How does writing transform the women in this book?

What does Wally Lamb learn from his students?

What common themes do you notice among the women in this book?

Where do you see hope in the stories of these women?

What do you learn about prison life from these stories?

In what ways do the women in this book reveal that they were imprisoned before they entered York Correctional Institution in Connecticut?

How is Wally Lamb transformed by teaching this writing group?

Choose one woman's story and describe how she heals herself through writing.

What misconceptions did you have about prisoners before you read this book? Have you dropped any of those misconceptions after reading it?