By Wally Lamb
480 pages; Pocket
Available at: Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

"I have given this book to so many people and reread it, I think, a million times," says Christina Ricci. "I love it because it's about surviving." The novel's unforgettable protagonist, Dolores Price, endures sexual abuse, parental neglect, and years in a mental institution—but never loses her fighting spirit. "As long as we can tell stories about our ability to survive, the more we will hope, not self-destruct."

— As told to Karen Holt