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The Glass Castle: A Memoir (book)

THE BELOVED #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER—FROM THE AUTHOR OF HANG THE MOON

The extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, “nothing short of spectacular” (Entertainment Weekly) memoir from one of the world’s most gifted storytellers.


The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette’s brilliant and charismatic father captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

The Glass Castle is truly astonishing—a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family.

The memoir was also made into a major motion picture from Lionsgate in 2017 starring Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, and Naomi Watts.

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Published Jan 17, 2006

288 pages

Average rating: 8.22

872 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Zoe E.
Nov 08, 2022
8/10 stars
Jeannette Walls' parents loved their children, but were not particularly interested in parenting. The memoir covers Walls's unconventional upbringing and her complicated relationship with her parents who she loves, but understandably resents as well. Reminded me of Educated, but without the religious fundamentalism.
JoyousBookworm
Sep 03, 2025
9/10 stars
What a memoir!! What an interesting life!!
rae.
Sep 02, 2025
10/10 stars
A book I will never tire of reading!
Kimmy555
Jul 31, 2025
10/10 stars
Amazing Book
DWitzig
Jun 14, 2025
4/10 stars
I wasn't too impressed with this book....it was too dark for me. I know those kind of situations are a part of life, but it was too difficult for me to read.

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