THE GLASS CASTLE

It had been a while since I picked up memoirs and I am so glad that I decided to read this book.

The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir by Jeannette Walls.It is a simply narrated story about the unconventional upbringing of Walls and her siblings by their bohemian-minded dyfunctional parents.

My Views:

This was a very well-crafted and astonishing memoir!It left me shaking my head in disbelief at many parts.However I was very curious about the author and saw her interviews on YouTube,which made me correct my skepticism about her.

Despite being part of a dysfunctional family with bohemian-minded parents (an alcoholic father and a manic-depressive mother) and living in abject poverty, it is astounding to see not an ounce of self-pity in what Jeannette Walls writes.It requires guts of steel to revisit a dark past.

One cannot run away from ones past and the way she has bravely confronted hers is laudable.This book is very engaging and is an easy read.

She had her wits about her and worked her way up.Her life view is very positive even in bleak times and that to me was remarkable.

The family was nomadic and moved from place to place to evade the law sometimes and sometimes when they ran out of money or simply in search of greener pastures.Despite all that they go through ,Jeannette still loves her parents.She remembers her father as an intelligent man full of fantastic stories.Someone who gifts her a planet on her birthday!and her mother as a spirited artist.

I was however shocked by the parents selfish and neglectful behaviour.I just couldnt understand it.But then,it takes all kinds to make a world.

How the siblings take care of each other and eventually find their way to New York and prosper gives a very hopeful message.

It just goes to show that a persons messed up childhood need not translate into him/her being a damaged individual as an adult.

This book somehow reminded me of  Frank McCourts 'Angela's Ashes'.

It has sold 2.7 million copies worldwide besides being on the New York Times Bestseller list for a total of 261 weeks.It is also being adapted into a movie.

A must-read.Highly recommended.