The Glass Castle

Dark is a way and light is a place,
Heaven that never was
Nor will be ever is always true
- Dylan Thomas

Years ago, I heard about this book and its raving reviews but I never got the chance to read it. And also, I have my own rule that I don't read the story description on books that I'm going to read (what's the point?) so I still had no idea what it was all about until I started reading it. All that I knew is that it's a memoir.

And then, I read the first chapter and I was blown away. Wow! This is going to be an exciting read, I thought. I'm glad that I decided to read this book. The Dylan Thomas' poem above was the opening of the book, by the way. That pretty much sets the tone of the story.

I went through an emotional roller-coaster while reading this book. I was angry at Rex and Rose Mary Walls for being irresponsible parents. I almost cried at points when the children had to look for ways to survive, and eventually escape from that dysfunctional family.

The moral of the story is that "we choose the way we live our lives". Jeannette Walls' parents chose to be nomads in the early years, and subsequently to be homeless in New York. Their kids (except the youngest) chose to live better lives.

"Choice" is such a powerful thing that we often change the direction of our lives without realizing that we actually chose to do so.

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Page 93 of 288

"I'm such an excitement addict!"

Page 129 of 288

Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more.

Page 144 of 288

"Everyone has something good about them," she said. "You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that."
"Oh yeah?" I said. "How about Hitler? What was his redeeeming quality?"
"Hitler loved dogs," Mom said without hesitation.

Hahahaha.... I almost fell of my chair when I read this.