Rating:  -
This is one of those books where it's almost unbelievable. It's about children being dragged into a life totally uncomprehendable to them. It's definitely a testament to the fact that no matter what your upbringing, with dedication and persistance, you can break the cycle so-to-speak. I would recommend reading.
Rating:  -
Jeannette Walls' takes you on the journey through her childhood, being raised by an alcoholic father who somehow always had cash for booze and mother who likely suffered from both codependency and some form of mental illness. Their negligence in providing for the very basic needs of their children makes me appreciate my own upbringing even more. While I was astonished at the irresponsible behavior of these parents, I was at the same time captivated as I waited for some silver lining to emerge. In spite of all things that were lacking in her early years, Jeannette and her siblings thankfully were given a gift of education albeit unconventional, which coupled with their personal determination, provided a much needed escape hatch from their parents' downward spiraling lifestyle. I found this memoir a great read, profound and inspiring.
Rating: -
THE GLASS CASTLE
Wow, again, another book that has been sitting on my book shelf for years. My book group picked this as our read of the month and I am glad that we did.
This is the true story of Jeannette Walls, growing up in squalor, filth, hunger, trying hard to fit in and failing repeatedly. This is the story of four children, whose parents have the ways and means to feed, shelter, and clothe their children; however, they just choose NOT to. This family lived in houses that should have been torn down, barely ate, had no way of bathing, had no decent/clean clothing. While the parents 'loved' the kids, they didn't take care of them. AT ALL. They were so poor, dirty, and unkempt that the poorest of the poor people living in town looked down upon the family. They were really the bottom of the barrel.
Their dad, Rex, was a drunk, only had odd jobs now and then, and would take food out of his own children's mouths for a bottle of booze. His wife, Rose Mary, had a teaching degree, could paint, but didn't work because she didn't care too. They were horrible parents, yet their children loved them. Rex and Rose Mary had different views of the world and didn't see anything wrong with how they were making their children live.
Walls tells the story of her childhood, how, as the children grow, they realize their lives aren't normal and try to change their parents and have them make all of their lives more comfortable. Their attempts are futile, but good things do happen to those who try, try, try.
What Lori, Brian, Maureen, and Jeanette endure during their lives is such that most of us could never imgaine, let alone live. How these four people grow up, sticking together, and in the end making something of their own lives is a story I will not soon forget. For the people who believed in these kids and gave them a helping hand, hip-hip-hooray! Jeannette and her brother and older sister made something of themselves, digging and scratching from the bottom of the pit up into the sunshine.
What a book, what a life! There have been well over 1,300 reviews on this book, mine is a mere drop in the bucket. Having said that, I must say this is one of the best books I have ever read and I will certainly recommend it and pass it along to family and friends.
If you haven't read this book yet, please do. You won't be sorry.
Thanks.
Pam
Rating: -
The book opened with this sentence: "I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster."
Yowsa. I had to read it again. It didnt take long to root myself into this read that was the vision of dysfunctional right from the start. There are many times throughout the book that I wonder why didnt social services step in... why didnt anyone see this? I wonder now as people who knew this family as this was happening dnt see Jeanette's book now and wonder the same thing themselves.
The funny thing is that time and again, people did try to act... and Jeanette's dad will pull up the family and move - and her mother (and I use the term loosely) just thought life was an adventure and didnt really focus to much on anything that had to do with her children. Sorry- I am trying to stay even here but I really struggled with Jeanette's mom.
In our Bookies Book Club discussion of this book this past week, we found the book to be so incredible that it had to be non fiction. If the book were fictitious no one would find it believable -it would be too over the top.
* Driving a piano through the house
* cutting maggots off ham to eat
* taking leftovers out of the schools garbage and eating it in the bathroom stalls so no one knew...
Jeanette Walls book is written well and Jeanette shares her life story in a matter of fact, occasionally humorous tone. I dont think I could have made my way through it is she would have written it as bitter and angry - it would have been too heavy.
My book club rated this book as a high 4 rating out of 5.
Rating: -
When I read Frank McCourt's "Angela's Ashes" I remember thinking that something like that could never happen over here. People just.. couldn't let it happen. Since then I've read a great many books and seen a lot more then I had in my fairly sheltered life at that time, but this book really brings it home.
Despite the bleak and despairing story, Jeannette Walls manages to infuse the memoir with some humor and even had me smiling and shaking my head at times. I don't doubt at all that her parents love(d) her. I think they were completely irresponsible and horrifying, but there were so many touching moments that just.. didn't fit with what else was happening.
It's heart-warming to know that despite everything that happened to them, the family is still close-knit, the siblings (with possibly the exception of Maureen?) remain in contact and the support for one another remained present throughout their life.
Also, the writing of this book felt as if I was sitting down and hearing her tell me the story. Very, very easy to read, fascinating and I didn't want to put the book down.
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