List $34.99

Written by Jeannette Walls - Audio book narrated by Julia Gibson - Unabridged Nonfiction - 10 COMPACT DISCS - 11.25 hours

Publisher, Recorded Books (April 2005)

“Walls’s journalistic bare-bones style makes for a chilling, wrenching, incredible testimony of childhood neglect. A pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps, thoroughly American story.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

This extraordinary memoir from Jeannette Walls is a stirring and distinctive story that has won tremendous critical acclaim. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly applauded the author's "fantastic storytelling knack," saying, "Walls doesn't pull her punches ... in this excellent, unusual book."

The author's father was a charismatic but alcoholic man who greatly preferred poker to gainful employment and wasn't above stealing the family grocery money to purchase liquor. His wife could barely be bothered to raise her children. So Walls and her siblings had to fend for themselves, providing their own food, shelter and clothing—even if it meant picking through Dumpsters.

Remarkable for its lack of both sentimentality and anger, The Glass Castle is a striking testament to the power of human determination. It will long resonate in the minds of all who read it.

About the Author: Jeannette Walls is a regular contributor to MSNBC.com. Her well-received previous book, Dish : The Inside Story on the World of Gossip, served up the truth behind America's fascination with the celebrity rumor mill. She is married to fellow author John Taylor and lives in New York and on Long Island.

About the Narrator: Julia Gibson is an MFA graduate of New York University, where she also attended Director's Lab. Julia has appeared on many stages in New York, including The Roundabout and Circle in the Square. She has also appeared in regional theaters from Dallas to Philadelphia in productions such as The Seagull, Dancing at Lughnasa, and The Dresser. Television credits include Law & Order and One Life to Live.