I'll Fly Away

“Powerful . . . In I’ll Fly Away, the women have penned well-drawn evocative pieces about their experiences . . . . Healing is happening through writing.”—Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers

The #1 New York Times bestselling author offers an inspiring new collection of writings from the members of his acclaimed program in Connecticut’s York Correctional Facility

In 2003 Wally Lamb, published Couldn’t Keep It to Myself, a collection of essays by the students in his writing workshop at the maximum-security York Correctional Institution, Connecticut’s only prison for women. The New York Times described the book as “Gut-tearing tales . . . the unvarnished truth.”

Now Lamb returns with I’ll Fly Away, a new volume of intimate, searching pieces from the York workshop. Here, 20 women—18 inmates and two of Lamb’s cofacilitators—share the experiences that shaped them from childhood and that haunt and inspire them to this day. These portraits, vignettes, and stories depict with soul-baring honesty how and why women land in prison—and what happens once they get there. The stories are as varied as the individuals who wrote them, but each testifies to the same core truth: the universal value of knowing oneself and changing one’s life through the power of the written word.

These raw and honest stories from the women of York Prison explore:

Women’s Prison Writing: Soul-baring testimonies that illuminate the paths that lead women to incarceration, from childhood trauma to the moment of a crime. Healing Through Writing: The transformative power of Wally Lamb’s acclaimed writing workshop, where women confront their pasts and find the courage to change their lives. Stories of Incarceration: An unflinching look at life inside a maximum-security facility—the daily routines, the unexpected friendships, and the fight to hold on to hope. Social Justice Nonfiction: A powerful argument for prison reform and the rehabilitative power of the arts, introduced by Wally Lamb’s own story of fighting for these women’s voices to be heard.