The Glass Castle: A Memoir

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. --Brangien Davis

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.

For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.

TO INQUIRE ABOUT SCHEDULING JEANNETTE WALLS FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS PLEASE CONTACT: Keppler Speakers
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This book was very Wow. That's how you know it's a true story b/c no one could make this up!!! Well worth the money. I couldn't put it down once things got moving.

The remarkable autobiography of a girl who grew up in extreme poverty and survived. Her alcoholic father and free spirited (if not emotionally disturbed) mother managed to neglect her and her siblings while justifying their conduct with believable words of homely wisdom. Still, there was wisdom in those words. Jeannette succeeded while her mother still lives on the streets of New York. You may find yourself dumbfounded by the life of this vagabond family, but you will be glad you read this book. For more, go on www.youtube.com and search for "Glass Castle." You will find a video of the author and her mother.

This book was given to me by a friend and I strongly recommend it. It holds your interest and has many unexpected events. I have putchased at least 5 copies for friends who have all loved it. Enjoy.

I don't know why this story is not a movie. It is an extraordinary tale--harrowing and funny. Poignant and sad, but all the while, riveting. I am not a fast reader and I couldn't put it down.

Even though their parents loved and educated them, the children were raised in miserable circumstances. Dad's an alcoholic, and mom is lazy and self-centered. It's a wonder they all lived through it. It's not a topic I seek out and only read the book because someone insisted I buy and read it.

The book draws you in from the beginning, and it is highly readable. The writing style is secondary to the story. You never have to go back to clarify what you just read. The story just streams along. I like the small chapters too. Makes it easy to pick up and put down.

I'm surprised the author and siblings retained a relationship with their parents after they were raised in such a careless, neglectful way. There didn't seem to be much resentment towards the parents. That seems odd to me.