The Glass Review
Oct. 1st, 2013 12:14 pmHey,
So I recently finished up The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It's a memoir, discussing Ms. Walls childhood. Her dad was an alcoholic inventor and her mom was a manic-depressive artist. Ms. Walls, along her her brother and two other sisters were shuttled all over the American Southwest while their dad chased some improbable gold mining operation and their mom kept trying to get her art off the ground. Eventually, they move back to West Virginia, to her Dad's hometown and move into a ramshackle old house which finally roots them in place until, one by one, the children escape to New York to build a real life for themselves.
Ms. Walls's parents were terrible caregivers but they were fiercely independent and passed that, along with a wealth of knowledge to their children -- which allowed them to finally take control of their lives and make something of themselves. The book unravels the emotional labyrinth that everyone has with their folks. Even when they fail you repeatedly, they're still your folks and they still have a lot to do with who you are and it can be very difficult to stop loving them.
later
Tom
So I recently finished up The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It's a memoir, discussing Ms. Walls childhood. Her dad was an alcoholic inventor and her mom was a manic-depressive artist. Ms. Walls, along her her brother and two other sisters were shuttled all over the American Southwest while their dad chased some improbable gold mining operation and their mom kept trying to get her art off the ground. Eventually, they move back to West Virginia, to her Dad's hometown and move into a ramshackle old house which finally roots them in place until, one by one, the children escape to New York to build a real life for themselves.
Ms. Walls's parents were terrible caregivers but they were fiercely independent and passed that, along with a wealth of knowledge to their children -- which allowed them to finally take control of their lives and make something of themselves. The book unravels the emotional labyrinth that everyone has with their folks. Even when they fail you repeatedly, they're still your folks and they still have a lot to do with who you are and it can be very difficult to stop loving them.
later
Tom