So you're curious about author Jeannette Walls books? You've probably heard about her memoir that took the world by storm. Let me tell you, when I first picked up The Glass Castle, I didn't expect to finish it in one weekend. But that's exactly what happened - her storytelling just grabs you and doesn't let go. If you're researching Jeannette Walls books for your next read, this guide covers every practical detail you'll want before deciding.
Jeannette Walls writes with this raw honesty that makes you feel like you're right there with her. She started as a journalist before turning to books, which explains her sharp eye for detail. What's fascinating is how her writing evolved from gut-wrenching memoir to historical fiction. I'll walk you through each of her books, including publishing details, prices, and what really worked (and what didn't) for me as a reader.
Jeannette Walls Books You Shouldn't Miss
When discussing author Jeannette Walls books, most people start with the big one. But she's written more than just memoirs. Let's break them down:
The Glass Castle
This is the book that made Walls famous. Published in 2005 by Scribner (ISBN 9780743247542), it's 288 pages of unforgettable storytelling. You can usually find it for $12-16 for paperback. The Glass Castle tells Jeannette's own story growing up with unconventional, often neglectful parents. Her dad was brilliant but alcoholic, her mom an artist who refused to mother. They moved constantly, lived in poverty, yet Walls writes without bitterness.
Why it stands out: The scene where three-year-old Jeannette catches fire while boiling hotdogs alone? Chilling. What stayed with me was how she captured the complexity - loving parents who failed her. The 2017 movie adaptation starred Brie Larson, but the book hits deeper. It spent over 260 weeks on the NYT bestseller list. Still her most famous work among author Jeannette Walls books.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | March 2005 |
| Publisher | Scribner |
| Pages | 288 |
| Average Price | $15.99 (paperback) |
| ISBN | 978-0743247542 |
| Goodreads Rating | 4.31/5 (over 790k ratings) |
| Adaptation | 2017 film starring Brie Larson |
I remember reading this during a flight and embarrassing myself by crying in public. That's how powerful it is. Walls doesn't sugarcoat - the poverty, the hunger, the dangerous situations. Yet she makes you understand her parents too. It's a masterclass in memoir writing.
Half Broke Horses
Published in 2009 (Scribner, ISBN 9781416586296), this 272-page book costs around $14-18. Walls calls it a "true-life novel" about her grandmother Lily Casey Smith. Set in the early 1900s Southwest, it follows Lily from breaking horses at 15 to teaching in frontier towns.
What works: The fascinating historical details - Lily rides 500 miles alone for a teaching job! Walls shows where her mother's wild spirit came from. But let's be honest: after The Glass Castle, it feels less intense. More straightforward storytelling. Still, if you love strong pioneer women stories, it's a solid read. Sold over 1 million copies.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | October 2009 |
| Publisher | Scribner |
| Pages | 272 |
| Average Price | $16.99 (hardcover) |
| ISBN | 978-1416586296 |
| Goodreads Rating | 3.98/5 (over 150k ratings) |
| Genre | Historical Fiction/Biographical |
I tried giving this to my book club once. Half loved the grit, others missed the emotional punch of Glass Castle. Personally, I enjoyed learning about early 20th century ranch life - details like how Lily handled rattlesnakes stayed with me.
The Silver Star
Jeannette's first pure fiction came in 2013 (Scribner, ISBN 9781451661507). 269 pages, typically $15-20. Set in 1970s Virginia, it follows sisters Bean and Liz after their flighty mom abandons them. They travel cross-country to find an uncle in a decaying mill town.
Truth time? This felt like Walls testing fiction waters. The characters echo her family - eccentric mom, responsible kid sister - but without memoir's raw power. Some reviewers called it predictable. Still, her writing about poverty and resilience shines. Sold respectably but didn't match previous success.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | June 2013 |
| Publisher | Scribner |
| Pages | 269 |
| Average Price | $17.00 (hardcover) |
| ISBN | 978-1451661507 |
| Goodreads Rating | 3.56/5 (over 50k ratings) |
| Setting | 1970s rural Virginia |
I appreciated seeing Walls stretch into fiction, but missed her real-life voice. The villain felt cartoonish compared to her nuanced parents in memoir. Her fans will still find things to like though.
Hang the Moon
Her latest came in March 2023 (Scribner, ISBN 9781501117296). 368 pages, $20-27 hardcover. Set in Prohibition-era Virginia, it follows Sallie Kincaid taking over her father's bootlegging empire after her brother dies.
This feels like Walls hitting her fiction stride. The historical research is excellent - you smell the whiskey stills, feel the danger. Sallie is wonderfully complex, navigating sexism while running illegal operations. Some plot twists strain belief, but it's her strongest fiction work.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | March 2023 |
| Publisher | Scribner |
| Pages | 368 |
| Average Price | $24.99 (hardcover) |
| ISBN | 978-1501117296 |
| Goodreads Rating | 3.99/5 (rising) |
| Time Period | Prohibition-era Appalachia |
I finished this last month. The moonshine wars scenes? Incredibly tense. Walls clearly did her homework on 1920s Appalachia. If you like gritty historical fiction with strong female leads, it's worth the hardcover price.
Jeannette Walls Book Rankings
Which of author Jeannette Walls books should you read first? Based on sales, ratings, and cultural impact, here's how they stack up:
- The Glass Castle - The undisputed champion. Essential reading about resilience.
- Hang the Moon - Her best fiction work to date, fresh and immersive.
- Half Broke Horses - Excellent historical narrative, just less memorable.
- The Silver Star - Worthwhile for completists, but not her strongest.
Notice how her memoirs outperform fiction? That's the general pattern. Walls lived extraordinary experiences that translate powerfully to the page. When suggesting author Jeannette Walls books to friends, I always recommend starting with Glass Castle. It's the foundation everything else builds on.
Personal take: Walls' fiction sometimes struggles to match her memoir's intensity. The Silver Star especially feels like she's repeating themes without the real-life stakes. But when she connects - like in Hang the Moon - she rivals top historical novelists.
Where to Buy Jeannette Walls Books
Tracking down author Jeannette Walls books is easy since they're widely available. Here's the breakdown:
| Format | Where to Buy | Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Paperback | Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores | $12-18 | Glass Castle often discounted below $10 |
| Used Copies | ThriftBooks, AbeBooks, local used bookstores | $4-8 | Abundant supply for earlier titles |
| Audiobooks | Audible, Libro.fm, libraries via Libby | $15-25 or subscription | Glass Castle narrated by Walls herself |
| eBooks | Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo | $9-14 | Immediate delivery |
| Library | Local public libraries | Free | Usually available with short waitlists |
I've built my collection gradually - grabbed used copies of early works, splurged on new releases. Libraries are gold if you're budget-conscious. Her books circulate well, though new releases might have waits. For audiobooks, hearing Walls read Glass Castle adds rawness you don't get in print.
Common Questions About Author Jeannette Walls Books
Are Jeannette Walls books based on real life?
The Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses are directly based on her family history. The Glass Castle is memoir - her actual childhood. Half Broke Horses reconstructs her grandmother's life from stories and research. The Silver Star and Hang the Moon are fictional but draw from Walls' understanding of family dynamics and rural struggles.
What order should I read Jeannette Walls books?
Publication order works well: Start with The Glass Castle (2005), then Half Broke Horses (2009), The Silver Star (2013), and finally Hang the Moon (2023). Reading Glass Castle first gives context for her other works. Her fiction stands alone though if memoirs aren't your thing.
How many books has Jeannette Walls written?
She's published four major books: one memoir (The Glass Castle), one biographical novel (Half Broke Horses), and two historical fiction novels (The Silver Star and Hang the Moon). Additionally, she wrote a short story collection called "The Stories We Tell" early in her career, now out of print.
Is The Glass Castle appropriate for teens?
Many schools assign it to high schoolers. It contains mature themes - alcoholism, neglect, sexual assault implications - but handles them with nuance. I wouldn't recommend for under 15 without discussion. Its messages about resilience resonate strongly with young adults facing challenges.
Will Jeannette Walls write more books?
Given her pattern of releasing every 6-10 years, likely yes. Hang the Moon just came out in 2023, so probably not soon. At 63, she's still writing actively. If she follows past themes, expect more historical fiction exploring women's resilience.
These questions come up constantly in book forums. The real-life aspect especially fascinates people - how could someone survive that childhood and write so clearly about it? Having read all author Jeannette Walls books, I think her greatest skill is making trauma readable without sensationalizing.
Why Jeannette Walls Stands Out
Analyzing author Jeannette Walls books reveals why her work resonates:
- Unflinching honesty - She admits stealing food as a starving child
- Complex family portraits - No cartoon villains, just flawed humans
- Resilience focus - How people survive, not just suffer
- Vivid settings - From desert shacks to Appalachian hollers
- Accessible writing - No fancy literary tricks, just strong storytelling
Compare her to other memoirists: Tara Westover's Educated shares thematic DNA but feels more academic. Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes has similar poverty narrative but different tone. Walls' voice is uniquely American - restless, resourceful, unsentimental.
Here's what surprised me: Her books made me rethink my own comfortable upbringing. I complained about small things Walls would've seen as luxuries. That perspective shift sticks with you. Her work does what great literature should - expands your understanding of how others live.
What Critics and Readers Say
Author Jeannette Walls books generate strong reactions:
| Book | Praise | Criticism |
|---|---|---|
| The Glass Castle | "Astonishing...reads like a novel" - NY Times | Some question timeline accuracy |
| Half Broke Horses | "Lily Casey Smith deserves a place beside True Grit's Mattie Ross" - Publishers Weekly | "Less visceral than her memoir" - Washington Post |
| The Silver Star | "Walls' prose shines" - USA Today | "Formulaic characters" - Boston Globe |
| Hang the Moon | "Her best since Glass Castle" - Atlanta Journal | "Overstuffed plot" - Kirkus Reviews |
Notice how Glass Castle gets near-universal acclaim while her fiction divides reviewers? That matches reader experiences. Goodreads shows similar patterns - Glass Castle averages 4.31 stars from 790k+ ratings, while Silver Star has 3.56 from 50k. My book club argued for hours after reading Silver Star - half thought it shallow, others found it uplifting.
Final Thoughts on Jeannette Walls' Work
Exploring author Jeannette Walls books reveals a writer who transforms personal hardship into universal stories. Whether describing dust storms in Half Broke Horses or hunger pangs in Glass Castle, she makes you feel it in your bones. Her evolution from memoirist to novelist shows impressive range, even if her first fiction attempts stumbled.
If you're new to her work, begin with The Glass Castle - it's essential reading. Want historical adventure? Try Hang the Moon. Curious about her family roots? Half Broke Horses delivers. Just manage expectations with The Silver Star; it's decent but not her best. All author Jeannette Walls books share that clear-eyed compassion that makes her special.
Last thing: Her books spark conversations. I've loaned Glass Castle to five people and each came back with stories about their own families. That's the power of Walls' writing - it doesn't just entertain, it connects us through shared human struggles.