The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls

Title: The Glass Castle
Author: Jeannette Walls
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4/5
# pages: Audiobook ~11hrs
Date read: March 2011

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.

A fascinating book. I knew absolutely nothing about Jeannette Walls before picking up this book, and had actually gotten the impression that it was fiction rather than a memoir.

But despite not knowing who Jeannette Walls is, and therefore not having any expectations whatsoever, I soon found myself deeply caught up in the book. The narrator suited the part well, and Jeannette's life was absolutely fascinating. Granted, her parents' behaviour bordered on child abuse from time to time, but it was obvious to see that it wasn't from any ill intent (unless selfishness counts as ill-intent) and that they really did love each other.

I'm incredibly impressed that so many of the children did so well with their lives with the upbringing they had. Seems very obvious to me that they owed it to their constant effort to stick together and help each other.

I really appreciated a look into this aspect of American living that I'd never known much about before.