The glass castle

a memoir

by Jeannette Walls

Hardback, 288 pages

English language

Published Nov. 8, 2005 by Scribner.

ISBN:: 978-0-7432-4753-5
OCLC Number:: 56590629

(67 reviews)

In the tradition of Mary Karr's "The Liars' Club" and Rick Bragg's "All Over But the Shouting," Jeannette Walls has written a stunning and life-affirming memoir about surviving a willfully impoverished, eccentric and severely misguided family. The child of an alcoholic father and an eccentric artist mother discusses her family's nomadic upbringing, during which she and her siblings fended for themselves while their parents outmaneuvered bill collectors and the authorities.

29 editions

almostallthecake reviewed The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Review of 'The Glass Castle' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Reading Blog || Socials

This is one of those books that will change your life. If you have any sort of experience with abusive family members under delivering and gaslighting, you will find a lot of solace in this book. The family member that recommended this book to me said it healed her a bit as it felt like it was similar to her childhood, and that she wasn't alone.

I may end up re-reading this book if I can find the paperback, as I read this book some years ago. It is a deeply emotional, true story, told in a truly beautiful way. I heavily recommend this book.

Nano Book Review reviewed The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Growing Up Disfunctional

5 stars

A memoir about growing up with irresponsible parents. Things don't seem so crazy when you've never known anything different. But even so, your circumstances don't have to be your results.

PanaX reviewed The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Review of 'The Glass Castle' on 'Goodreads'

No rating

Fantastic story of overcoming a difficult childhood with eccentric and neglectful parents.

Machinedreamread reviewed The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Review of 'The Glass Castle' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Best memoir I’ve ever read. I actually listened to this on audible and I was really sucked into the story the whole time. It is a sad book but it has beautiful moments and memories. Loved it!

cherold reviewed The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Review of 'The Glass Castle' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

The Glass Castle is an entertaining and somewhat disturbing memoir about really bad parenting. What's interesting is that while the parents are objectively terrible, Walls portrays her childhood as a rather heroic and engaging adventure. It's not that she doesn't acknowledge that parents that barely feed their children are bad parents, but the book still shows the ways in which she had freedom and learned remarkable self reliance. I was far more coddled as a child, and I'd say I am far more fearful as an adult. (May or may not indicate causality.)

Should the kids all have been taken away by social workers? Probably. And yet, they seem to have turned out pretty well, at least according to the book.

Anyway, if you ever complain about your childhood this is a handy reality check. If it's worse than Walls' was, you've definitely got the right to complain!

Very entertaining …

govmarley reviewed The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Review of 'The Glass Castle' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Nature vs. nurture. It's a long-standing debate. I personally think nurture has a more to do with how you turn out as a person, but Jeannette Walls might have just proved me wrong.

This is the story of growing up with two parents who, to put it nicely, both have issues. My armchair psychiatrist degree says they both just might be mentally ill. Definitely co-dependent. And really bad parents. Jeannette and her siblings grow up roaming from place to place as her parents run from people of the real and imaginary sort. They are poor, and hungry, and really don't seem to realize how crazy their upbringing truly is. I can't believe no one stepped in and helped these kids, but I'm sure there are families right now who have it just as bad or worse and are under the radar like them.

This book made me mad. And sad. I realize it could have been worse for the Walls children. But what was there was bad enough. Now get off the computer, go hug a loved one, and be grateful for all that you have. It's a miracle Jeannette Walls grew up to make something of herself, so her nature won out over the terrible nurture she received. 4 stars for Jeannette and a virtual high five from me.

AliCorbin reviewed The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Review of 'The Glass Castle' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I had problems with this book, as I kept wanting to throttle the parents. But after I decided to view it as fiction I was able to appreciate the writing. I liked that her descriptions of her memories as a small child actually were child-like, and not colored by her later feelings as she grew disenchanted with her parents.

unicorndeburgh reviewed The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Review of 'The Glass Castle' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

It's a well written story, and the memoir of an often appalling childhood. I recommend it. And I desperately want to know if her mother really owned real estate worth a million dollars while her children were hungry.