a moving memoir of dysfunction and love

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	• The Glass Castle: A Memoir Jeannette Walls Scribner, 2006 - 288 pages average customer review:based on 1091 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A Beautiful Read

I loved this book. Well written and captured the authors childhood in a most eloquent way. While keeping it through the eyes of a child, she remained optomistic through the entire book. Not pittying her self in the least. she also did not blame anyone which i found quite interesting. she loved her parents in spite of thier dysfunction and neglect. And, it appears she still loves them dearly while not letting them drag her up and down emotionally...im sure she has had to deal with a lot of dissapointment...and needed a lot of therapy.
Great Book!

a moving memoir of dysfunction and love

I have mixed feelings about Wall's memoir. She is clearly a brilliant and talented writer, and I applaud her ability to overcome the obstalces she faced growing up. As with every memoir, I wonder how much of her experiences are exaggerated; I also was left wanting some detail about her siblings and their adult relationships with each other - so much was invested in detailing their growing up and the closeness they shared as children, I had hoped for more detail about their lives as they entered adulthood in New York.

This criticism aside, I was most powerfully struck by the tenacious love that held her family together, in spite of the alcoholism, the co-dependency and what clearly seems to be mental illness. Jeanette's unfailing love of her father, in spite of his many shortcomings was touching. I am not giving anything away by stating the revelation that her parents had chosen to live as they did, dragging their children along with them was also a punch to the stomach.

As with other reviewers, I was reminded of _Angela's Ashes_; the crushing poverty, alcoholism and child-like hope in the future are similar. Yet Walls' writing has a very different meter to it, and hers is a different journey. A recommended summer read.

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Honest...

What an inspirational story, and what a brave move for Walls. Even though the book is full of ups and downs, alcoholism and poverty, it is not a pity party for Walls and her family. She understands and portrays love for her family no matter how many mistakes they have made. This book will move you and leave you with a sense of hope.

Excellent Book

This realistically handles tough subject matter that is easy to ignore - except for those living through it. The lack of action by those who should have intervened and the survival strategies of the family are written honestly and without flinching. The abuse and neglect are painted well without pity or excuses.

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Life Changing

I came upon this book on Amazon and read the excerpt. I thought I have to read this because it's so different. After reading the book I feel changed in a way that I cannot really put my finger on. I loved the book - I love the fact that she tells her story in such a matter of fact way without judgements or bitterness. In our society today this is probably looked upon like abuse, but then again so is letting your child ride in the back of a truck without a car seat or ride their bike without a helmet. Things have changed and I don't always think for the better. It was a different time and while they were excenteric they did love each other. I wanted the story to go on longer.

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