When I think of books I have loved, The Glass Castle almost always jumps to front and center. I think I read most of it with my jaw dropped as the author recounted the “too crazy not to be true” childhood she lived. This book highlights the resiliency of the human spirit and childhood strength. I was in awe of the author and all she experienced in her rather fantastical life. Even more, I loved who she turned out to be, but found the idea of her wrestling with her past and those in it very honest and heartbreaking too. Highly recommended, but one warning…this is not a book seen through rose-colored glasses, so it can be a tough read, especially for sensitive readers.

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Frequently Asked Questions: The Glass Castle

Is The Glass Castle a true story?

Yes, it is a memoir. Jeannette Walls is recounting her own childhood, which is exactly what makes it so astonishing — I read most of it with my jaw dropped because the events are too crazy not to be true. That the author came through it and became who she became is a large part of why the book stays with people.

Is The Glass Castle too hard to read?

It can be, and I would rather say so plainly. This is not a book seen through rose-coloured glasses. It describes real childhood neglect without softening it, and I would not recommend it to a very sensitive reader or to someone in a difficult season. For most readers the resilience in it outweighs the hard parts, but go in knowing what it is.

What should I read after The Glass Castle?

Half Broke Horses, also by Jeannette Walls, which tells the story of her grandmother. I thought it was great, though the story is not quite as exciting or as engaging as this one. If you want another memoir with the same emotional weight rather than the same author, When Breath Becomes Air is where I would send you.

Is it a good book club book?

An excellent one. It raises questions people genuinely disagree about — how to judge the parents, what loyalty to a family costs, whether resilience is something to celebrate or grieve. A group will not run out of things to say. Just be aware that some members may find it harder going than others.