The Glass Castle--A Must Read

It has been quite a while since I have had time to sit down and read an entire book. Having children, working full time, and attending school has kept me busy. I have started a few books and have managed to get through a few chapters before something happens that required my full attention. One of my assignments in my English class was to read "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls. I am so glad it was part of our required readings for the course.

In the book, Jeanette Walls bravely wrote about her childhood and what it was like to grow up in a severely dysfunctional family. Her family moved all over the Country chasing her father's dream to get rich and build "The Glass Castle".  Jeanette and her siblings often went for days without eating and slept in cardboard boxes. The struggles they endured forced Jeanette to crave the taste of a normal life and she vowed to make her life as an adult "normal". Jeanette later went on to become a successful author living in New York City.

I couldn't help but feel sad as I read this book. It forced me to come to the realization that stories like Jeanette's are all too common in today's society and that poverty is a huge issue in America. Her amazing bravery and strength is so inspiring. It should show each of us that anything is possible and with hard work, dreams can be achieved no matter where we come from and what our lives were like growing up. It also made me very thankful for what I have in life. There are so many simple things in life that many of us take advantage of (having water to drink, having a bed to sleep in at night, having warm clothes to wear, having a meal on the table every night). Reading "The Glass Castle" made me realize those things are never promised and that we all need to be thankful for the simple things in life. This book was amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone. You will not be disappointed if you take the time to read it.