Books like The Glass Castle can motivate you to change life even in the darkest times. Find inspiration and encouragement in the personal stories shared by these authors:
Educated by Tara Westover
Tara was born into a Mormon family that did not support education. However, the girl’s curiosity always prevailed over the frameworks set by her parents. The well-begun is half done, so her first step in confronting her family was decisive: Tara took up self-education. Constantly learning, she reached the peak of her dreams and received a doctorate from Cambridge.
An impressive example, right? This experience shows that nothing is impossible. Here, we see a similarity with The Glass Castle: the problem of family misunderstandings and escape from a restrictive environment for a better life. Want to learn more about Tara's path? We invite you to read our Educated summary and immerse yourself in the story of hard work.
North of Normal by Cea Sunrise Person
Imagine abandoning civilization and living in extreme conditions. How do you like the idea? It’s hard to drop everything and move somewhere far. But Cea’s parents made it a reality, depriving the girl of a normal childhood. She survived in the wilderness without constant access to schools, friends, and limited opportunities for socialization.
Cea was forced to become independent and choose to continue living like this or strive to integrate into society. She was raised in conditions without stability, material security, and support from their parents. Publishers Weekly noted that the memoir has a strong emotional charge, allowing readers to “plunge into a world full of chaos, love and loss.”
Abandon Me by Melissa Febos
Do you 100% love and respect yourself regardless of all the flaws? It is the main theme of Abandon Me by Melissa Febos — an internal struggle with accepting yourself and understanding your desires. A destructive relationship with a married woman and life with an adoptive father force the author to rethink her life completely.
The book reveals how trauma and loss open the way to self-acceptance. Febos describes the fine line between love and emotional dependence, exploring how these feelings can destroy or heal. How is it related to The Glass Castle? Both books focus on complex relationships with people that shape a person and influence their life path. This story will leave a mark on your heart, so don't delay and read it!
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
Have you noticed how society forces us into frames? The character of the novel A Complicated Kindness faced restrictions while living in a religious Mennonite community. Its rules were too strict and stifled Nomi to live the life of her dreams. The girl sought to escape from this environment and find her purpose.
Her relatives obey the community laws, so she leads an internal struggle. The love of her family or the need for freedom? Like The Glass Castle, this book is about the search for liberation in restrictive surroundings. The girl seeks to free herself from religious pressure, while the heroine of The Glass Castle tries to escape from poverty and chaos in her family. These events will not leave you indifferent, so open the book and dive into Nomi's adventures!
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
The death of a mother, divorce, and drug addiction are events no one wants to face. However, it all happened to a girl who wrote about this in her autobiographical novel. Wild by Cheryl Strayed is an example of a fascinating adventure — a spontaneous journey to clear thoughts and heal from mental trauma.
Wild is a story about courage, self-determination, and recovery after bitter defeats. With minimal money and experience, Cheryl plunged into the unknown world of travel. Is it brave or reckless? You will decide after reading it.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
“I wasn't aware of the invisible line that had existed between us.” What do you think these words are about? The feeling of isolation and alienation from the world — things that worry the author of the novel. This book has gained great popularity all over the world and hit the top of The New York Times bestsellers. Many experts recommended it for a film adaptation.
The main character Kya Clark was deprived of her parents' love. Forced to live alone, the girl grew up in the wild. The novel describes stories of survival and attempts to overcome the feeling of loneliness. This book even has a detective line. Sherlocks, ready to read about a mysterious murder and find the killer? Is Kya involved in this? You will know about it after reading.
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance
Poverty in the family touches many people. It is especially a great trauma for a child when intertwined with the alcohol or drug addiction of parents. JD Vance talks about his tough childhood in the book Hillbilly Elegy. He faced difficulties that not everyone can overcome — constant attempts to find his place in society with the stigma of an inferior family.
Through the desire to get out of problems, the man gradually overcame all the difficulties. "The hardest thing for a person is to leave their tribe." A quote from the book demonstrates how difficult it is to fight the circumstances in which you grew up. Did the main character succeed? Read and find out!
Besides the listed books, we also recommend reading Festival Days by Jo Ann Beard — a story about human experiences, losses, and the search for meaning in life. And that's not all. For your attention, Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. What is this book about? It is marked by the author's satirical presentation of the most painful topics: family difficulties and eccentric parents. Do you like black humor? Then this book is for you. Don't forget about the list above and be inspired by the stories of "heroes."
