The Glass Castle

媲美普立茲得獎作品《安琪拉的灰燼》感動無數讀者．即將躍上大螢幕

　　大家都說爸是天才，他的夢想就是蓋一座玻璃城堡。為了實現這個夢想，我和弟弟在家附近挖了個坑洞做地基，卻被爸當成了垃圾掩埋場。在那當下，我逐漸明白，這個夢想似乎就要像爸給過我們的眾多承諾一樣，變成另一張無法兌現的空頭支票……

　　沃爾斯家的孩子自小就過著與眾不同的生活：為了躲避想像中的惡徒的追殺，他們的爸媽經常漏夜帶著他們「落跑」，有時車子正好開到了沙漠中央，他們就學印地安人以大地為床，以星空為被；他們玩的不是城市小孩在商店購買的精美玩具，而是與沙漠裡的毒蛇、蠍子和角蟾為伴，一時興起就展開黃金尋寶探險；他們像是沙漠裡的「仙人掌」，飲食時間不甚規律，逮到機會就大快朵頤一番，比如碰上滿載哈密瓜的火車出軌，他們就從撿來的哈密瓜變化出各式奇妙的瓜類菜餚；有次聖誕節，爸爸因為丟了工作沒錢替他們買禮物，靈機一動便輪流帶他們到沙漠裡，要他們挑選一顆星星當禮物……

　　然而，當孩子們逐漸長大，對此種游牧民族般漂泊不定的生活開始有了懷疑。儘管他們的父親雷克斯天資聰穎、魅力十足，清醒的時候上通天文、下知地理，更教他們無所畏懼地擁抱生命；但當他沉迷於酒精，便忘卻家中嗷嗷待哺的孩子，甚至偷走家中現款獨自買醉。母親羅絲瑪麗喜愛繪畫、寫作，嚮往波希米亞式的生活，空有教師執照卻不安於養家活口，寧可獨吞兩克拉的鑽戒，也不願意拿它換取孩子們的飲食穿著。終於，在歷經一連串的困厄之後，沃爾斯家的孩子決定出走，尋找自己的人生……

　　作者珍娜．沃爾斯以其精簡深刻的文字，將其不可思議的兒時經驗做了生動引人的描繪，使得這部回憶錄讀來絲毫不流於煽情感傷，字裡行間更展現了對父母的深情與寬容，及其面對困境時絕不低頭的過人毅力。

　　★本書中譯本《玻璃城堡》由樂果文化出版

　　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 fifteen 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.

作者簡介

珍娜．沃爾斯（Jeannette Walls）

　　生於亞歷桑那州鳳凰城，以優異的成績畢業於紐約柏納德學院（Barnard College）。曾任《紐約》、《君子》（Esquire）、《GQ》等雜誌記者，亦為知名新聞網站MSNBC.com撰稿。現居北維吉尼亞州專事寫作，為作家約翰．泰勒（John Taylor）之妻。

　　Jeannette Walls was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and grew up in the southwest and Welch, West Virginia. She graduated from Barnard College and was a journalist in New York City for twenty years. Her memoir, The Glass Castle, a triumphant account of overcoming a difficult childhood with her dysfunctional but vibrant family, has been a New York Times bestseller for over three years. A publishing sensation around the world, The Glass Castle has sold more than 2.5 million copies in the U.S. and has been translated into twenty-two languages. Walls is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Christopher Award for helping to "affirm the highest values of the human spirit,? as well as the American Library Association's Alex Award, and the Books for Better Living Award. The Glass Castle was chosen as Elle magazine's book of the year. Walls lives in rural Virginia with her husband, the writer John Taylor.