Book Club Book Two

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

This book was great and this book was terrible. The story, about a girl growing up in less than optimal circumstances (to put it lightly), was engrossing and so wonderfully written that you just didn't want to put it down. The details of the story - four children under 9 (including a 3 month old baby!) forced to ride in the back of a moving truck for 14+ hours (not counting scenic stops, wtf) because there wasn't enough room for them upfront with their parents. Living in a three room shack with no plumbing or heat but plenty of holes in the roof, scrounging for food in garbage cans at school just to have something to eat, while their father drinks and their teaching licensed mother refuses to work and instead paints at home. Having every effort to improve their situation thwarted by the very people whose job it was to provide for them - these details made you want to put it down. At least for a quick breath to calm your anger and soften your pain at the terrible ordeal of just growing up those children were put through.

In many ways this is the ultimate fairytale - after all, the author conquered a childhood most of us can not even imagine to become a successful writer. She got out. But you can never really leave behind a past like that, and while the book had very little in it about the later, adult years of her life, the little glimpses that were shared hinted at long held, justifiable and probably insurmountable resentment.

One thing I liked most about the book was that it was written from the point of view of the author as she lived through each incident. The situation was never colored by reflection or adult understanding and experience. So as the reader we were able to feel not only the child's naive perception of the occurance, but also our own understanding of her true vulnerability. As a parent, it was harrowing to read about the neglect, deprivation and downright danger inflicted upon those children by these self-absorbed, delusional people. But it was also somewhat reassuring to see that even when the parents are too lazy to repair holes in the floor, so selfish they can't bear to part with their archery set (yes. ARCHERY) or painting supplies but will force their children to leave behind all of their toys, and so out of touch with reality that they insist on leaving the doors open over night despite lecherous bums entering the house, the children will persevere. The children will learn to take care of themselves - to work hard and be smart and resilient. Makes me think nothing I do can possibly ruin my kids the way these parents should have ruined theirs.

All in all, I definitely recommend reading this book. It may not be a skip in the park, but despite the heavy subject matter it is written so beautifully that you will enjoy every minute of this terrible story. And it will make you feel A LOT better about anything going on in your life.

Up next: The Happiness Project