#30: I'll Fly Away

I had started Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, but had to give up.  It was just way too boring for me.

Needing another non-fiction quick, I searched my book shelves and found I'll Fly Away: Further Testimonies from the Women of York Prison.  This book was edited and introduced by Wally Lamb.  Lamb does writer's workshops at York Prison.  York Prison is the only women's only maximum security prison in Connecticut.  This is the 2nd edition of stories written by the prisoners.  The first is called Couldn't Keep it to Myself.  I think I'd love to go back and read that one.

Lamb introduced the project and the rest of the book was short stories and poems from the prisoners.  I really enjoyed the writings in this book.  Some were sad, some happy, and some funny.  All the stories had a deep down message about hurt or family or something else in the stories.  I really felt sorry for many of the women as they told their stories.  Murder is awful, but should a 19 yr old girl really go to jail for the rest of her life from killing someone while they are abusing her?  I don't know the full story, but based off her writing, I really feel bad for her and some of the others to be stuff in prison and never move on in their lives.

Up Next:  A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson