Glass Castle? (Umm, rant alert)

[Grace is Sufficient]

All the incoming freshman in the University of Akron are being told to read this book this summer. YUCK!

 

Why do the schools seem to think it is their job to make sure students who haven't wallowed in evil and human sinfulness get plenty of opportunity to do so, and to have the most negative and pessimistic worldview possible????

 

I'm just grateful that by NOT sending him to government schools, he at least has (I hope) a better foundation to deal with this garbage. I'm also going to make time to read it and discuss it with him to give him pre-arm him to bring some Truth to class discussions.

 

Sorry, shutting up now.

[Jane in NC]

I have not read The Glass Castle but I was under the impression that it was not so pessimistic, namely it is a memoir of how the author rose above the challenges of her horrendous childhood.

 

What kind of "Truth" do you think your son will need to bring to class discussions?

[WishboneDawn]

I've heard it's an uplifting book, that it doesn't wallow at all. Haven't read it though so I'll reserve judgement.

 

But frankly, some of the most powerful books I've read had evil acts, sin, violence, etc. The Bible for one. :)

[Clear Creek]

I have not yet read The Glass Castle, but I just finished reading her other book, Half Broke Horses. Glass Castle is supposed to be Jeannette's own memoir, and Half Broke Horses was a biography of Jeannette's grandmother's life. Based on my introduction to Jeannette's parents in Half Broke Horses I can guess that her father was an alcoholic and her mother inherited extremely poor parenting skills from her own mother. It sounds like a pessimistic beginning, but since Jeannette grows up to go to college and become a published author I would guess that the faculty at the University of Akron are hoping that it inspires those students who come from less than fortunate circumstances to strive for better, and for those students who did not grow up under such circumstances to develop compassion and understanding for those who did.

 

I plan on having my children read Half Broke Horses when they study American history in high school since it gives a very realistic picture of life in the southwest during the depression. I may have them read The Glass Castle as well, depending on what I think of it after I have read it. Just because my children have not grown up dirt poor or with an alcoholic for a parent does not mean that I want to shield them from those that have. Christ has called for us to be his hands and feet to those that are in need, so I plan on making sure my kids are well acquainted with those they are called to care for.

[AngelaNYC]

My dd had to read The Glass Castle as an incoming high school freshman last summer. I didn't read it, but I got most of what it was about based on all the papers and projects she had on it throughout the fall. Lots of darkness and sadness in there. Dd actually liked it though and it did make her think.

[QueenCat]

I have not read The Glass Castle but I was under the impression that it was not so pessimistic, namely it is a memoir of how the author rose above the challenges of her horrendous childhood.

 

What kind of "Truth" do you think your son will need to bring to class discussions?

 

:iagree: I have read the book. It is very much a memoir of how she rose above the horrendous challenges in her childhood. I think it's a great book for teens and young adults to read. Many will realize how good they have it, and some will realize they can overcome ANYTHING.

[elegantlion]

Wow, after reading the reviews and synopsis, I'm adding this to my list. Like her mother I would prefer to create something permanent, rather than dabble in the mundane of cooking and cleaning. :D:tongue_smilie: I think I've found balance, maybe I'm just dysfunctional.

[Punks in Ontario]

Glass Castle is one of the better reads I've had in a long time. Yes, there is sin, and horrible parenting modelled, but it shows an ability to not be limited by our childhoods and gives a human face to her parents despite the neglect.

 

I wouldn't be concerned over my teens reading it.

[actuary]

:iagree: I have read the book. It is very much a memoir of how she rose above the horrendous challenges in her childhood. I think it's a great book for teens and young adults to read. Many will realize how good they have it, and some will realize they can overcome ANYTHING.

 

I haven't read the book but my mom read the book and she really liked it. She said similar things to what you did - it was inspiring to see what the author overcame. And my mom had dealt with some difficult things in her childhood, but reading the book also reminded her that she had a lot of things to be thankful for.

[Halcyon]

Glass Castle is one of the better reads I've had in a long time. Yes, there is sin, and horrible parenting modelled, but it shows an ability to not be limited by our childhoods and gives a human face to her parents despite the neglect.

 

I wouldn't be concerned over my teens reading it.

 

 

I absolutely loved the book. I think it's very well written, and shows the true power of the human spirit.

[laughing lioness]

I read it this year and thought it was fascinating. It's a great look at PD's and resilient spirits.

fwiw: I do think that the author paints her childhood fairly black and white, so part of the discussion could be about how rigid memories become, and how none of us leave childhood unscathed.

[Hoggirl]

I found it uplifting. Though much of the content is depressing, it is written in a surprisingly light tone. At least parts of it.

[Nan in Mass]

I know nothing about The Glass Castle, but I know my boys would sympathize about having to read something dark the summer before going to college. Theirs required that they read a by a college student who spent a year in a foreign jail because of drugs. I approve of what the college did, but my boys did not. Dark literature when one is upset and dreading a move away from family is not a happy thing.

-Nan

[Moira in MA]

I have read the book. It was a book group read. So I appreciate that many find it uplifting.

 

I loathed it and would not want my child to have to read it.

 

just my 2 cents.

 

~Moira

[berries]

Both me and my 18 year old daughter have read this book. We both really enjoyed it.

 

For me, there were a lot of parallels between her childhood and my own. I found it to be well written.

[Stacia]

I have read the book. It is very much a memoir of how she rose above the horrendous challenges in her childhood. ...

some will realize they can overcome ANYTHING.

 

:iagree: I have read it. It does not present a pessimistic worldview (quite the opposite, actually, imo), nor does it wallow in human evil & sinfulness. Not sure how one can claim those things without ever having read the actual book itself. :confused:

[TechWife]

All the incoming freshman in the University of Akron are being told to read this book this summer. YUCK!

 

This is one of the most interesting books I've read over the past few years.

 

Why do the schools seem to think it is their job to make sure students who haven't wallowed in evil and human sinfulness get plenty of opportunity to do so, and to have the most negative and pessimistic worldview possible????

 

It's actually up to the student whether or not they wallow. This book is not negative or pessimistic.

 

It is the job of the university to engage students in thinking about the world around them.

 

I'm just grateful that by NOT sending him to government schools, he at least has (I hope) a better foundation to deal with this garbage. I'm also going to make time to read it and discuss it with him to give him pre-arm him to bring some Truth to class discussions.

 

I do hope that he is armed with truth, however, you are not going to be able to do this for every single thing your son reads in college. I would encourage you to just ask him what he thinks about it, utilizing Socratic questions.

 

I am interested in what makes you think that this book is garbage if you have not read it?

 

I found it to be a well written, humble story about overcoming adversity, strong sibling relationships & caring for those you love in difficult circumstances.

[regentrude]

After all the recommendations, I got the book from the library and enjoyed it very much. It is not dwelling on evil, not depressing- it is just the story of a child whose parents love her, but don't get their act together.

 

If your son attends college, he will most certainly encounter classmates who grew up in less sheltered circumstances than himself. He will probably have classmates with an alcoholic parent, too. I don't see where reading about a chaotic childhood will cause harm - but it may instill compassion and understanding.

[Geo]

I may have them read The Glass Castle as well, depending on what I think of it after I have read it. Just because my children have not grown up dirt poor or with an alcoholic for a parent does not mean that I want to shield them from those that have. Christ has called for us to be his hands and feet to those that are in need, so I plan on making sure my kids are well acquainted with those they are called to care for.

 

:iagree:

[NancyL]

Glass Castle is an interesting view of growing up in different areas of the south and the southwest. How the kids learned to adapt to their environment---I thought the most poignant part was how she made her own braces!

 

There's another amazing book in the same vein, For the Sins of My Father, even more sad, ( about a boy who grows up as the child of someone high in the Mafia in New York. He eventually has a nervous breakdown from the stress of trying to hold everything together. His dad was killed and he tried to keep the family together as the FBI was closing in. The dad's neighbor took him under his wing and helped him become a stockbroker. The neighbor told him that his dad was such a brilliant businessman that he could have made a good living honestly. Both my husband and I loved the book, but it was sad at the end. Glass Castle has a somewhat happier ending.

[JustGin]

I read this book in book club a couple of years ago and it touched me deeply. I found so many similarities between the author's growing up years and my own. Her being about my age struck even more of a chord with me. Many of her descriptions brought back the actual smell and "feel" of times and places for me. I hope when I get ready to write my own story I can do even 1/10th as well in the telling. One thing I feel she did very well was to illustrate the complexity of living in a dysfunctional family that wasn't always or in all ways dysfunctional. I loved that she remembered good times and funny moments and times of pulling together and making do. I think this book could spark a lot of really good discussions. :001_smile:

[Thea]

I loved this book.

 

I could see a bit of doubt over a 14 yo reading it, but an incoming college freshman? Absolutely appropriate for a college student.

[Spy Car]

It is a fantastic book. I'm dumbfounded at the OPs (false) characterization of this highly interesting and well-written memoir.

 

Bill

[flyingiguana]

The problem for me with this book is that I'm so jaded about memoirs these days. Whenever I read one, I'm wondering how long it will be before the news comes out that it was all made up.

 

I hate being so suspicious.

[JFSinIL]

It is out? I read her first book and have been looking forward to this one!

 

DS's school had them all read a poorly-written book on the bottled water racket.

Very "green" of them, oh so politically correct. It was the equivalent of a long New Yorker article padded out to book length.

 

I'm back - just went and reserved this at the library!

Edited June 1, 2011 by JFSinIL

[flyingiguana]

DS's school had them all read a poorly-written book on the bottled water racket.

Very "green" of them, oh so politically correct. It was the equivalent of a long New Yorker article padded out to book length.

 

 

 

A lot of recent non fiction books are like this. The material would make a very good lengthy magazine article, but there isn't enough to fill a whole book. But if it's padded, then it can be sold as a book and someone makes money on it. (And it's not very green!)

[JFSinIL]

A lot of recent non fiction books are like this. The material would make a very good lengthy magazine article, but there isn't enough to fill a whole book. But if it's padded, then it can be sold as a book and someone makes money on it. (And it's not very green!)

 

I had a professor back in the '80s tell me most non-fiction books had the main points in the preface and/or first chapter - the rest of a book would be examples, explanations - anything to make a book. I've noticed that in a great many books now -

[mommaduck]

Sounds like an interesting read! (Really, it can't be worse than A Child Called It or Ghost Girl)

[regentrude]

Sounds like an interesting read! (Really, it can't be worse than A Child Called It or Ghost Girl)

 

It is NOWHERE as disturbing as A Child Called It.

One main point that struck me over and over again while reading Glass castle was that, despite being alcoholic and dysfunctional, the parents DID love their children. They were not adept at handling day to day life, had strange expectations, mad bad choices, some of their actions could be interpreted as neglect - but there was no malice, intentional abuse, desire to inflict pain and misery.

[mommaduck]

It is NOWHERE as disturbing as A Child Called It.

One main point that struck me over and over again while reading Glass castle was that, despite being alcoholic and dysfunctional, the parents DID love their children. They were not adept at handling day to day life, had strange expectations, mad bad choices, some of their actions could be interpreted as neglect - but there was no malice, intentional abuse, desire to inflict pain and misery.

 

Oh good, because I can't handle anything as disturbing as A Child Called It again. Dysfunctional I can handle.

[Jennifer]

I read Glass Castle over the weekend after seeing it mentioned in another thread. It was amazing. There are very few books that I find myself thinking about for days after reading them. I'll be thinking about it for a long time! I can't wait for my sheltered (physically and emotionally) daughters to read this. When they are 16 and complaining about how rough their lives are because they have to clean up after dinner and do a load of laundry I'll hand them all a copy.

Jennifer

[creekland]

I've just added this to my guy's summer reading list (mine too). Thanks guys! (I remember being really moved by A Child Called It in my teen years.)

[FloridaLisa]

It is a fantastic book. I'm dumbfounded at the OPs (false) characterization of this highly interesting and well-written memoir.

 

Bill

 

It may well be a great book; I've not read it. I have found, though, that folks have different tolerance levels for books about cruelty and suffering. I have a huge empathetic spirit and it's very difficult for me to sit through movies like Schindler's List, as good as it is (so I've heard ;); I've never seen Passion of the Christ or Schindler's list or some other great movies b/c I know I would be way too affected). I still remember a dismal semester in high school reading Catcher in the Rye and The Bell Jar back to back. Definitely needed an uplifting book after those!

 

Lisa

[kiana]

I read Glass Castle over the weekend after seeing it mentioned in another thread. It was amazing. There are very few books that I find myself thinking about for days after reading them. I'll be thinking about it for a long time! I can't wait for my sheltered (physically and emotionally) daughters to read this. When they are 16 and complaining about how rough their lives are because they have to clean up after dinner and do a load of laundry I'll hand them all a copy.

Jennifer

 

:D

 

When I was about 12, I told my mother that we weren't her slaves to be overworked and underfed, or something like that. (We weren't, btw. We were doing maybe an hour of chores per day, but many local kids had none. You know how kids can be.) She handed me a copy of Oliver Twist.

[Stacia]

It may well be a great book; I've not read it. I have found, though, that folks have different tolerance levels for books about cruelty and suffering. I have a huge empathetic spirit

 

I know what you mean. I, too, am hugely empathetic. I'm guessing you could handle this book. To me, this book exuded optimism in spite of the challenging childhood she had. She chose to view her life w/ a positive, upbeat outlook rather than choosing a pessimistic outlook. Jmho.

[Spy Car]

I know what you mean. I, too, am hugely empathetic. I'm guessing you could handle this book. To me, this book exuded optimism in spite of the challenging childhood she had. She chose to view her life w/ a positive, upbeat outlook rather than choosing a pessimistic outlook. Jmho.

 

:iagree:

 

Bill

[Brigid in NC]

:D

 

When I was about 12, I told my mother that we weren't her slaves to be overworked and underfed, or something like that. (We weren't, btw. We were doing maybe an hour of chores per day, but many local kids had none. You know how kids can be.) She handed me a copy of Oliver Twist.

 

:lol: I love that!

[elegantlion]

I sat down today and read it from cover to cover. Fascinating. It mirrors so many things my parents faced growing up, I plan on buying them a copy. Wallowing? Hardly. Dysfunction? Yes.

 

I learned a lot of grace watching my dad deal with his alcoholic mother. We don't get to chose our parents, we don't get to chose what kind of environment in which we are raised. His actions taught me many things about accepting people where they are at. I saw part of that in this story.

 

This is something I would feel comfortable assigning to my ds at the high school level.

[Caroline]

I sat down today and read it from cover to cover. Fascinating. It mirrors so many things my parents faced growing up, I plan on buying them a copy. Wallowing? Hardly. Dysfunction? Yes.

 

I learned a lot of grace watching my dad deal with his alcoholic mother. We don't get to chose our parents, we don't get to chose what kind of environment in which we are raised. His actions taught me many things about accepting people where they are at. I saw part of that in this story.

 

This is something I would feel comfortable assigning to my ds at the high school level.

 

Thanks! I will pick it up this week.

[mommaduck]

Hmmm, OP hasn't been back to the thread.

[laughing lioness]

I thought it was well worth reading. Wallis does paint things rather black and white. The book has sold very well. I doubt it would have done as well if there had been less polarization. My review of the book is here.

Edited June 11, 2011 by laughing lioness