April Wall

Jeannette Walls, born April 21, 1960, is an American author and journalist recognized for her work as a gossip columnist and for her best-selling memoir, "The Glass Castle." This book chronicles her nomadic and often difficult childhood with a rootless family. Walls' early life involved frequent moves across various locations, including periods of homelessness, before settling in Welch, West Virginia, where her family lived in basic conditions.

She relocated to New York at age 17 and pursued higher education, earning an honors degree in Liberal Arts from Barnard College. Her journalism career began with internships and reporting roles, progressing to writing columns for publications like New York magazine, Esquire, and MSNBC.com. Walls has also made appearances on television programs and contributed to national newspapers. Her literary works include "The Glass Castle," which has achieved significant commercial success and critical acclaim, along with novels such as "Half Broke Horses," "The Silver Star," and "Hang the Moon."

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Jeannette Walls experienced a childhood marked by constant relocation with her parents, Rex and Rose Mary Walls, and her siblings Lori, Maureen, and Brian. The family's nomadic existence led them through various cities and states, including California, Nevada, and West Virginia, with instances of homelessness. Upon settling in Welch, West Virginia, the family resided in a modest three-room house lacking essential amenities like plumbing and heating. At seventeen, Walls moved to New York City to be with her sister Lori. Through a combination of grants, scholarships, loans, and employment, she successfully completed her Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree with honors at Barnard College in 1984.

Walls launched her journalism career with an internship at The Phoenix newspaper in Brooklyn, eventually becoming a full-time reporter. She contributed to the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine from 1987 to 1993, followed by a tenure writing a gossip column for Esquire until 1998. Subsequently, she became a regular contributor to the "Scoop" column at MSNBC.com, departing in 2007 to focus on writing full-time. Her journalistic work also includes contributions to USA Today and appearances on various television shows. Walls authored "Dish: The Inside Story on the World of Gossip" in 2000, exploring the historical role of gossip in American media and society. Her memoir, "The Glass Castle" (2005), detailing her childhood experiences, achieved widespread popularity and critical acclaim, selling millions of copies and being translated into numerous languages. She has also published novels, including "Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel" (2009), "The Silver Star" (2013), and "Hang the Moon" (2023).

Jeannette Walls was married to Eric Goldberg from 1988 until their divorce in 1996. She later married John J. Taylor, a fellow writer from New York, in 2002. The couple currently resides on a 205-acre farm located outside Culpeper, Virginia.