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EVER THOUGHT ABOUT STARTING A PRISON READING GROUP?
Sarah Turvey
"The pleasure of a reading group is about sharing responses
- listening to other people's ideas and expressing your own. For
prisoners, these are also valuable skills which a reading group
can help to develop. And the process of choosing and discussing
books (especially those which are being reviewed and talked about
in the media) is a way for prisoners to feel connected and involved
with the outside world.
With the help of a Millennium Reading Families award, I started
a reading group with 12 men in HMP Bullingdon almost a year ago.
We meet once a month for a couple of hours in the prison library.
The books we've read range from Raymond Carver's short stories
to Tony Parson's Man and Boy and Joe Simpson's Touching the Void.
We were so intrigued by all the publicity surrounding it that
last month we decided to read Sarah Waters' Tipping the Velvet.
I was frankly nervous about what might happen to the discussion
but it was fascinating - we talked about everything from literary
depictions of nineteenth-century London to the morality of prostitution.
Here are some of the things the men have written about the group:
"I never thought I would be involved with something like
this. To my surprise, I have found it thoroughly enjoyable…
I have broadened my horizons and find myself enjoying all types
of books. I really look forward to our meetings."
"I enjoy the topical debates… It's an interesting
springboard to wider social issues."
"It gives people a chance to get some insight into how
others live and think."
For me, the experience has been challenging and exciting. Before
I started the group I had never set foot in a prison and I didn't
know anything about prison regimes or the prison service. Since
then I have learned a lot and met some really interesting people.
Starting a prison group is a challenge but it's also immensely
rewarding."
If you think you might be interested in starting a prison reading
group in your area and would like to speak to Sarah about her experiences
and how she got started, then she' would love to hear from you.
To contact Sarah Turvey send your email address or phone number
c/o readingguides@randomhouse.co.uk
and Sarah will contact you directly.
We would love to hear from any of you who are inspired to start
groups, so keep us updated at readingguides@randomhouse.co.uk.
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