The Glass Castle
Summary
Jeannette Walls’s father always called her “Mountain Goat” and there’s perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents–Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls’s childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls’ removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents’ knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them–despite their overwhelming self-absorption–resonates from cover to cover.
(Summary taken from Amazon)
My Review
I decided to read Jeannette Walls memoir The Glass Castle after reading her most recent book, Half Broke Horses. Walls told her childhood story with brutal honesty, yet lots of compassion for her dysfunctional parents and upbringing. To say that I was blown away by this book is an understatement. As I was reading this, I couldn’t believe the chaotic life of the Walls family, particularly the lives of the children who were dragged cross-country and lived in varying states of neglect. Though I’ve never lived in the such extreme conditions, I could easily relate with bits and pieces of their heartbreaking story, especially the need to break free from a situation beyond my control. Jeannette Walls never used her less than exemplary childhood to gain sympathy (though she clearly deserves it!). Instead, she brings us a story about overcoming adversity and pursuing your dreams, in spite of your current circumstances. I didn’t want the story to end (since I felt so connected with the characters), but was happy that there was finally an ”end” to their many struggles. I rooted for the Walls children throughout the entire book, and to know that they were able to move on with their lives after the “Glass Castle” is uplifting!
Closing Remarks: A fascinating read filled with many jaw-dropping moments, but told with heart and compassion.
Drink of Choice: Given that Walls’ father was a raging alcoholic and that the family suffered tremendously on account of this, a cocktail for this selection seems inappropriate. If you or someone you know has a drinking or drug problem, please check out this resource page for more information on support groups and services for friends and family members of addicted people.
Additional Information
Click here to purchase “The Glass Castle” on Amazon
