Craigslist Confessional

“Helena Bala has tapped into a rich vein of human stories by opening her heart and mind to strangers who want to share their essential truth with others. She helps them share the secrets that have lurked in their lives, waiting to be released.” —Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition“A 21st century Studs Terkel, Bala shows that documenting ordinary people’s lives is nothing short of extraordinary. These heart rending stories are of desire and deception, love and loss, and finding connection in unexpected places. A treasury of unsentimental, authentic hope.” —Elizabeth Greenwood, author of Playing Dead“An auspicious debut… Fans of Chicken Soup for the Soul or Humans of New York will want to take a look.” —Publishers Weekly“A personal pastime became a public obsession … Bala deftly captures these diverse voices—some gloomy, others hopeful—resulting in lively, empathetic biographical tableaux … A book that focuses appealingly on the visceral complexities of our private lives.” —Kirkus“Infidelity, addiction, loss, corruption, the search for unconditional love—reading these carefully, empathetically crafted monologues reveals how suffering is something we all have in common. Each tragedy or triumph is unique, but the intensity of feeling is not. Perfect for fans of Humans of New York and Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things.” —Booklist

Helena Dea Bala immigrated to the United States as a child. To make ends meet during those difficult first years, she helped her mother clean houses on the weekends. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from George Washington University and worked to become a lawyer and lobbyist in Washington, DC. After her day job left her feeling disconnected and unfulfilled, she deferred her student loans, applied for a credit card, and gave herself one year—one year to just listen. Five years in, she now does Craigslist Confessional full time.

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