Jeannette Walls Quotes

Powerful Jeannette Walls for Daily Growth

About Jeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls is an award-winning American journalist and memoirist, best known for her poignant and thought-provoking writings about resilience, family dynamics, and the human spirit. Born on April 4, 1960, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she spent most of her childhood living a nomadic life with her impoverished and eccentric family across the United States. Walls' early years were marked by hardship, as her mother, Rose Mary, struggled with mental illness and substance abuse, while her father, John Christopher Walls, was an itinerant horse breeder and con artist. This unconventional upbringing provided the raw material for her later memoirs. Despite these challenges, Walls excelled academically, eventually earning a bachelor's degree in English from Barnard College. After college, she worked as a journalist for MSNBC and later became the gossip columnist for New York magazine. However, it wasn't until 2005 that she gained widespread acclaim with the publication of her debut memoir, "The Glass Castle." This riveting account of her unconventional childhood spent in poverty, but filled with love, humor, and creativity, became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a critically-acclaimed film in 2017. In 2010, Walls published another memoir, "Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel," which tells the story of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, a real-life tomboy who lived on a hardscrabble ranch in Arizona during the early 20th century. This book was also a commercial and critical success, earning Walls legions of fans around the world. Today, Jeannette Walls continues to write and speak about her experiences, inspiring others with her resilience, humor, and ability to find beauty in even the most challenging circumstances. Her works stand as testaments to the power of family, the human spirit, and the transformative potential of storytelling.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"We are all misfits."

Jeannette Walls' quote, "We are all misfits," suggests a universal commonality in human experience that transcends individual differences. In other words, she posits that everyone has unique traits or characteristics that may not fit neatly into societal norms or expectations at some point in their lives, making us all, to varying degrees, "misfits." This quote encourages empathy and understanding as it reminds us that we are not alone in our feelings of alienation, deviance, or nonconformity. Embracing our individuality and recognizing the misfit qualities within ourselves and others can foster a more compassionate and inclusive world.

"The most important thing was to be kind."

Jeannette Walls' quote, "The most important thing was to be kind," emphasizes that kindness is a fundamental value in life. This statement underscores the power of empathy, compassion, and consideration for others as crucial traits that can significantly impact our interactions and relationships. By prioritizing kindness, we foster a more harmonious, understanding, and supportive environment around us, ultimately making the world a better place.

"You can either let the burden destroy you, or you can stand tall and carry it with you as a badge of honor."

This quote suggests that when faced with challenges or hardships in life (the "burden"), one has two main choices: succumb to them (let them destroy you), or endure and persevere, carrying these experiences as symbols of resilience and strength ("stand tall and carry it with you as a badge of honor"). It's an encouragement to not just survive difficulties but to learn from them and use them as testaments to one's character and capacity for overcoming obstacles.

"Sometimes, even to live is an act of courage."

This quote by Jeannette Walls underscores the bravery inherent in everyday life. It suggests that simply existing and navigating through challenges can require tremendous courage. Life often presents us with hardships, but persevering through them, growing, and adapting are acts of valor. The act of living, therefore, becomes a testament to our resilience and strength.

"Life doesn't always go the way you plan, but it's important to remember that you are more strong and resilient than you give yourself credit for."

This quote emphasizes the unpredictability of life and encourages personal resilience in the face of adversity. Life may not unfold as we envision, but it's crucial to recognize our inner strength and adaptability. By understanding that we are more resourceful than we sometimes believe, we can persevere through challenging times, grow from our experiences, and ultimately find success and happiness in unexpected ways.

I'm a big believer in luck - the harder you work, the luckier you become.

- Jeannette Walls

Work, Luck, Big, Believer

Horses are a mirror of who you are. They're emotionally dependent on you.

- Jeannette Walls

Mirror, You, Emotionally, Dependent

When I got a little older, I started writing for the high school newspaper, 'The Maroon Wave,' and that's when I fell in love with journalism.

- Jeannette Walls

Love, Newspaper, Started, Journalism

I listen to music mostly in the evening. I've come to love what is called world music, like the Zimbabwean Oliver Mtukudzi and the Colombian singer Marta Gomez. I also love the Irish folk singer Mary Black. Other favorites include Chet Baker, Eva Cassidy, and Billie Holiday.

- Jeannette Walls

Love, Favorites, Mostly, None

I reached my full height at age 11, and I was clumsy as all get-out - all elbows and knees, couldn't get up a flight of stairs without falling down. I wanted to be a cute, petite blonde, but I'm a big ol' strapping thing, so I just accept it.

- Jeannette Walls

Flight, Big, Knees, Clumsy

I found out that people are incredibly compassionate and kind. It really changed my view of the world.

- Jeannette Walls

People, Kind, Really, Compassionate

I was so worried that people wouldn't like me or my story.

- Jeannette Walls

Me, People, Like, Worried

Some people who've read my story think I had a terrible childhood and that I was neglected or even abused, while others feel that my parents, while certainly flawed, also had truly wonderful qualities. And that's the way it should be, because in real life two people can look at the same president and one will see a hero and the other a villain.

- Jeannette Walls

Villain, Some, Other, Terrible

Books are my very favorite gift to give. If you give a book to someone and they really respond to it, you feel you've actually changed their life in some way.

- Jeannette Walls

Gift, Give, Very, Respond

I never had any question that my parents loved me. I had a real sense of self confidence.

- Jeannette Walls

Confidence, Question, Had, Parents

My older sister achieved her dream of being an artist. She's an illustrator living in Manhattan.

- Jeannette Walls

Artist, Living, Manhattan, Sister

I sit down at my desk pretty early in the morning and write all day until about 4 or 5 p.m.

- Jeannette Walls

Down, Pretty, About, Desk

One of the most challenging aspects of writing a memoir is finding your own voice, and you should be very careful about being influenced by someone else's voice.

- Jeannette Walls

Voice, Memoir, Very, Challenging

I'm a fairly fast, but sloppy writer, so I'm a big fan of re-writing, and re-writing again.

- Jeannette Walls

Big, Fan, Sloppy, Big Fan

Everything in life is gray, you know.

- Jeannette Walls

Life, Know, Everything, Gray

I was in control of what people thought of me, but I had no control over what they thought of my mother. When I asked my mother, 'How do I tell people about you?' her answer was, 'Tell the truth'. But of course, the truth is never simple.

- Jeannette Walls

Thought, Tell, Over, Truth Is

I always wanted to be a serious journalist.

- Jeannette Walls

Serious, Always, Wanted, Journalist

Whenever I'm reading a book I enjoy, I always develop a mental list of the people I want to share it with.

- Jeannette Walls

Book, Want, Always, List

I find books that have a moral and spiritual center, that speak to what is really important and lasting, hugely appealing.

- Jeannette Walls

Important, Books, Hugely, Lasting

I feel like 'Alice Through the Looking Glass.'

- Jeannette Walls

Through, Glass, Like, Alice

My advice to anyone is to figure out what you're good at - what it is that you love doing the most in life - and figure out a way to make a living from it.

- Jeannette Walls

Love, Doing, Living, Figure

We're stronger than we realize.

- Jeannette Walls

Realize, Than, Stronger

I believe that everyone has some huge talent in them; the really lucky ones discover what it is.

- Jeannette Walls

Lucky, Some, Everyone, Discover

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.