Jeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls is an author and journalist widely recognized for her memoir "The Glass Castle," a powerful account of her unconventional and challenging upbringing. Walls spent her childhood constantly relocating with her siblings and her parents, Rex and Rose Mary Walls, whose unconventional approach to parenting shaped much of her early experiences. Her memoir, published in 2005, became a New York Times bestseller, remaining on the list for 421 weeks and resonating with millions of readers worldwide due to its raw honesty, emotional depth, and resilience in the face of hardship.

Walls's journey into writing began with a career in journalism after attending Barnard College in New York City. She worked as a reporter for several prominent publications, including New York Magazine, Esquire, USA Today, and MSNBC.com. In addition to her reporting work, Walls also contributed as a gossip columnist for MSNBC.com. Her work often focused on celebrity gossip and entertainment. Her writing portfolio extends beyond journalistic pieces, with contributions such as the "A Secret of Her Own" article in Vanity Fair in April 2005 and "Transcending the Worst of Times" article in Northern Virginia Magazine in October 2015.

Following the success of "The Glass Castle," Walls continued to explore themes of family, survival, and resilience in her writing. In 2009, she released "Half Broke Horses," a fictionalized biography of her maternal grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, which she described as a "true-life novel." Her third book, "The Silver Star," published in 2013, delves into the struggles of two sisters in a small town, reflecting Walls's continued fascination with familial bonds and personal endurance. In addition to these works, she has also written "Dish: The Inside Story on the World of Gossip."

Walls has appeared on "The Today Show," "CNN," "Primetime," and "The Colbert Report." Her influence extends to her awards and recognition, which include the Alex Award and Christopher Award. Residing with her husband on a 205-acre farm in Culpeper, Virginia, Walls continues to write and share her story, offering a voice to those who might otherwise remain unheard. Through her work, she has demonstrated that personal narrative can be as much a form of healing as a powerful tool for social change.