I arrived at parenthood with a lot of reluctance- only because I wasn't sure I would do justice in that role. If I had read both these memoirs before the doubts became a certainty, I would have worried far less. Walls has written about her (& her siblings') childhood though rich in experiences but lacking in care, about brilliant parents who were more inclined to spin stories, drink and live with their heads above the clouds than provide the basics- food, clothing, shelter- to their kids. It was infuriating to see the Walls' kids have popcorn for dinner (sometimes the only meal they would get in the day if they did.) Or pee in a bucket because they couldn't afford a home with a washroom. And yet, these kids managed to make something of themselves. They got themselves an education and broke out of the circle of poverty. By the time Walls was living it up at her ranch, her parents had called it quits on their nomadic life and were living out of dumpsters in New York. What endeared the writer to me was that she tried convincing her parents to live with her at various points, but they refused. Eventually, when she built a cabin on her ranch, where they were more comfortable living how they wanted to. 'The Glass Castle' is an important memoir, though it lacks the seemingly effortless bonhomie of 'The Liars Club'. They both are sad, appalling, sometimes even unbelievable. Both are also proof of how resilient the human spirit is. I liked 'The Liar's Club' better, which isn't to say that this memoir is any less. It's just that if you have read one, the other seems paler. 'The Glass Castle' speaks of a damn tough life with a slight shrug of shoulders and an apologetic peep of the dirt under the carpet. 'The Liar's Club' is a celebration of that life, with a smoking gun, a wink, and a shot of tequila to accompany it. #theglasscastle #jeanettewalls #memoirs #recommededreading (at Delhi, India) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce5uXywrbuh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
