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In a moving collection of essays which evolved from his volunteer work in a writing workshop at York Correctional Institution, author Wally Lamb presents "miracles in print," the actual voices of ten incarcerated women, which present stunning situations, perspectives, and stories of hope amid devestating circumstances, all of which challenge the reader to open his mind and heart to a new world.

As Wally Lamb remarks in his Introduction, "There are misconceptions to be abandoned, biases to be dropped...Each contributor whose work you will read has discovered the interwtined power of the written word, and the power that resides within her. The good news is that she couldn't keep it to herself."

The reader will be hard pressed to keep the line between "me and thee" intact, as he reads these stunning and moving testimonies. As one of the women, Bonnie Foreshaw, stated, "What I hope is that people reading this book will bear in mind that we are human beings first, inmates second." The reader will come away from the book with a new appreciation of what can go wrong in life, and what it takes to overcome adversity.

In an exclusive interview., included in this Reader's Guide, Wally Lamb remarks on such wide ranging and diverse issues as writing and editing, the Son of Sam Statutes, pending legislation in Connecticut, what he hopes the book will accomplish, what the title means, his role as editor and anthologist, his work on his new book and his screenplay, charming personal vignettes, the “ingredients of a dramatic scene,” exposition techniques, the present lawsuit against the women contributors, and suggestions for prison reform: an incredible experience for the reader. Additional fascinating interviews are also included, with Dale Griffith, (Instructor at York Correctional Institution), and authors, Nancy Birkla and Nancy Whiteley.

"Wally Lamb is a nationally honored teacher, critically acclaimed writer and bestselling author. His work includes the #1 New York Times bestseller, SHE’S COME UNDONE (Pocket Books; 1992) which also hit USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly and other national bestseller lists; published fiction and non-fiction in The Missouri Review, Allure, USA Weekend, Northeast, The New York Times Magazine, and editor of the poetry collection, Always Begin Where You Are (McGraw Hill; 1979). His second book, I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE (ReganBooks), was released in June 1998.

SHE’S COME UNDONE was chosen as a finalist for the 1992 Los Angeles Times Book Awards’ Art Seidenbaum Prize for first fiction. It was named a notable book of the year by numerous publications, including The New York Times Book Review and People. The book was also chosen by the Oprah Winfrey Show as a "Book Club" selection in early 1997, and is one of the bestselling titles chosen for that honor.

Lamb is the recipient of the 1998 Governor’s Arts Award, State of Connecticut, a past recipient of the NEA grant for fiction and is a Missouri Review William Peden fiction prize winner.

He was the director of the Writing Center at the Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, Connecticut from 1989-1998, and is currently an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Connecticut’s English Department. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Education from the University of Connecticut and an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College. Lamb lives in Connecticut with his wife and three sons. "

Biographical Information