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Couldn't Keep It to Myself:  Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters)
 
 
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Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters) [Paperback]

Wally Lamb (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 3, 2004

In a stunning work of insight and hope, New York Times bestselling author Wally Lamb once again reveals his unmatched talent for finding humanity in the lost and lonely and celebrates the transforming power of the written word.

For several years, Lamb has taught writing to a group of women prisoners at York Correctional Institution in Connecticut. In this unforgettable collection, the women of York describe in their own words how they were imprisoned by abuse, rejection, and their own self-destructive impulses long before they entered the criminal justice system. Yet these are powerful stories of hope and healing, told by writers who have left victimhood behind.

In his moving introduction, Lamb describes the incredible journey of expression and self-awareness the women took through their writing and shares how they challenged him as a teacher and as a fellow author. Couldn't Keep It to Myself is a true testament to the process of finding oneself and working toward a better day.


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Couldn't Keep It to Myself:  Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters) + I'll Fly Away: Further Testimonies from the Women of York Prison (P.S.) + Wishin' and Hopin': A Novel
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Wally Lamb is the author of the New York Times and national bestseller The Hour I First Believed, as well as the novels She's Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True, both #1 New York Times bestsellers and Oprah's Book Club selections. He lives in Connecticut with his family.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Harper Perennial (February 3, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 006059537X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060595371
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,965 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

Customer Reviews

51 Reviews
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4 star:
 (11)
3 star:
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2 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (51 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I've read in awhile, December 8, 2005
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Amy (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters) (Paperback)
I must confess, I did not open this book without some bias. I volunteer at a prison and have a deep interest in women's issues, and after reading the other Amazon.com reviews, I was pretty sure I would love this book. (I was right.) What I didn't expect was a strong desire to share it with just about everyone I know. Don't get me wrong, this is no "Chicken Soup for the Soul" -- there are some hard stories in this book. But the writing is outstanding, and in reading each story I was captivated by the author's personality, struggles, hopes, and essential humanity. This book was, for me, a powerful aid to compassion and understanding. I recommend it highly.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Job Mr. Lamb, July 30, 2005
This review is from: Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters) (Paperback)
First off, I was fascinated to hear a little recap of Wally Lamb's life. Just a flash, and not full of flash - but still interesting (especially to find how he came involved with female prisoners for this novel).

Lamb did an incredible job of telling the lives of these women who were not always prisoners. They were once little girls, awkward teenagers, young and old women. What I appreciate is that Lamb let these women tell their stories, which were quite interesting, without glorifying their crimes. In fact, their crimes are just a foot-note on the side.

You are left with no decisions on if they're victims or monsters, just their stories.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing but often hopeful, May 22, 2006
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This review is from: Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters) (Paperback)
I am glad that I read this book as it gave me a bit of an insight to what life is like in prison for woman incarcerated at a maximum prison. This book certainly helped me to appreciate the freedoms that most of us take for granted on a much larger scale of understanding. I usually keep my reviews pretty short, but I have to add that these short stories these courageous women wrote in this book are very worth while reading and I learned quite a lot from these woman who were willing to share their lives with us. Being someone who worked at a maximum facility for men, I always wondered what the female experience in jail would be like, and I believe that this book gives you a pretty good idea. None of the incarcerated women make any excuses for their crimes, they accept full responsibility, and then give us a bio of their lives, as far as what may have led up to their crimes. Yes it was disturbing for me to read at times, but yet a book I just could not put down. What disturbed me was clearly hearing about how much violence these woman as children sadly grew up with, and how no one was there to help them, or assist them out of the nightmare of child abuse, and domestic violence. The beginning of the book is interesting as well as Wally Lamb talks about his life just a little bit and what led up to his other book, "She's Come Undone", which is another book if his I couldn't put down.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
THE TOY DEPARTMENT AT THE DURABLE STORE SOLD two blackboards. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Thompson Hall, Green Eyes, Bonnie Foreshaw, Father Robert, Summit Lodge, Trout Run, Aunt Bertha, Howard Johnson, Nurse Webb, Dale Griffith, Pickle Puss, Barbara Lane, Tabatha Rowley, Betty Crocker, York Correctional Institution, Skyline Drive, Saint Margaret, Seth Jinks, Williamsport Hospital, Reverend Sanders, Niantic Correctional Institution, Baldwin Street, Carolyn Adams, The Lambettes
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