Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly.
Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn’t stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an “excitement addict”. Cooking a meal that would be consumed in 15 minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.
Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town – and the family – Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents’ betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.
What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.
For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.
Unbelievable! A very intriguing story that wanders into the unbelievable. I know it is a true story, and it is captivating, but I’m angry at the parents through the whole story for the way they treated their children. They becamen a burden to be ignored by narcissistic parents.
Ended Abruptly The book is well-written and easy to read, the author is clearly talented; however, when the book changed settings after Welch (the last 15% or so of the story) I felt like the form the story was taking unraveled. The book ended abruptly and didn’t seem to have a firm conclusion. I wouldn’t choose to read another one of her books based on the structure of this one, even though her writing style does hold ones interest.
If You Liked Hillbilly Elegy, You Will Love This Book I somehow missed this book when it was first published in 2005, but am really glad I recently discovered it from the publicity of the soon to be released movie. I couldn’t put it down and was mesmerized by the author’s detached yet deeply affected narrative. It is a childhood memoir and story about a triumphant liberation from tragically flawed parents. Like most who read this book, I found myself screaming expletives at the outrageously selfish and irresponsible parents, yet the author…