I behave badly to set myself apart. To test myself. To push myself. To prove something. To shock someone. ... I behave badly because I can. That s how Ellen Sussman describes her mischievous endeavors. In this anthology of personal essays, she s invited twenty-five other bad girl writers to share their stories. Ann Hood lies; Mary Roach confesses. Erica Jong, the original bad girl, challenges her own claim to that fame. Caroline Leavitt marries and cheats. These pages bristle with danger. The writers dig deep bad behavior lies in their souls. And what they bring to the surface reveals telling truths about our psyches and our society.