Craigslist Confessional
By: Helena Dea Bala


When I saw this book making the rounds on #bookstagram and being compared to Humans of New York, Post Secret, and Chicken Soup for the Soul; I knew I had to read it!

Helena Dea Bala was working as a lawyer and lobbyist in Washington, D.C. Day in and day out she was grinding. But what for? What was her purpose? There had to be more than just working to pay off student loans. So, one day she decided to eat lunch right outside of her office with a homeless man she regularly sees there. They talked and talked about literally everything under the sun, judgement free. It was a lightbulb moment.

So what does Helena do next? She takes out a Craigslist Ad and offers to meet people in public for coffee and listen to their problems and stories, judgement free. Initially she just went listened, but over time she began asking if she could take notes. And Craigslist Confessional A Collection Of Secrets From Anonymous Strangers was born.

The book includes 40 real, raw - gut wrenching stories. Each story is it’s own chapter simply titled with confessors name and age. The stories are broken down into these categories:

.Love
.Regret
.Loss
.Identity
.Family

My take aways? No one in this great big world is really a stranger. We are all more alike than we are different. It really made me think. Pay attention to the world around you; Pay attention to people. We never really know what someone else is going through. Lets all be a little kinder.

Rating: 4 stars! I highly, highly recommend!