir and cheered her on the entire way through. Her parents needed to be institutionalized, in my opinion: her father for alcoholism and her mother for her manic / depressive episodes. I am not sure how this poor child could have escaped any department of youth and family services, however, and I am left wondering how broken the system really is. You will be left wanting to feed your children comfort foods, like meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and wishing for a Disney film as a antedote; but this inspiring author whose strength is mind boggling will leave you with hope.   hide

This is a mind boggling memoir of dysfunctional parents and the children who survived their neglect/abuse. The author writes in a cool, detached voice as she recounts the story of a childhood that is almost unbelievable Supposedly highly intelligent and educated parents, driven by alcoholism (the father) and mentally imblanced (the mother) create a chaotic, destitute family in which the children...more

This is a mind boggling memoir of dysfunctional parents and the children who survived their neglect/abuse. The author writes in a cool, detached voice as she recounts the story of a childhood that is almost unbelievable Supposedly highly intelligent and educated parents, driven by alcoholism (the father) and mentally imblanced (the mother) create a chaotic, destitute family in which the children are left to withstand the worst kind of neglect. The author seems to be able to quote whole conversations from 20 plus years ago which is unbelievable to me Can she possibly remember things that took place so long ago in such detail? As I read this book, a voice in the back of my head kept saying "James Frey, James Frey..." Maybe I am just jaded now to so called fact based autobiographies, but I simply cannot believe much of the story. The transient lifestyle may well have existed in America then as now, but the lucid memories from such an early age amaze me. There seems to be some fictionalizing along with the "memories." I wouldl not be surprised if Jeannette Walls is "outed" as a fictional writer. I was disturbed by the fact that there was no "emotional" reaction to the neglect/abuse. It was almost as if she was defending the dysfunction of her parents. Where does that leave a reader who was abused as a child, what are they to think about their own emotions and reactions? Nevertheless, I recommend this book because it can make you look at your own life and the memories that go with the fabric of it.   hide

Ok. I rated this 3 stars because of the way it was written.. I guess reading this book after a superb book was a mistake but anyway... It was too slow-paced for me though... However, the story angered and shocked me. I can't believe that there are people - let alone parents- who - frankly- should not be parents at all... the Walls children scavenge in garbage pails at school because they have...more

Ok. I rated this 3 stars because of the way it was written.. I guess reading this book after a superb book was a mistake but anyway... It was too slow-paced for me though... However, the story angered and shocked me. I can't believe that there are people - let alone parents- who - frankly- should not be parents at all... the Walls children scavenge in garbage pails at school because they have nothing to eat. They caught their Mom eating chocolate when they, the children, were eating garbage! They were living in a house that could tumble from the hill at a slight earthquake when they could live in a grand house in Phoenix. Or when their Mom could sell the house for - get this- $1M and get them food and a decent house- all because their mom doesn't want to let go of the house for sentimental reasons. I mean - house or your children.. um... i think that was not even a choice at all. but that's me.. I could just go on and on about what angered me about it but one thing I learned is to be thankful for what I have right now- especially for my parents who sacrificed for us. I appreciate them more..   hide

I absolutely loved this book! The Walls' children really did have a completely ghastly upbringing, but you don't feel sorry for them for even a minute. There were times I was gasping and incredibly furious with both her mother and her father, but Jeannette writes the story of her childhood in a way that helps the reader to understand it was her past that has made her the person she is today....more

I absolutely loved this book! The Walls' children really did have a completely ghastly upbringing, but you don't feel sorry for them for even a minute. There were times I was gasping and incredibly furious with both her mother and her father, but Jeannette writes the story of her childhood in a way that helps the reader to understand it was her past that has made her the person she is today. Growing up on the road running from her father's imaginary demons (the unions, the mob, the FBI, you name it) created some incredibly brilliant and resilient children who learned life lessons the hard way, but they all become successful in their own right. Some things can not be bought by money and one of those things is a degree from the school of hard knocks. This is an incredible memoir that will live with me forever, a must read!   hide

This is an amazing story of a real family in which children are the heroes. I picked it up with some trepepidation since it is a memoir of a daughter growing up in a family consisting of an alcholholic father who is a genious; a codependent, irresponsible mother; and living in dire poverty, in large part because of the mother's selfishness/narcism. Jeannette Walls writes so beatifully that I...more

This is an amazing story of a real family in which children are the heroes. I picked it up with some trepepidation since it is a memoir of a daughter growing up in a family consisting of an alcholholic father who is a genious; a codependent, irresponsible mother; and living in dire poverty, in large part because of the mother's selfishness/narcism. Jeannette Walls writes so beatifully that I had to keep telling myself "this is not fiction." But the courage, ingenuity and triumph of the children is the heart of the story and what keeps you turning the pages. I read this one, in what is for me, in record time. I had to keep thinking of the West Virgina / Appalachia photos of William Gedney to help me remember the true poverty in which these children live. http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/gedney/ When you finish - you'll want to write a letter to Jeannette Walls. In fact, I think I will!   hide

Recollections from her childhood growing up with her gypsy parents....the poverty and the struggle of survival, always on the move, the stories were entertaining. However, the book read as one story on top of another with very little insight into how her experiences shaped her and made her feel. Some people are of the opinion that she embellished a bit and did not relate the events accurately. I...more

Recollections from her childhood growing up with her gypsy parents....the poverty and the struggle of survival, always on the move, the stories were entertaining. However, the book read as one story on top of another with very little insight into how her experiences shaped her and made her feel. Some people are of the opinion that she embellished a bit and did not relate the events accurately. I don't propose to know the answer to that but I can understand how you would get that feeling because there was very little connection to the writer even though she was relaying stories of her life. There is a sense of detachment in her writing.   hide