Book Review: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Biography, Memoir



Jeanette Walls didn't have to be very old to realize that her family was odd. One of her earliest memories is of cooking hot dogs when she was three and setting herself on fire. After a skin graft and while she recovers in the hospital, she explains how much she likes the 'quiet and order' there and how different it is from her home. This is just one memory, in a series of many compelling memories that tells the story of her life.

Born into a family with a father who was a drunk, and a mother who wished she could be free of responsibility, Jeanette learned to be self reliant from a very early age. Due to the fact that her father was an inventor, a man who disliked normal society, and could not keep a job for long, and her mother would only do what she wanted, Jeanette and her siblings often had to find ways to keep themselves from starving. Although when there was money there were good times, the money didn't often last long, and so their family would often struggle to pay for things like the electricity bill. Moving from place to place throughout her childhood, this memoir tells of the hardships her family suffered, and how she worked her way up to where she is today.

To say the least, Jeanette Walls' The Last Castle is extremely powerful. While I was hesitant to read it, as I am not a real fan of biographies or memoirs, I'm glad I did. The Glass Castle belongs in a group of its own.

Rating System

Well I wanted to make this cool rating system, but then I realized that unfortunatly, I am not particualarly good with computer imaging. Therefore I am stuck with the classic star system.

The BookBopper Rating System

1 star- not recommended at all
2 star- not so great
3 star- okay
4 star- good
5 star- great, highly recommended

A Restart

Well, its been a while since I last posted, and I have recently decided I am going to restart this blog again. That means a new rating system and of course, more books!

Books I should be finished with soon
The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

Looking forward to starting a new!

Book Review: The Good Earth By Pearl S. Buck

Side Note: I partially wrote this a few months back, so I am just blogging whatever I had and therefore this review isn't so great and doesn't do justice to this amazing book. I apologize in advance!

Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Historical Fiction


I recently read the book The Good Earth by accident, because it happened to be one of the ones in my room that I had mentally labeled classic and therefore didn't touch. However, it turned out to be better than most of my mentally "non-classic" labeled books.

The Good Earth, is a story about the life of a farmer named Wang-Lung. The story starts on his wedding day, when as a poor farmer, he goes to the house of Hwang to pick up his wife to-be. Together, with struggle and luck they make a life, and whenever Wang- Lung had enough money to buy land he did. As his family grows, Wang-Lung goes through a tough period of his life, where as a farmer, the crops fail him and cause the whole village to starve. Due to much luck and fortune, eventually Wang Lung starts making money, but he puts all his savings into buying land. The Good Earth, is about Wang Lung's life, and how when all else failed he always counted on the land.

Pearl S. Buck's story of one man's life and struggle, is very realistic and extremely good. I highly recommend it.