Jenn gave me this book at our Christmas book exchange last year, and I only just read it recently. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to it, and it was so good, I wish I'd read it sooner! (Actually, I do know why I waited so long -- I am just biased against non-fiction, and so even though many people had highly recommended it to me, I was still balking. Sheesh.)This book is a memoir that tells an amazing tale of the author's childhood, crazy family life, and how she ultimately overcomes her life's difficulties. And I mean truly amazing -- wow. If I didn't know it was non-fiction, I would have wondered how she invented such unbelievably out-there scenarios!
One thing that really stuck out to me was the genius with which her parents put a spin on their poverty and nomadism. They persuaded them that they were on one big adventure! (until they got old enough to figure out otherwise) I got a kick out of this:
"Dad invented games for us to play, like the Ergo Game, in which he'd make two statements of fact and we had to answer a question based on those statements, or else say 'Insufficient information to draw a conclusion' and explain why."
So clever! And what's more, the author was only about five at the time...
This is the book I'm currently reading. I'm only about halfway through, but so far I like it quite a bit. Because I was still thinking about the Ergo Game, this passage jumped out at me:"Katie and Renée were playing their favorite game -- It's Gotta Go -- where they made choices between things that they dearly loved. Pepsi or Coke, spaghetti or macaroni, Little Dot or Little Lulu, puppies or kittens, Barbie or Skipper, 'You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd' or 'Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh,' Christmas or your birthday. Making a choice was heartbreaking and took hours. Often they'd end up bawling. They'd hug each other and agree that it was necessary. If it wasn't hard, it wouldn't matter. It proved how much they really loved the things they said they'd let go."
Is that what 9-year-old girls do?? I love it.
Oh, and I would definitely recommend both of these books.
13 comments:
I LOVED The Glass Castle too. It was the first book I read after having Henri (a year later! too long).When I saw way back when that you got the book I was so excited for you to read it. But then I never heard you say anything about it so I thought (although I couldn't believe it) that you didn't like it. Often times when I'm feeling like a bad parent, I think about her life as a child and realize that successful adults can come out of the even the most desperate situations and that eases my anxiety. I just finished my last book (Water for Elephants) and need a new one. I'm going to go out and get the other one you talked about today! Love you Shell...
We read the Glass Castle for our bookclub a few months ago. I wasn't too excited at first but I loved the book it made me feel so grateful for everything we have even if too often I don't think I have enough.
I love book reviews...will definitely add these to my list.
Loved the Glass Castle! I love non-fiction.
Perfect timing for me - I need a couple of new books this week! Thanks!
I really enjoyed Glass Castle and the same thing stood out to me- how their parents raised them in poverty but they were pretty much unaware until they were in school etc.
Mya has been playing with our 6 and 8 year old neighbor girls the last few days and it has been very interesting to see how they play- so different from the toddler play. Makes me excited for what is to come.
Thanks for the book recommendations and quotes, I'm intrigued about both of them now, so it's a good thing you let me borrow The Glass Castle. There are so many books I want to read that it makes me wish I could consume them faster, but then again that would probably cheapen the experience so maybe my way is a form of savoring rather than snarfing...hmmm. (I just thought of that.)
i recently read an interview with jeanette walls about the glass castle. i was intrigued enough to think i should read it... but never got around to picking it up. i really should!
I love the book reviews because then it makes my new book selections that much easier! Thanks for the quotes and the insight today!
The Glass CAstle was such an interesting and sad book. I really enjoyed reading it though, and it made me think alot about life!
I think I've also read the second book, because that game sounds so familiar.
I was fascinated by the glass castle. Anyone who has yet to read it will be snared by the first sentence...i couldn't put it down. I was amazed that anyone could become a successful member of society after experiencing this type of childhood...I came away awestruck!
Michelle thanks for the recommendations. I am looking for a book with a little more depth these days and think the Glass Castle sounds perfect. thanks.
I just finished reading it loved it as well. Made me really look at my life and be more grateful. It is a hard book to describe. Her parents are so crazy and and border on child abuse but you root for them the entire book! she is amazing that she made the life she did.
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