For several years, Wally Lamb, the author of two of the most beloved novels of our time, has run a writing workshop at the York Correctional Institution, Connecticut's only maximum-security prison for women. Writing, Lamb discovered, was a way for these women to face their fears and failures and begin to imagine better lives. Couldn't Keep It to Myself, a collection of their essays, was published in 2003 to great critical acclaim. With I'll Fly Away, Lamb offers readers a new volume of intimate pieces from the York workshop. Startling, heartbreaking, and inspiring, these stories are as varied as the individuals who wrote them, but each illuminates an important core truth: that a life can be altered through self-awareness and the power of the written word.
I'll Fly Away (P.S.)
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Lamb . . . continues to offer readers an intimate look at women struggling to maintain their humanity.” (Booklist )
“Inspiring and raw…They write from the heart…each vignette is more compelling than the one before it.” (Library Journal )
“Accomplished…Each story, no matter how grim or gritty, shows polish.” (Kirkus Reviews )
“Inspiring and raw…They write from the heart…each vignette is more compelling than the one before it.” (Library Journal )
“Accomplished…Each story, no matter how grim or gritty, shows polish.” (Kirkus 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.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book, and its partner "Couldn't Keep It To Myself" by the same author, is at times tough and uplifting. These are essays that women have worked on in a writing class inside the prison. They are their personal stories, which usually reveal so much about their circumstances and decisions that led them to incarceration.
Some of it is rough to read, such as troubled family lives and things happening to them that we don't like to think about. You get a chance to see the real consequences of poor treatment and bad circumstances. It's must-see information so we can all be more empathetic and alert when it comes to how we treat loved ones, watch over our neighborhood, and care for the society at large.
But beyond the painful histories, these essays reveal how these women are searching inside themselves to identify and correct troublesome thoughts and habits, and rehabilitating themselves in the process. In this respect it is very inspiring and uplifting. Most of us go through our days without thinking much about the deep things. In these essays we can follow the path of discovery with these women, some further along than others, and the progress they have made even in spite of their handicapped backgrounds and current incarceration. It can't help but motivate the reader to higher aspirations with his own circumstances.
I could recommend these two books to anyone who is interested in: child care, teaching, psychology, dealing with challenges, religion, or caring about our fellow man.
As an aside, I bought these books because I responded to an ad in our local paper looking for "weekend puppy-raisers". This prison has a program of training inmates to raise puppys for future life as an assistance dog to a handicapped person. The inmates work hard for the privilege, and dedicate themselves wholly to making the ideal dog for its future needy owner. On weekends, the dogs go home with a family to get socialized to life outside the prison walls. I signed up as a weekend family, solely because I missed having a dog, and with my work schedule, a full-time dog was impossible. What I didn't expect, was that the relationship with the inmate raising the pup would mean at least as much to me as the pup. The transformation that the woman is undergoing, as she works on herself and learns more about how her actions impact others and her own future, is so inspiring. I was surprised to find "real people" in prison, and so I got these two books to learn more about who they are and what led them to that point. We all have less-than-ideal life histories and personal choices, it's just a matter of degree, and I've found this helps me open my eyes to a world I avoided even thinking about - troubled families and people living in rough circumstances or making bad choices. It's good take off the blinders.
I'll post the same review on the companion book.
Some of it is rough to read, such as troubled family lives and things happening to them that we don't like to think about. You get a chance to see the real consequences of poor treatment and bad circumstances. It's must-see information so we can all be more empathetic and alert when it comes to how we treat loved ones, watch over our neighborhood, and care for the society at large.
But beyond the painful histories, these essays reveal how these women are searching inside themselves to identify and correct troublesome thoughts and habits, and rehabilitating themselves in the process. In this respect it is very inspiring and uplifting. Most of us go through our days without thinking much about the deep things. In these essays we can follow the path of discovery with these women, some further along than others, and the progress they have made even in spite of their handicapped backgrounds and current incarceration. It can't help but motivate the reader to higher aspirations with his own circumstances.
I could recommend these two books to anyone who is interested in: child care, teaching, psychology, dealing with challenges, religion, or caring about our fellow man.
As an aside, I bought these books because I responded to an ad in our local paper looking for "weekend puppy-raisers". This prison has a program of training inmates to raise puppys for future life as an assistance dog to a handicapped person. The inmates work hard for the privilege, and dedicate themselves wholly to making the ideal dog for its future needy owner. On weekends, the dogs go home with a family to get socialized to life outside the prison walls. I signed up as a weekend family, solely because I missed having a dog, and with my work schedule, a full-time dog was impossible. What I didn't expect, was that the relationship with the inmate raising the pup would mean at least as much to me as the pup. The transformation that the woman is undergoing, as she works on herself and learns more about how her actions impact others and her own future, is so inspiring. I was surprised to find "real people" in prison, and so I got these two books to learn more about who they are and what led them to that point. We all have less-than-ideal life histories and personal choices, it's just a matter of degree, and I've found this helps me open my eyes to a world I avoided even thinking about - troubled families and people living in rough circumstances or making bad choices. It's good take off the blinders.
I'll post the same review on the companion book.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Wally Lamb is one of those writers that readers wish would write more. But seeing how he spends his time, readers can understand why he isn't pounding away at a keyboard relentlessly. Instead, he is inspiring incarcerated women to reach within themselves, bring forth what they know, and express themselves creatively. The pieces in this second collection are poignant given the circucumstances in which they were written, but hopeful in that they give voice to these neglected women, giving them expression. It is uncertain whether any of them could write as effectively about something outside of their experience or out of their imagination; however, that is not the point. The fact that they are able to be creative with what they do know is enough.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Excellent anthology of writing by women in prison who took part in Wally Lamb's writingn classes. Several of the most touching pieces are by young women serving long sentences for crimes committed at very young ages. Great reading for anyone interested in social justice issues.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Prison Bars Cannot Imprison A Soul
The essays writing by women in prison are inspiring and uplifting. Their writings reveal the depth of these women's spirit. Thank you, Mr. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Betty W. Swift
5.0 out of 5 stars
COURAGE by A LAMB
This author's challenge to "tell it like it is" for imprisoned women is exceptional! READ IT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WALLY LAMB FOUND OUT AND DARED TO PRINT IT!
Published 10 days ago by C. Steele
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I thought it would be
The writing was good and I enjoyed the book but I thought it was going to have more insight than it did.
Published 1 month ago by Jodi
5.0 out of 5 stars
LOVE this book
This book and the book that comes before it are amazing, I love Wally Lambs story telling abilities and how he really got to know these women and listened to their stories.
Published 1 month ago by Patty
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great followup
I thoroughly the 1st book and thought I would try the second. I enjoyed it as much as the first. Wonderful from the heart stories by wonderful women who mostly ended up where they... Read more
Published 2 months ago by B Serious
3.0 out of 5 stars
Average
I had read all of Wally Lamb's books previously and loved them all. This by comparison was disappointing. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Pauline Kingsbeer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
He writes a great book. I suggest you read everything he writes....She's come on done, This much I know is true, etc.
Published 2 months ago by Kelly Siedel
4.0 out of 5 stars
Truth
This book was beautiful because it was all true. These women needed to tell their stories. I feel honored to have been allowed to read each one. Read more
Published 3 months ago by autumn brock
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Sequel
This book was a good sequel to "Couldn't Keep It to Myself". I flew through it in just a few days because I enjoyed it so much.
Published 4 months ago by C. Secrist
4.0 out of 5 stars
Factual
Always enjoy Wally Lamb and this was extremely interesting - although not written by him. Very poignant. Had no idea he taught writing.
Published 5 months ago by R. Sawtell
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