The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster" (Walls, 3).
This was the first great book I've read this year, and I really needed that because the last 4 (from my booklist) were awful! This is a memoir about a little girl who grew up all over the country, with hippie parents and three siblings (and a dog, Tinkle, and sometimes, even animals like buzzards and wild rats) and her drive to overcome her circumstances in poverty, starvation, and literally, garbage. I read this in about four days total, but today read 150 pages because I just couldn't put it down. The reader can't decide to hate the parents, or to just shake their head and feel sorry for the kids because the parents are so stubborn. Walls does an excellent job at telling the tale with humor, and, at times, heartbreaking poignancy.
My book club had decided to read it for the month of March, but being as I won't be attending/leading that group because of the new babe, I wanted to read it ahead of time since a few people had recommended it. I am so glad I did, I really needed a good book boost after some really bad poetry books...yes, I'll even spare you the reviews! I am a tough "star" rater, saving my 5's for amazing classics and works of ironic wit, but this is a solid 4 for sure. This book is well written and definitely worth the trip to the library!
"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster" (Walls, 3).
This was the first great book I've read this year, and I really needed that because the last 4 (from my booklist) were awful! This is a memoir about a little girl who grew up all over the country, with hippie parents and three siblings (and a dog, Tinkle, and sometimes, even animals like buzzards and wild rats) and her drive to overcome her circumstances in poverty, starvation, and literally, garbage. I read this in about four days total, but today read 150 pages because I just couldn't put it down. The reader can't decide to hate the parents, or to just shake their head and feel sorry for the kids because the parents are so stubborn. Walls does an excellent job at telling the tale with humor, and, at times, heartbreaking poignancy.
My book club had decided to read it for the month of March, but being as I won't be attending/leading that group because of the new babe, I wanted to read it ahead of time since a few people had recommended it. I am so glad I did, I really needed a good book boost after some really bad poetry books...yes, I'll even spare you the reviews! I am a tough "star" rater, saving my 5's for amazing classics and works of ironic wit, but this is a solid 4 for sure. This book is well written and definitely worth the trip to the library!
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