The Glass Castle

A Memoir

By: Jeannette Walls

Narrated by: Jeannette Walls

Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly.

Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict". Cooking a meal that would be consumed in 15 minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town - and the family - Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.

For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.

©2005 Jeannette Walls (P)2010 Simon and Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

"Jeannette Walls has carved a story with precision and grace out of one of the most chaotic, heartbreaking childhoods ever to be set down on the page. This deeply affecting memoir is a triumph in every possible way, and it does what all good books should: it affirms our faith in the human spirit." (Dani Shapiro, author of Family History)

" The Glass Castle is the saga of the restless, indomitable Walls family, led by a grand eccentric and his tempestuous artist wife. Jeannette Walls has survived poverty, fires, and near starvation to triumph. She has written this amazing tale with honesty and love." (Patricia Bosworth, author of Anything Your Little Heart Desires and Diane Arbus: A Biography)

"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, author of The Way We Lived Then: Recollections of a Well-Known Name Dropper)

Wonderful read

What an amazing story about a truly un-ordinary family. Although my heart broke for all the hardships those kids endured, it’s those hardships that made them the strong, brave and persevering adults they became.

Heartbreaking true story

Knowing that this is based on a true story really breaks your heart. It is very well written but the author should have let a pro handle the narration. It's not bad but with such a strong story, it would have been next level with a better narrator.

Great Book!!

I loved this book. It is one of my favorite books of all time, with complicated characters and unpredictable turns. More than anything else, it shows the resiliency of the human spirit. Jeanette has a unique voice and should be a role model for us all.

Loved the Story

What an amazing story, I could not top listening to it.Jeannette Walls storytelling kept me engaged, and excited. I found myself loving and hating her free-spirited parents. what an amazing story of love, hardship, acceptance, and forgiveness.

Authentic and endearing

I loved the narrator. It felt so personal to hear her story in her own voice. It was relatable because my sister's have told similar stories of when our family of ten was poor living in the California desert. We too are very close in spite of the challenges and I miss my dad's charm, wit, and resilience. Her story touched my heart with gratitude and compassion for the variety of people in this world. The story captivated me from beginning to end.

What a story!

The book is a great story of a difficult life through the eyes of a believer, who's spirit is crumbled but built back up. Loved it, and would recommend for anyone looking read a story of true triumph in the midst of a constant storm.

A book that will make you laugh and cry.

This book was really special. I found myself wondering if the author somehow knew my father and had decided to write a book about him. Her descriptions of Rex often brought tears to my eyes, as similar memories of my own dad came to my mind. I felt that the author really captured what it's like to have so much love, admiration and faith in someone, even when they've let everyone down over and over again. Beautifully written.

Great book.

Very interesting story. I did not want to stop listening to it. the narrater was great.

Dazzling

An Inspiring memoir that shall remind me of when ever I am in quandaries or difficulties. Thanks to Jeannette Walls sharing her childhood with the public.

Amazing survival/thriving story

Walls writes with such openness and a lack of condemnation after living through so many rough circumstances. She also sheds light on what gaslighting and adult mental illness look like from a child’s point of view. Walls has overcome an amazing childhood and paints a poignant adventure story