Can You Ever Forgive Me? Summary
Lee Israel

Can You Ever Forgive Me? Overview

In the autobiography, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Lee Israel describes the circumstances leading up to her crimes of forgery and theft. Israel had published two well-received books before her career slumped after a biography about Estée Lauder did not sell. Desperate for money, Israel first began forging letters from famous writers which she sold as originals. Later, Israel moved on to stealing original copies of letters from library archives and replacing them with originals. Themes in the autobiography include Israel’s humor, her talent as a writer, and the situations and mistakes that led to her downfall.