Book Talk- The Glass Castle by J. Walls

APA Reference: Walls, J. (2005). The Glass Castle. New York, NY: Scribner

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a book that has drama and pathos, adventure and nearly averted tragedies, and a fascinating and poignantly told story that is all the more astonishing for its being true. Author Walls autobiographic tale starts from her earliest memory aged three, cooking hotdogs and being burned. From here we meet her eccentric, intellectual, bohemian parents, an artistic mother and a brilliant but flawed father who together are extremely neglectful mainly due to their non-conformist and stubborn attitudes. The book chronicles the outrageous adventures of a family who are often on the road one step ahead of child protection agencies, and rent collectors, living a nomadic lifestyle unsuitable to a stable family life. While the stories are at their root very sad, the love of family is apparent, and the humour infused into the book provides welcome relief from the serious issue of neglect, poverty, abuse, addictions and homelessness. The author’s strength and resilience are truly inspiring as she was able to move beyond the dysfunction of her childhood to become a successful journalist and author. This novel would be most suitable for Grade 12, and fit well into themes focusing on the Human Condition and Human Relationships. It is an entertaining and at times almost unbelievable chronicle of a family, offering an abundance of important issues to explore.