OSU's Relax and Read Collection: Book Reviews

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

This book was recommended to me by a struggling-to-read-in-English high school student. I picked it up thinking it must be something special if he worked his way through it, and liked it enough to tell me about it. What I found was quite a shock to me. I expected a little grit in the retelling of a child reared in poverty, but what I got was something much more visceral. I am sure there are metaphors and many literary criticisms I could offer if I could be objective. So instead, I will tell you about how difficult it was to distance myself from the story because I am a parent, and I take that role very seriously. I experienced so many cringe-worthy moments, moments of utter fury, and then helpless futility of my anger because there was nothing to be done to help the situation and those children. I am well aware that trial by proverbial fire is a strength building exercise, but the parent in me thinks that that trial shouldn't be facilitated by free-range (in the worst sense of the word) and negligent parenting. The author gives us a front seat view into her young life, and it affected me. It made me reflect on my own daughter, my present parenting style,  and its long reaching repercussions. It made me more aware of the honest to goodness plight of other people, and forced me to  put down my petty first world problems for a bit. Give it a try, but be warned...it is not for the faint of heart.