The Glass Castle

I finished The Glass Castle a couple of weeks ago and loved the book. My boss gave me her copy and she told me she purchased it because she had studied developmental psychology. She was interested in reading it as a way to find out why some children develop into healthy adults while others do not turn out to be as resilient in the face of traumatic events. So, with this idea in mind, I read The Glass Castle. From what I have studied about resiliency, most children who deal with trauma benefit from having just one loving adult in their lives whom they can trust. Though Rex turned out to be an alcoholic, Jeanette had a very strong bond with her father during her formative years and this might be why she was able to develop into a "successful" adult, according to American standards. I do wonder, however, how she feels about her childhood, because though she does not trust her parents and is ashamed of what they have become (she does not want to admit they are her parents to those who do not know her). She does not explore any resentment or regret over a childhood lost to being the caregiver to her parents. I would be interested to know how she feels on a more personal level about her childhood, in addition to what she explored in this novel, about overcoming the obstacles of poverty. Overall, though, it was an excellent read and I couldn't put it down. Nice pick, Jennifer! -Megan