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A review by chemistreadingonthejob
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Witty, Hopeful, and Inspirational
The Glass Castle is an uplifting memoir about Jeannette Walls' nomadic and poverty-stricken childhood. The Walls briefly lived in many places throughout Pheonix, Arizona, San Francisco, California, and Battle Mountain, Nevada, and were sometimes even homeless. They finally put down roots in their father's hometown Welch, West Virgina. They lived in a run down house with no plumbing or heat, surrounded by trash, and barely got by. The children displayed extraordinary resilience in the face of adversity. Jeannette's father was a drunk and a lair. Her mother was negligent and indifferent towards her children's distress. Despite her parents unwillingness to change, Jeannette had unconditional love and optimism for her family. This is a true rags to riches story that never feels like a pity party.
"Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more."
My favorite thing about this memoir is that it never feels sad. Even though they were living in abysmal conditions, Jeannette describes every situation in an almost laughable way. The way she continues to love and care for her parents regardless of their refusal to improve their lives is remarkable. I felt a connection with Jeannette because we have similar childhood experiences, and we both came out of it stronger. This memoir changed the way I perceived my youth because instead of dwelling on it, I wanted to look back and laugh. This is a story about how struggles develop your strengths. Jeannette narrates the audiobook with a comforting and charming voice. It was a heartwarming listen for an unforgettable book. I would recommend this to anybody interested in captivating true stories.
Read this if you like:
💵 Rags to riches
💪 Mental strength
📰 Journalism
📺 Books made into films
📓 True Stories
The Glass Castle is an uplifting memoir about Jeannette Walls' nomadic and poverty-stricken childhood. The Walls briefly lived in many places throughout Pheonix, Arizona, San Francisco, California, and Battle Mountain, Nevada, and were sometimes even homeless. They finally put down roots in their father's hometown Welch, West Virgina. They lived in a run down house with no plumbing or heat, surrounded by trash, and barely got by. The children displayed extraordinary resilience in the face of adversity. Jeannette's father was a drunk and a lair. Her mother was negligent and indifferent towards her children's distress. Despite her parents unwillingness to change, Jeannette had unconditional love and optimism for her family. This is a true rags to riches story that never feels like a pity party.
"Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more."
My favorite thing about this memoir is that it never feels sad. Even though they were living in abysmal conditions, Jeannette describes every situation in an almost laughable way. The way she continues to love and care for her parents regardless of their refusal to improve their lives is remarkable. I felt a connection with Jeannette because we have similar childhood experiences, and we both came out of it stronger. This memoir changed the way I perceived my youth because instead of dwelling on it, I wanted to look back and laugh. This is a story about how struggles develop your strengths. Jeannette narrates the audiobook with a comforting and charming voice. It was a heartwarming listen for an unforgettable book. I would recommend this to anybody interested in captivating true stories.
Read this if you like:
💵 Rags to riches
💪 Mental strength
📰 Journalism
📺 Books made into films
📓 True Stories