The book chosen for the month of May is The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle is a memoir written by journalist, Jeannette Walls. Jeannette writes about her unique childhood, sharing her fond memories of her father and mother. She tells how they refused to conform to society’s ideas of responsibility, leaving their children to fend for themselves for even the most basic of needs, such as food and shelter. Jeannette tells her story in a straightforward fashion that is not touched with anger or self-pity, belying events that often shock her readers with her almost innocent presentation of the facts. The Glass Castle is an astonishing memoir that will leave the reader both stunned by the tragic circumstances of Jeannette’s childhood and awed by her strength.

Book Summary Source: Bookrags.com

The book club members were in agreement that this book was not quite what we expected.  There were several questions that went unanswered, and we wondered whether the author could actually remember in such vivid detail events that happened decades before – or if this book was slightly more of a “fictionalized” memoir than a true memoir.

It was also quite disturbing in the descriptions of some of the neglect suffered by the children at the hands of their parents – and could potentially very much turn off more sensitive readers.

It did provide a great source of debate and discussion among us as to the topics of life choices, parenting and resilience as well as ruminations on the symbolism found within the book.

Recommendation: Borrow this book from the library if interested.