Now a major motion picture from Lionsgate starring Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, and Naomi Watts.
MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST
The perennially bestselling, extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, “nothing short of spectacular” (Entertainment Weekly) memoir from one of the world’s most gifted storytellers.
The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette’s brilliant and charismatic father captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family.
The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.
The Glass Castle is truly astonishing—a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family.
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"Just when I thought I was sick of memoir, a lovely and enchanting neighbor recommended this book to me. It was difficult to put down. I imagine some parts were embellished but the story was fantastic. The best part is that the author let her remarkable story tell itself - or perhaps I should say that she did a great job of staying out of the story's way. No digressions about how certain events made her feel, no ridiculous sidebars about what an event meant in the big picture or how it might fit a narrative she wanted to create. She just told what happened to her and that was enough to compel you to keep reading. The book also made me think about parenting and how resilient children really are, something that's important for me to keep in mind."
— Kevin (4 out of 5 stars)
“Just read the first pages of The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and I defy you not to go on. It’s funny, and sad, and quirky, and loving. I was incredibly touched by it.”
— Dominick Dunne, New York Times bestselling author“A very good memoir. At one point, describing her early literary tastes, Walls mentions that ‘my favorite books all involved people dealing with hardships.’ And she has succeeded in doing what most writers set out to do—to write the kind of book they themselves most want to read.”
— New York Times“Tragic and comic at the same time…an outrageous story, one that will break your heart.”
— Sunday Independent (London)“Walls doesn’t pull her punches…in this excellent, unusual book…fantastic storytelling.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)" This was the best book ever. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I cant wait to see the movie. I highly recommend. "
— Kristie, 1/26/2018" Loved this book. Can't believe its a true story... can't believe these children survived. But it is definitely an inspiration that no matter where you come from, if you want something bad enough, you can get there. "
— Sharon, 9/20/2017" So, this is one of those books that you just love to love and hate to love! It is a memoir so I have to believe that it is fact, but I was really irritated with what went on in the book. The system and those that knew this family seriously failed these kids and despite, they persisted. The facts of the book aside, it is very well written and hearing it read by the author made it really poignant and heartfelt. I heard all of the hype, my daughter kept telling me to read it, so . . . I finally did and I am not sorry. Total recommend! Just be prepared to hate her parents! EEK! "
— Tina, 8/28/2017" Great book and well read by the author. I hate her parents! LOL. I would recommend this book to anyone. Triumph in the end for the Walls kids! "
— Tina K, 8/18/2017" I finished The Glass Castle in just over two days of reading. By the time I got to the last line, I had to read it twice, it is THAT beautifully written. It is the jaw-dropping, raw, sincere story of a family of kids who survived devastating poverty and cripplingly prideful parentage. "
— Tasha, 2/8/2014" April 2013 book club selection. "
— Mary, 2/2/2014Jeannette Walls is the author of one nonfiction work, Dish, the New York Times bestselling memoir Glass Castle, and three works of fiction, including Half Broke Horses, which was named one of the ten best books of 2009 by the New York Times Book Review. She graduated from Barnard College and was a journalist in New York