Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Testimonies from Our Imprisoned Sisters

“Lying next to and rising out of despair, hope permeates the book. Why, in the end, does Lamb want us to care about 10 women in prison? Perhaps because in noticing the humanity of others, we become more human ourselves.”—Los Angeles Times Book Review

Couldn’t Keep It to Myself once again shows Wally Lamb’s unmatched talent for finding the humanity in the lost and lonely.

For the past several years Lamb has taught writing to women prisoners at the York Correctional Institution. With courage and candor, these women came to discover their voices, and to share tales of abuse, rejection, and their own self-destructive impulses. Yet these are stories of hope, humor, and the triumph of leaving victimhood behind to begin the process of healing.

Lamb’s powerful introduction describes the incredible, inspiring journey he and the women of York took through the writing process. Couldn’t Keep It to Myself is a true testament to the process of finding oneself and striving for a better day.