Gossip columnist, writer to speak in Everett
Published 4:54 pm Sunday, April 26, 2009
As a gossip columnist, Jeannette Walls exposed celebrity secrets for MSNBC while harboring a secret of her own.
The writer had a Dickensian childhood, raised in abject poverty by unbalanced parents.
She revealed her past in a memoir, “The Glass Castle,” which has sold 2 million copies since its 2005 publication, according to Reader’s Digest, and been praised for giving a face to the poor.
On Tuesday, Walls plans to speak at an Everett luncheon at Comcast Arena to benefit the YWCA of Snohomish County, a group known for its work with those in need.
“That’s something that the YWCA does such a great job about, elevating those people, not only their situations, but their dignity,” Walls said.
Before her arrival, the author spoke with The Herald from her Virginia home. Condensed excerpts follow.
Q: An endearing aspect of your book is the affection you show your parents. You could have vilified them.
A: Some people think they are monsters. Other people see their flaws and their gifts as well. A number of times, people will tell me there was a heated debate in their book club. People ask me, “Which is it?” I tell those people, “You’re both right.” I think everything is a blessing and a curse.
Q: Your mom wanted to be an artist. Has the publicity helped her sell paintings?
A: She has had a couple of people offer what I think are really good prices. She doesn’t seem to want to sell.
Q: What kind of offers?
A: The high hundreds. I think that’s a good amount, but what do I know?
Q: You wrote about gossip for decades. Why did you finally retire in 2007?
A: One of the reasons I felt compelled to write a book is because I couldn’t explain it all in a conversation. The same is true of the rich and famous. The more I got to know them, the more they became sympathetic. The truth can’t be summed up in three paragraphs.
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
