While I’ve been a long time fan and have read some of the other works by Lamb, I have yet to read The Hour I First Believed, but after hearing him speak about the novel I am definitely adding it to my list.   It was really interesting to hear him speak about it and read passages from it.  I found it particularly fascinating that he was able to write about so many very different events – such as Hurricane Katrina and the shootings at Columbine High School – and Mark Twain in the same book!

Lamb also spoke a bit about the work he did with the women at York Correctional Institute in Niantic, CT in the writing program he headed for them, which eventually lead to a collection of some of their stories that he edited, entitled Couldn’t Keep It to Myself . It was really quite interesting and touching.  This is definitely another book for me to add to my ever-growing list.

At the end of the event, he did a brief Q&A with the audience and spoke a bit about his writing process, which can be slow going and at times a bit torturous.   Overall, it was a really awesome experience, and I’m really glad I had the opportunity to go.