Books: The Glass Castle
February 15, 2008 | Books
I just finished The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Anyone?
I’ll write about these books at some point. I’m just busy reading now and curious what others think. I thought this one was incredible. It took my breath away more than once. It was published in 2005 and is being made into a movie.
Most interesting is how these books compare and contrast with each other. It’s always random — the order and and sequence of books I read — but I’m often struck by how some of them fit together. Does that make sense? This sequence of books (Life of Pi, The Girls, Three Cups of Tea, The Glass Castle) was compiled by suggestions and votes from a reading group, not by any one person deciding that these books would go well together. I sometimes feel there’s a lit prof somewhere putting reading lists together for me so we can discuss them in class.
Anyway. Now I’m reading A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown, and I have a feeling it will fit well with the others.
In the meantime, here are some questions.
- What are you reading?
- What do you plan to read next?
- What’s your favorite book of all time?
- Was it made into a movie? If not, do you wish it were?
- What did you learn from it?
- What other book(s) would you recommend reading with it?
February 15th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I read The Glass Castle about a year ago. I think I spent most of it shaking my head in disbelief. And the very manner-of-fact way she writes about her life, it’s so compelling because she lacked in the “feel sorry for me” moments there certainly could have been.
I didn’t know it’s being made into a movie, I’ll definitely see it.
I’m currently reading Eat.Pray.Love. and I guess I’m the last person to read it, but I just started it so it’s too early to tell if I like it yet.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Currently I am reading Katherine Mansfield’s Stories. It’s a lovely book so far.
Next I plan to read finish a Patrick O’Brian book that has sat half-finished for months.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I almost always hate the movies made from books I’ve loved. I think the only one that worked perfectly was “A Room With A View”.
February 15th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
In non-fiction, I’m reading a book called The Prince of Providence, which is about Buddy Cianci, and Jane Smiley’s 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel (it’s my New Year’s resolution to either finish this book or give it up for ever, in this, my 3rd year of reading it).
In fiction, I just last night finished a YA novel called All of the Above, which is about some middle school kids in inner-city Cleveland who build the world’s largest tetrahedron. Up next? Not sure, either Ian McEwan’s Saturday or Clare Messud’s The Emperor’s Children.
Favorite book of all time? way too hard to pick just one.
February 16th, 2008 at 4:42 am
I just ran into your blog through my Google Alert for Aveyron (where I live) because Alisa talked about Aveyron in her interview…and it just so happens that Alisa is a regular commenter on my blogs! Small blog world.
I just finished reading “Neither Here Nor There” by Bill Bryson. I found it oddly dated and since I live in Europe, his portraits seemed a little stereotypical. I much preferred “Notes From a Small Island.” Bryson lived in Great Britain a long time and I think was better able to capture the spirit of that country than of many countries. I love his writing, though, and sure wish I could be that funny.
I just started “The Fourth Hand” by John Irving for the sole reason that I have a copy of it lying around. I’ll see after 100 pages if it is worth continuing.
Anyway, you have a very attractive blog here! I’ll be back.
February 17th, 2008 at 10:51 am
* What are you reading? I am reading “A Cook’s Tour” by Anthony Bourdain, “The Reach of a Chef” by Michael Ruhlman and “The Boleyn Inheritance” Philippa Gregory.
* What do you plan to read next? I’m trying to get “The Time Travelers Wife” in ebook form. I’m also going to read “Mystery Train” :)
* What’s your favorite book of all time? I’m going to go with “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver.
* Was it made into a movie? If not, do you wish it were? No and No
* What did you learn from it? I learned a lot about good writing.
* What other book(s) would you recommend reading with it? None. But I also loved “Fight Club” and “Middlesex”.
February 17th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
I love your suggestions; of the books you’ve mentioned, I’ve only read Life of Pi and a good friend recommended Three Cups of Tea. I’m reading now The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz and wanting to listen to Infidel when I work out but can’t get it on the little clip-on i-Pod thing.
After that: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:56 pm
[…] a part of our 5-year-old, 10-year-old or 15-year-old selves, don’t we? When I was reading The Glass Castle, though, I felt the author was looking back on a much older story from a different time and place. […]