Such a well written book by Wally Lamb. This was recommended to me by my book tube friend Denise Cooper from Artbookslive. I am so glad I read this book. Its definitely a book I would not have know about or picked up from the subject matter. After each story I would close the book and just be stunned by what I had just read. I won't every forget the line in the books "I want people to remember we are human beings first, inmates second". Learning about what these women face and their loved ones and of there life before, during, and for some after prison, other are still incarcerating was haunting and devastating to read. It took me a long time to read this one because I would reflect for days after my reading. I for sure have a different outlook now and will when I pass the prison that is about 30 minutes from my town.

This book is a collection of essays / memoirs from 11 women in prison for various crimes - not details about their crimes, but parts of their life stories. Wally Lamb spent (not sure if he still does) time every other week conducting writing classes for inmates who wanted to attend, an amazing act of service / volunteer work. They all attest to the therapeutic value of writing their stories. The stories aren't pretty - they were heartbreaking and hard to read at times, but humanize these women who are seen first as a criminal.

"To imprison a woman is to remove her voice from the world, but many female inmates have been silenced by life long before the transport van carries them from the courthouse to the correctional facility. ....Of the eleven contributors to this volume, eight have been battered and nine have been sexually abused, a statistic that reflects the norm for incarcerated women. Their essays then, are victories against voicelessness, miracles in print."

Famous Oprah Book club author Wally Lamb teaches writing to a group of women prisoners in Connecticut. This book is a collection of essays that the women wrote about their lives. In theory, I like the idea of this book, although it does gloss over the victims of their crimes. But the quality of the writing is very uneven and the stories are repetitive. Every woman tells the same story of abusive childhood (a lot of sexual abusive), abusive boyfriends, abusive husbands, teen-aged motherhood, and bad decisions. I started to wish that one of them had written about her childhood dog or anything different. I'm glad I got this from the library and didn't buy it.

I have a mentoring program in a jail for women myself, and have heard stories like these, and many more, before. The physical and emotional pain many women like this have gone through, and the resilience they show, continues to amaze me. When they write, it helps them dissect, understand and sometimes accept that pain; it doesn’t matter if they’re brilliant writers, as long as they write. And so I tip my hat to every one of the contributors to this book, and to Wally Lamb for his work.

Very mixed feelings. The writing is good, fantastic even, and these women's stories are some of the hardest things I've ever read. I was actually assigned this book for a Psychology class that never came to be, so I nabbed it from the textbook room when the school said they'd be throwing them out. 5 years later I sat down to read it, and I related so much to what these women had to say: about themselves, about identity, and about their relationships with the people around them (specifically men). I loved it, and it made me cry several times.
Mixed feelings come in with the 'author,' Wally Lamb. I am not a fan of his work, and I'm not sure I love that his name is the biggest text on the cover, when almost none of it is his work. I do understand he made the book happen, and was teaching and editing with these women while they documented their stories. What I don't love, of course, is the way he described past students of his (specifically, the plus sized student who he went on to write a weird, voyeuristic novel about in which he 'symbolically' calls her a whale. Weird) and I already fear male authority and teachers because of a lot of what I saw written in this book. There is something about Lamb I do not trust.
Regardless, the work that fills the book is phenomenal, and it would be a crime for me to rate it any lower than a 4. I hope all the women who wrote for the book and are still alive are doing well.

I was first assigned this book in a creative writing course in undergrad. This story convinced me to always trust my professor's book recommendations and anything Wally Lamb's name is behind.

I Couldn't Keep This to Myself is a compilation of autobiographical stories written from women in a prison facility that Lamb volunteered at. He was recruited to help with the mental health crisis in the prison, allowing woman to find their own voice and power through writing.

I won't lie, the stories are brutal to read. A common theme through all is childhood abuse be it physical, sexual, or verbal. The impact of abandonment and neglect, generational trauma, poverty, and education follow these women from the start of their life to where they all eventually end up: in the high security York Correctional Institution.

It's hard to look at, because it points to a system in our society so large and unjust, you want to look away. As Wally wisely points out in the prologue, most of these women have been taught to "be silent, and shut your mouth" long before a correctional officer in prison ever tells them. It starts with their home, with their father and mother, with their abusive boyfriends that turns into abusive husbands. When then, a woman acts out, finding herself locked away with only an ID number as a name - is it truly any surprise?

I think of the latin phrase "I am human, therefore nothing human is alien to me." If we had been born into their same circumstances, would we find ourselves any different? Yet, the stories in here are full of hope, the power of spiritual faith, and reflection that can only come from reaching your true breaking point.

Read this knowing trigger warnings are needed but the read is worth it.

I didn't enjoy that much as the stories while all individual shared too much of the same theme throughout. After a while, it was too repetitive for me

I rarely give 5 stars and seldom take a minute to write a review but this compilation of stories from these brave women called me to do so.

So often you hear “I shared my story to raise awareness” but never has that touched me more than reading these personal and heartfelt stories. Their writing has exposed me to see that our prisons are not just housing the dregs of society- they are confining many damaged souls that should be undergoing serious treatment to recover from tragic circumstances outside of prison walls and razor wire.

I applaud Wally Lamb and these brave women for putting this out there.

I have respect for the bravery of the authors. It takes guts to put your writing to the world. Their experiences are so different than mine yet there is something uniting in the art of the written word. I am grateful for their honesty and raw talent.

Excellent book. Gives one much insight into the social problems that contribute to crimes committed by women and into prison life. Well written. Wally Lamb and Dale Griffith help these women examine their lives and choices and gave them a voice, and hope for a better life.

Premise: This collection of short stories features short narratives written by women in prison. Wally Lamb, who is a New York Times best-selling author, went to York Correctional Facility and taught essay writing to the inmates. Years later, he compiled their stories.

Thoughts: This book was INTENSE... It's really no surprise that I had it as "Currently Reading" on Goodreads for 2 full months. The stories are heartbreaking and poignant and, occasionally, laugh out loud funny. Most of the women chose to write about their childhood, most of which was horrifying and terrible. It gives a great look into our prison system and really made me think.

Who Should Read It: Anyone looking for a collection of short stories. Anyone interested in prison reform. Anyone looking to cry a bit.

This book confirmed many things I’ve learned over the years, that mental health issues, lack of a safety net, and bad choices can often lead to lifelong consequences. This was a powerful and impactful read, stories from incarcerated women.