Books Like The Glass Castle

Looking for books like The Glass Castle? A chaotic, nomadic childhood with brilliant, unreliable parents — and how she built a stable life out of the wreckage.

What tends to stick with readers is its emotional, memoir and unforgettable feel. Impossible to put down, and impossible to fully explain to someone else after. Below are 6 books that carry that feeling in different ways, matched on shared mood, themes and reading experience. The Glass Castle is a medium, fast-paced read (reading level: beginner-friendly), so we've noted where each pick is quicker, slower or heavier.

The book you loved

The Glass Castle

Jeannette Walls

6 books you might enjoy

1.
Educated
Tara Westover
Like The Glass Castle, Educated is emotional. Both carry the #memoir and #unforgettable tags.
Medium · Fast pace · Beginner-friendly
Explore this book →Books like Educated
2.
Born a Crime
Trevor Noah
If it was the emotional side of The Glass Castle you loved, Born a Crime delivers it too. Both carry the #memoir tag.
Medium · Fast pace · Beginner-friendly
Explore this book →Books like Born a Crime
3.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
If it was the emotional side of The Glass Castle you loved, The Perks of Being a Wallflower delivers it too. Both carry the #book-club tag. It's the quicker read of the two.
Short · Easy pace · Beginner-friendly
Explore this book →Books like The Perks of Being a Wallflower
4.
Shoe Dog
Phil Knight
Shoe Dog shares The Glass Castle's emotional appeal. Both carry the #memoir tag.
Medium · Fast pace · Beginner-friendly
Explore this book →Books like Shoe Dog
5.
When Breath Becomes Air
Paul Kalanithi
Like The Glass Castle, When Breath Becomes Air is emotional. Both carry the #memoir tag. It's the quicker read of the two.
Short · Easy pace · Beginner-friendly
Explore this book →Books like When Breath Becomes Air
6.
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank
The Diary of a Young Girl shares The Glass Castle's emotional appeal. The pace is easier than The Glass Castle's.
Medium · Easy pace · Beginner-friendly
Explore this book →Books like The Diary of a Young Girl