The Glass Castle

Recently, Melissa recommended a book, The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls. I checked it out of the library. I am glad that I read it. It is a powerful story about a young girl's life in a very dsyfunctional family. Actually, dysfunctional does not begin to describe her family life. Neither does the word chaotic. Bizaare and frightening may scratch the surface. How many of us would ask our three year old daughter to fix lunch for the family because we are pre-occuppied painting a master piece that will live forever? When our 3 year old daughter suffers extensive burns from the cooking episode, do we learn from that experience? No, life continues as before. The whims of the parents continue to put the children in jeopardy. The book is not maudlin and it does not unjustly criticize the parents. The daughter, and most of her siblings, triumph and become strong capable adults. The siblings are also compassionate people who care for their parents in their last years. I am writing this to thank Melissa for bringing the book to my attention. I learned a lot about fortitude and compassion from reading The Glass Castle.