Jeannette Walls receives Literary Merit Award

jack wrote:

Glad to see you back on here Stone

Thank you, Jack. Good to see you! Have you retired? Love and hugs!

Read the book, loved it. Not from here and didn't get a negative impression of Welch, just that it was countryside. I got the impression her parents were mentally ill and she overcame alot. She should be proud of herself and her book can be an inspiration to other young people struggling in dysfunctional families. I think she struggled as an adult as what to do to help them too. I think it would make an amazing movie too.

Did the movie that could be made from it resemble more of Wrong Turn, or Coal Miner's Daughter?

Stone, can't afford to retire in NC, how about you?

My e-mail addy is Jacknnc@mi-connection.com

My e-mail addy is Jacknnc@mi-connection.com Sorry all should be lower case.

This was an amazing book...with one of the most amazing personal stories that I have ever heard. With a story like this, it must be told, and she did a great honest way of telling it. It was so good I didn't want the book to end, I wanted to start reading it again immediately. I too am a child of an alcoholic, and it's no easy feat once you are grown up to keep moving and make a life for yourself. Of course my life was nothing like Ms. Walls, but it is necessary for the rest of the "privelaged" world to know how some of our fellow Americans are living in various parts of hte country. This story has touched me forever, and in no way could I ever have one critical word to say against The Glass Castle. It's a masterpiece.

I absolutely loved this book! The small minded, petty gossips on this forum make Welch out to look far worse than Jeanette ever did. If anything they should be glad their shitstain of a small town even got the recognition that it did and that Jeanette drew attention to the plight of some of your counties poorest and most vulnerable. Nope, not your concern, you're worried about being "dissed". Grow a spine and prove that Welch is a great place to be by supporting one of your own in her success, otherwise stfu.

Jeanette, BRAVO, you're an inspiration and I am changed having read your book. Thank you.

Are you serious, people? I bet half of you who accused Jeannette Walls of being an egotistical lady who just wanted to make money off her family, never even read the freaking book! Have you even been to Welch?! You all are a bunch of idiots. You didn't have her life or her family, so I suggest you people shut up. I don't care if anyone had it worst. It doesn't matter. NO child should go through those horrifying experiences she went through. If my family was jacked up like that, I'd run away. And I bet you would too. You all are a bunch of ignorant, pathetic fools who probably lived the good life, never got a skin graft at 3 years old, never been molested by relatives, never been hungry day in and day out, never felt like nothing to the worst mother in the world, never worked your own way into an Ivy League school from nothing. And you know what, she still loves them!! Learn something from her, you pathetic fools. You guys are just jealous you haven't earned half the awards she earned in your entire lifetime. I commend her for her abilities to tell her life story to people and still be able to forgive her parents.

Mike wrote:

Are you serious, people? I bet half of you who accused Jeannette Walls of being an egotistical lady who just wanted to make money off her family, never even read the freaking book! Have you even been to Welch?! You all are a bunch of idiots. You didn't have her life or her family, so I suggest you people shut up. I don't care if anyone had it worst. It doesn't matter. NO child should go through those horrifying experiences she went through. If my family was jacked up like that, I'd run away. And I bet you would too. You all are a bunch of ignorant, pathetic fools who probably lived the good life, never got a skin graft at 3 years old, never been molested by relatives, never been hungry day in and day out, never felt like nothing to the worst mother in the world, never worked your own way into an Ivy League school from nothing. And you know what, she still loves them!! Learn something from her, you pathetic fools. You guys are just jealous you haven't earned half the awards she earned in your entire lifetime. I commend her for her abilities to tell her life story to people and still be able to forgive her parents.

Kudos to you, Mike. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors of a home.
Jeannette told the truth and Welch people can't stand it. Her book, THE GLASS CASTLE, didn't promote Welch. She wrote of Welch the way she saw it through her eyes and heart.
I'm proud to call her my cousin and thank God she overcame her trials from her childhood.
Jeannette is not the only child ever raised in a disfunctional family. Her family were proud people. They would never ask anyone for help, nor would they accept help.
Just like her brother, Stanley, how many people would see him on the streets of Welch and make fun of him and called him names. Stanley was a sweet and kind person. To tell the truth, he also had a very high IQ.
Furthermore, Jeannette takes care of her family. Considering her childhood, she has grown into a kind, compassionate, loving and forgiving young lady.

I remain,
Karen Walls

the way they lived was there chorce.

who cares wrote:

the way they lived was there chorce.

Children do not have a choice in how the parents decide they will live. The parents made the choices, the children were at the mercy and whim of their parents.

"I couldnt of said it better myself sissyj.When i first heard of the book it was from my 15yr old daughter.She came home from school ranting about how Mrs.Walls had betrayed Mcdowell county,Her teacher had in fact went to school with Jeanette and had told my daughter that the book was in fact full of lies.I borrowed the book and tryed to read it, I was so disgusted I could not finish it.Jeanette Walls is so full of her self and how she holds her head after the way the talked of her family is beyond me."-crystal
if you had actually finished the book then you would know that she DID try to help her family. and she NEVER said that you county was a terrible place, it simply is a place where she remembers terrible experiences, but if i remember correctly than she also had a lot of good to say about it as well. Everybody has different experiences in certain places that make them either love that scene or despise it. ex. I Love Roller Coasters, therefore, I love amusement parks. My cousin is terrified of Roller Coasters and has no fun at amusement parks. it is all in perspective, and Mrs. Walls was simply telling hers. she was most definitely not pushing anybody to HATE your town, or county, or whatever.

I recently read the book. I was surprised to find that her mother was the teacher I remembered from Davy school.

I did not find the book a put down of the city of Welch or the County.

Insted an uplifting story of survival of the children who really did have no choice in any of it.

Only part of the story was about her experiences in Welch. I wonder if those other towns are as upset as it makes some of these readers. It was a good book, and I would read more of her work. And I am proud of her that she made good of her life.

well i've read all of your comments and i can tell that u all are intelligent women all of your opinions are very straight forward but we should all know that we live in a world where ( even thuogh we may not like it ) certian things sell very well . i believe that her book got the results that it did is because of the extent of poverty it seems that her family went through . whether it's true or not the people of this country buy into things like that

crystal wrote:

I think she has a sister or an alais named J-WVU girl.She puts down the county,state, and her paernts in the book.Shes says in the book that while in school she had to dig through garbage cans for food,THERE WAS FREE LUNCH THEN.She saw her parents begging and homeless in the street of I think N.Y. and she hid from shame,SHE LET THEM SLLEP ON THE STREETS COLD AND HUNGRY.She is not someone I would want to know and I would never spend a dime on one of her books.Read the book BEFORE you praise her, you will probably change your mind.

Crystal,

Perhaps YOU should follow your own advice and read the book before judging it. Like the next poster says, Ms. Walls finds fault with her parents (rightfully so!) MUCH moreso than Welch, yet she clearly still loves and respects her mother and father (also rightfully so). You pretty much openly admitted you have not read the book; you are only showing your ignorance by being hypocritical and commenting on a subject you are unfamiliar with.

Late to the party here...just read the book. I found it to be a very inspiring story that rang very true. I so enjoyed the book I went onto google and looked up Welch because I wanted to know more about where the story took place.

I didn't feel the book portrayed WV or Welch in a poor light. She was complimentary of the teachers and neighbors who took in her sister, etc. I honestly did feel she spoke particularly disparaging of anyone. Even her parents (who were to blame for her childhood circumstances)she spoke highly of. She gave them credit for pressing the importance of learning and reading, etc.

Sadly, it was only the reading of this forum that made me think ill of Welch.

I haven't read the book, and the only impression I have of Welch is the one I've gotten from reading this thread. Surprise! It sounds as if Welch is filled with incredibly moronic illiterates. I'm shocked. Now I want to read the book.

Oh, and I'm writing one about my hometown, too! I'm gonna be rich and somebody's gonna be maaaaaaad! I can't WAIT to be called a stuck-up b**ch myself!:D lol