‘A testament to what reading together can do... Walmsley shows how reading and rehabilitation can go hand-in-hand.’
The Prison Book Club
Ann Walmsley*Winner of the 2016 Edna Staebler Award for Non-Fiction*
How to start a book club in a men’s prison? After a violent mugging, Ann Walmsley was understandably anxious when her friend set one up and asked her to help. But curiosity got the better of her, and she signed up. And this wasn’t to be a typical book club – there would be no wine and cheese, no plush furniture and no superficial chat about recent holidays. Instead, classic works of fiction and non-fiction – from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time to Three Cups of Tea – became springboards for frank discussions about loss, anger, identity and loneliness, and for the men a prized oasis in which to regain a sense of humanity.
Follow Graham the biker, Frank the gunman, Ben and Dread the drug dealers and the robber duo Gaston and Peter as they share ideas and reveal their life stories in this heartwarming example of the rehabilitative power of reading.
Reviews
Times Literary Supplement
‘Reveals the redemptive power of reading, with unexpected and morally acute insights from some of Canada's most fierce criminals.’
The Lady
‘A terrific read that offers a glimpse into a world that is at once constricted yet capable of great emotional generosity.’
Steven Galloway, author of The Cellist of Sarajevo
‘A soulful exploration of men’s hearts and minds…Funny and full of insight…A wonderful read.’
Ann Dowsett Johnston, author of Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol
