Welcome to Litsy!

My #bookspin for June was a wild ride. I enjoyed every adventure along with Lily. Number 17 for #24in2024, so I‘m ahead of schedule.

What a story! This was an adventure from start to finish and I couldn‘t put it down. Its even more amazing knowing that it‘s based on the author‘s Grandmother‘s life.
What adds to this experience is that, having already read The Glass Castle, knowing some of the effects, outcomes and consequences that are handed down through the next two generations.
Jeannette Walls did a brilliant job telling this story.

A follow up on the Glass Castle. Loved the Glass Castle. This was not quite as good.

Half Broke Horses is based on the author‘s grandmother‘s life on the #Arizona rangelands. She had some real adventures, born in a dugout home in West Texas, spending some time in Chicago, but mostly living in AZ teaching in one room schoolhouses and raising horses and cattle and her family. This was a lot of fun. Similar in voice to Glass Castle, but much less stressful, I thought this was a fun story.

Fresh, Gritty and Down To Earth. I mean those three words literally!

I had no idea how much I would love this! I love rural farmtown stories. I just never knew what was coming in this one. Its been awhile since I read The Glass Castle but Im sure theres some overlap.

Book 54

It is amazing some of the lives that have been lived. #tbrpile

This “true-life novel” is written in first person about the author‘s grandmother‘s life from stories passed on by her mother. The stories center around her childhood on a ranch, and raising her own family in the desert. It‘s wonderful storytelling and a great look at the character and determination of a strong woman.

Good storytelling is an age-old skill, and Jeanette Walls seems to have been raised in a family rich in the storytelling tradition. This is labeled a "true-life novel" because she writes in 1st person, trying to capture her grandmother's life through the stories passed on to her mother. Although it makes it all factually questionable, it makes for a great story. If you liked The Glass Castle, you should also like this one.

This book!! I love Jeannette Walls' writing and will read anything she pens. The Glass Castle remains my favorite, but this definitely is a close second.

"Most important thing in life...is learning how to fall."

Five stars because it kept my focus. The unique voice of Lily was wonderful. Jeannette Walls is such an awesome writer. I loved reading about her adventurous grandmother - traveling 4 weeks on horseback by herself to learning to be a pilot. It would make a great movie.

To those who also read The Glass Castle, did it mention Rosemary also burned herself? I read it and remember Jeannette's, but don't remember it saying anything about the mom.

Sometimes after I finished a particularly good book, I had the urge to get the library card, find out who else had read the book, and track them down to talk about it.

I do that now on Litsy. Why did I wait so long to read this book?

#bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

"History gets written by the winners," (Dad) said, "and when the crooks win, you get crooked history."

#bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

We'd also heard about the indoor plumbing they were installing in fancy houses back east, but no one in west Texas had it, and most people, including Mom and Dad, thought the idea of an indoor bathroom was vile and disgusting. "Who in the Lord's name would want a crapper in the house?" Dad asked.

?

My number 20 #bookspin @thearomaofbooks Ready or Not Here I come!!!!!

#FebruaryFeels #favenonfiction This is the story of the author‘s grandma, who was indeed one tough lady. So well written and intriguing! Loved this book!! Most definitely my favorite nonfiction book I have read...so far at least😉❤️📚

I‘m starting this book today while I wait to go to lunch with a friend. I‘ve read her other 2 books and enjoyed them.

“Ironing was a particularly galling waste of time. You'd spend twenty minutes pressing one shirt front and back, spraying starch and getting the creases sharp, but once the man of the house put it on, it would wrinkle as soon as he bent an elbow; plus, you couldn't even see whether the danged shirt was ironed or not under his suit coat.”

#QuotsySept19 | 5: #Iron

📷: Made with Typorama

Picture from Google Images

Jeannette Walls certainly lived an unorthodox life which made for great reading. These books do paint a picture of what life could be like for some throughout the 1900s in the USA.

#LetsTravelJuly #USA #JeannetteWalls #Biography @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn62

I‘ve read all of Walls‘ novels and this one comes in a very close second behind The Glass Castle. I like that, even though it‘s a biography about her grandmother, it is still written in the first person. The main character, Lily, is a super badass heroine. If you‘ve enjoyed Walls‘ other novels (or historical fiction/nonfiction) I‘d recommend this book for sure!

“‘You have a mighty high opinion of yourself,‘ I told him. ‘The fact is, you don‘t love me, and you haven‘t destroyed me. You don‘t have what it takes to do that.‘”

I‘ll definitely be thinking about this quote for a while.

Next up, non-fiction! I thought The Glass Castle was excellent, so I'm looking forward to getting into this one!

Jeannette Walls took what she knew of her grandmother's amazing life and was able to posthumously give her a voice. Lily Casey Smith's journey makes for a hell of a story. She seemed like a super strong, righteous woman, if not a warm and fuzzy parent. Everyone should get to be heard like this.

My first book completed for #24b4Monday. My first day I've logged 9 hours and 4 minutes reading time. I am tired! @TheReadingMermaid @Andrew65

#boozeandbooks

Early morning.
Strong coffee.
Just me and my book.
❤️

Love this quote! 💕

I started three or four different books yesterday and nothing felt right. Does this happen to anyone else?

I think I‘ve finally settled on this “true life novel” written about the author‘s grandmother. My plans for the day were canceled so I‘m just going to take it easy and read while my youngest naps. 🙌

Finally found time to finish this biography of a very american wonder woman, penned by her great-daughter Jaennette Walls in Lily Casey‘s fictionalized voice. It ties in great with the glass castle, and makes for a great, quick and feminist read. #sistersaredoingitforthemselves #weirdwomenrock

#booksandbreakfast

#booksandbreakfast

I wish all i were doing was eating and reading.... #bookanddinner

#booksandbreakfast at momma‘s house

#booksandbreakfast

#bookanddinner

#booksanddinner

Hard at work...

Some fiction books picked up from rummaging.

A seniors centre close to my house puts on a book sale twice a year and this is what I picked up yesterday...normally I take home way more but the selection was limited.

Wisdom, wit, determination, and grit are characteristics that have well served Jeanette Walls over the years. This "pre-quell " to The Glass Castle chronicles the life of her rough riding, moonshine peddling, school teaching, crop dusting grandmother Lily Casey Smith, from whom these traits have descended. I LOVED Lily. Her sardonic sense of humor and fatalistic approach to life are qualities to be admired, imo. Inscription is pretty cool, too.

Today I thought I‘d share one of my favorite female authors. This is my favorite book of hers. I wish she‘d come out with another! The lotus flower bookmarks are now up on my Etsy.

Thank you so much @Natasha.C.Barnes , the package arrived safe and sound! I've wanted to read this ever since I read The Glass Castle! I'm so excited! 😁 #NCBgiveaway

I've read The Glass Castle and enjoyed it. I received a gift the other day and the book is Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls. I wished I wish I would have read this first.. Now things are making some since that happened in The Glass Castle.

Next up in the #NCBgiveaway is Half Broke Horses! Did you read The Glass Castle and want to try more by this author/know more about this family? This one is about Wells' grandmother, who sounds like quite an amazing woman. It's thought to be not quite as good as TGC, but still really good. If you like in the US and want to win this book, comment below-drawing on Tuesday.

I didn't love this as much as The Glass Castle, but it was still a wonderful read. It is clear that the family, even generations back, is spirited and a little wild, and it is evident where Jeannette gets her 'gumption' from.

Amazing

I can't believe it's already December! I have one more week until my courses are done for the semester, and here are some of the books I'm planning to get through this month! I'm going to try to keep up with some photo challenges this month. The #FirstNovel I'll read is The Best Kind of People. #DeckTheShelves #TBR #ItsBeginning #SeasonsReadings2017 #ReindeerReads #DeckTheShelves

I got mail! Thanks again @emilyhaldi !!!!