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The Prison Book Club
A daring journalist goes behind bars to explore the redemptive power of books with bikers, bank robbers, and gunmen .
An attack in London left Ann Walmsley unable to walk alone down the street, and shook her belief in the fundamental goodness of people. A few years later, when a friend asked her to participate in a bold new venture in a men's medium security prison, Ann had to weigh her curiosity and desire to be of service against her anxiety and fear.
But she signed on, and for eighteen months went to a remote building at Collins Bay, meeting a group of heavily tattooed book club members without the presence of guards or security cameras. There was no wine and cheese, no plush furnishings. But a book club on the inside proved to be a place to share ideas and regain a sense of humanity.
From The Grapes of Wrath to The Cellist of Sarajevo , Outliers to Infidel , the book discussions became a springboard for frank conversations about loss, anger, redemption, and loneliness. The books changed the men and the men changed Walmsley.
Written with compassion and humour, The Prison Book Club is an eye-opening look at inmates and the penal system, and the possibilities of redemption.
An attack in London left Ann Walmsley unable to walk alone down the street, and shook her belief in the fundamental goodness of people. A few years later, when a friend asked her to participate in a bold new venture in a men's medium security prison, Ann had to weigh her curiosity and desire to be of service against her anxiety and fear.
But she signed on, and for eighteen months went to a remote building at Collins Bay, meeting a group of heavily tattooed book club members without the presence of guards or security cameras. There was no wine and cheese, no plush furnishings. But a book club on the inside proved to be a place to share ideas and regain a sense of humanity.
From The Grapes of Wrath to The Cellist of Sarajevo , Outliers to Infidel , the book discussions became a springboard for frank conversations about loss, anger, redemption, and loneliness. The books changed the men and the men changed Walmsley.
Written with compassion and humour, The Prison Book Club is an eye-opening look at inmates and the penal system, and the possibilities of redemption.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2015
104 people are currently reading
1712 people want to read
About the author
Ann Walmsley
2 books16 followersAnn Walmsley is a magazine journalist whose work has appeared in The Globe and Mail and Maclean's. She is the recipient of four National Magazine Awards, a Canadian Business Journalism Award and two International Regional Magazine Awards.
Born in Picton, Ontario, Walmsley graduated with a degree in English literature from Trinity College at the University of Toronto, before pursuing a career in journalism as a magazine writer, book reviewer and editor. During her writing career, she has lived in Toronto, Paris, Westport CT, Dallas and London.
Intrigued by her parents’ membership in a local literary society called Tennyson Club, she founded her first book club at age nine. Since then, she has been a member of five other book clubs in Canada and the U.K. But it wasn’t until a friend invited her in 2010 to help with book selection for a prison book club that she found the material for a book that she herself would write.
Born in Picton, Ontario, Walmsley graduated with a degree in English literature from Trinity College at the University of Toronto, before pursuing a career in journalism as a magazine writer, book reviewer and editor. During her writing career, she has lived in Toronto, Paris, Westport CT, Dallas and London.
Intrigued by her parents’ membership in a local literary society called Tennyson Club, she founded her first book club at age nine. Since then, she has been a member of five other book clubs in Canada and the U.K. But it wasn’t until a friend invited her in 2010 to help with book selection for a prison book club that she found the material for a book that she herself would write.
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May 29, 2017
I met the author at a local book club meeting and decided to read her book.
At first I wondered why she wrote a book like this. Was it to promote the Book Clubs in Prisons that her friend and colleague, Carol Finlay, had pioneered in Canada, was it a life-long love of books, or was it to exorcise a traumatic mugging incident in which she had been the victim? I concluded it was all three, but upon reading the book, I discovered a fourth: providing us a glimpse into the Federal Correctional System, into the life “inside” and its denizens who live with no guarantee that their incarceration will restore and prepare them for life on the outside.
The narrative is structured around a series of book club meetings the author attends at the medium security prison in Collins Bay and at the minimum security facility in Beaver Creek over two years. At first, attracting hardened male criminals to read books and discuss them in a group environment is difficult, and maintaining regular attendance is hard, but eventually a core of engaged regulars emerge. Some prisoners find it difficult to read books of literary fiction because they regurgitate painful memories: “The book is prey, you have to go after it.” The books being discussed are the classics and other best-selling works of literature, chosen by Carol and the author, and are supposed to be free of the four cardinal “no-no’s: porn, weapons-making, hate and abuse. And yet when I looked up some of the titles of the books, I scratched my head. Alias Grace? Perhaps Margaret Atwood, by virtue of her stature, gets a free pass!
Attendance at a book club meeting in a prison is subject to many variables not encountered in the outside world: lockdowns, fights, strikes, flooded cells, conflicting parole hearings, family visits—they all get in the way. This is a direct contrast to the pampered surroundings of the author’s own book club in her middle-class suburb where the challenge seems more about which wine, cake and goodies to serve.
The author is constantly battling her fear, that springs from her past assault, to push boundaries and meet with the prisoners in one-to-one sessions, or in closed rooms without guards nearby, and even on the outside after the prisoners have earned their release. I wondered whether this drive to confront “the other” was her way of seeking healing for her own trauma. She is motivated by her father’s words, “If you expect the best of people, they will rise to the occasion.”
The most interesting parts of the book to me were the discussions of the various literary works, and the opinions of the inmates, which often run counter to middle-class sensibilities. “People on the outside assume innocence, people on the inside assume guilt.” Therefore, Greg Mortensen of Three Cups of Tea fame was exposed as a charlatan by prison book club members long before the later exposé, 3000 Cups of Deceit, came out confirming that. For men of low to average education, I was impressed by their depth of perception and their observations of human character. Their diction makes them sound like university scholars, and I wondered whether that was the author wanting to get past jargon, patois and accents to expose their thinking in clear language, or were they actually that eloquent? I was left questioning whether these levels of insight, eloquence and compassion came to the men after their experience in prison or whether had they always been that way? And if it was the latter, was it just a matter of chance and circumstance that had sent them down the wrong track? As a collective, the prisoners share one or more of these common histories: family neglect, abuse, lack of education, marginalization, a proclivity to take short-cuts, lack of love, instability of domestic life, bad company, drugs and alcoholism.
The prison book club experiment has been a success for Carol Finlay and the author, for now the concept has spread to prisons across Canada and into women’s prisons as well. As a writer, I was heartened to realize that what we churn out daily with no hope of return has helped in a small way to enlighten the lives of these dark souls, providing them hope for a better world on the outside, even though it may not always turn out that way.
At first I wondered why she wrote a book like this. Was it to promote the Book Clubs in Prisons that her friend and colleague, Carol Finlay, had pioneered in Canada, was it a life-long love of books, or was it to exorcise a traumatic mugging incident in which she had been the victim? I concluded it was all three, but upon reading the book, I discovered a fourth: providing us a glimpse into the Federal Correctional System, into the life “inside” and its denizens who live with no guarantee that their incarceration will restore and prepare them for life on the outside.
The narrative is structured around a series of book club meetings the author attends at the medium security prison in Collins Bay and at the minimum security facility in Beaver Creek over two years. At first, attracting hardened male criminals to read books and discuss them in a group environment is difficult, and maintaining regular attendance is hard, but eventually a core of engaged regulars emerge. Some prisoners find it difficult to read books of literary fiction because they regurgitate painful memories: “The book is prey, you have to go after it.” The books being discussed are the classics and other best-selling works of literature, chosen by Carol and the author, and are supposed to be free of the four cardinal “no-no’s: porn, weapons-making, hate and abuse. And yet when I looked up some of the titles of the books, I scratched my head. Alias Grace? Perhaps Margaret Atwood, by virtue of her stature, gets a free pass!
Attendance at a book club meeting in a prison is subject to many variables not encountered in the outside world: lockdowns, fights, strikes, flooded cells, conflicting parole hearings, family visits—they all get in the way. This is a direct contrast to the pampered surroundings of the author’s own book club in her middle-class suburb where the challenge seems more about which wine, cake and goodies to serve.
The author is constantly battling her fear, that springs from her past assault, to push boundaries and meet with the prisoners in one-to-one sessions, or in closed rooms without guards nearby, and even on the outside after the prisoners have earned their release. I wondered whether this drive to confront “the other” was her way of seeking healing for her own trauma. She is motivated by her father’s words, “If you expect the best of people, they will rise to the occasion.”
The most interesting parts of the book to me were the discussions of the various literary works, and the opinions of the inmates, which often run counter to middle-class sensibilities. “People on the outside assume innocence, people on the inside assume guilt.” Therefore, Greg Mortensen of Three Cups of Tea fame was exposed as a charlatan by prison book club members long before the later exposé, 3000 Cups of Deceit, came out confirming that. For men of low to average education, I was impressed by their depth of perception and their observations of human character. Their diction makes them sound like university scholars, and I wondered whether that was the author wanting to get past jargon, patois and accents to expose their thinking in clear language, or were they actually that eloquent? I was left questioning whether these levels of insight, eloquence and compassion came to the men after their experience in prison or whether had they always been that way? And if it was the latter, was it just a matter of chance and circumstance that had sent them down the wrong track? As a collective, the prisoners share one or more of these common histories: family neglect, abuse, lack of education, marginalization, a proclivity to take short-cuts, lack of love, instability of domestic life, bad company, drugs and alcoholism.
The prison book club experiment has been a success for Carol Finlay and the author, for now the concept has spread to prisons across Canada and into women’s prisons as well. As a writer, I was heartened to realize that what we churn out daily with no hope of return has helped in a small way to enlighten the lives of these dark souls, providing them hope for a better world on the outside, even though it may not always turn out that way.
June 14, 2016
My reaction to The Prison Book Club is so very mixed. The writing is straightforward and succinct in its summaries of the two years Walmsley spent with the prison book clubs at Collins Bay and Beaver Creek, and I am so pleased to hear about the program as it is likely such a valuable resource for inmates during and after their incarceration; however, I found the tone of her writing very self-congratulatory. I acknowledge that, because of her post-traumatic stress following her mugging, it was a significant leap of faith to start volunteering her time in the prison system, but I couldn't help but cringe every time she noted that she found herself surprised at the complex thoughts and capabilities of the inmate book club members. I do enjoy a good personal essay or reflection, but this book felt to me a bit exploitative. The Prison Book Club is not really about the prison book club - it is a chronicle of one woman's free exposure therapy (albeit, to give credit where it's due, one which benefited others) and the journey that she took to heal from her own prejudices and fears. The inmates discussed in The Prison Book Club are real people, but in this book only seem relevant when they are guiding the author to a new conclusion or insight about herself and her otherwise very sheltered world. It is remarkably centred on the self. In truth, I wish this book only had one chapter by Walmsley, and that the rest of the chapters had been written by the book club members - many of whom likely have far more interesting lives, much different experiences of the book club, and much more to gain from some book deal royalties, than Walmsley.
October 15, 2015
If you are a book lover this is a MUST read. It opens your mind to all kids of different views and a variety of books you wouldn't normally pick up. I highly recommend this to everyone. You will be missing out on one of the best books I have ever read!!! I'm so grateful I took the chance and bought it.
October 25, 2015
I would have liked to award this book 5 stars based on the wonderful charitable work done by starting book clubs in prisons. The author, Ann, was traumatized by a violent mugging in London and afterwards was afraid to walk down the street. On her return to Canada she was asked by a friend, Carol, to participate in a book club in a medium security Ontario prison. She had to overcome an almost paralyzingly fear in order to take part. She also says she went to the prison with plans to write a book.
I thought the insights these rough drug traffickers, murderers, Jamaican immigrant criminals and heavily tattooed Hell's Angels derived from the books were thoughtful, intelligent and articulate. In some cases it developed friendships and understanding across rival cliques formed in prison.
Many of the books chosen were also being read by the women who belonged to a a book club where Carol and Ann were members. These women were described as affluent and highly educated. There were descriptions of lavish homes and expensive snacks and drinks at these meetings. I did not think this was necessary to the story unless it was to contrast the two types of book clubs. I think I would find the women's club even more intimidating than the one at prison. The discussions at this women's club was very similar to what the men got from their readings. We also get descriptions of Carol's highly achieving family, her illustrious ancestors, her outfits,whereas I wanted to read more about book discussions among the prisoners.
It is commendable that there are book clubs being set up in an expanding number of prisons. Some of the men even started book clubs on their release, or joined other book clubs in their communities and local libraries. The author continues to visit men who were previous book club members while in prison, where they discuss their life after prison and what they are currently reading.
I thought the insights these rough drug traffickers, murderers, Jamaican immigrant criminals and heavily tattooed Hell's Angels derived from the books were thoughtful, intelligent and articulate. In some cases it developed friendships and understanding across rival cliques formed in prison.
Many of the books chosen were also being read by the women who belonged to a a book club where Carol and Ann were members. These women were described as affluent and highly educated. There were descriptions of lavish homes and expensive snacks and drinks at these meetings. I did not think this was necessary to the story unless it was to contrast the two types of book clubs. I think I would find the women's club even more intimidating than the one at prison. The discussions at this women's club was very similar to what the men got from their readings. We also get descriptions of Carol's highly achieving family, her illustrious ancestors, her outfits,whereas I wanted to read more about book discussions among the prisoners.
It is commendable that there are book clubs being set up in an expanding number of prisons. Some of the men even started book clubs on their release, or joined other book clubs in their communities and local libraries. The author continues to visit men who were previous book club members while in prison, where they discuss their life after prison and what they are currently reading.
November 23, 2016
'"Carol, do they think we're all monsters?"'
I really hope more people pick this book up and read it. What a journey it took me on. It even managed to elicit a tear out of me at the end.
I can't believe I haven't heard more about this book. More shockingly, I can't believe I haven't heard more about these prison book clubs, which are in dozens of prisons throughout Canada and are spreading in popularity around the world (USA, Japan, etc). It goes to show that the science behind reading really has powerful effects on improving empathy in people.
For me, the most powerful part of this novel was in learning about the prisoners themselves. Walmsley sat down monthly with bank robbers, drug dealers, even murderers. We are given insight that the regular person never has into the lives of a prisoner, how they've gotten to where they are, and how they cope with and accept their crimes. It is easy for anyone on the outside to assume these men are bad seeds, evil. What isn't easy is choosing to remember that there have been circumstances, sometimes unimaginable to us in our own safe lives, that have landed these men in prison. These aren't evil men, they aren't even monsters; they're men. They're men who have done something bad, and who are (for the most part) entirely conscious and aware of their wrongdoing. Reading this book has given me an entirely new appreciation for the delicacy of human nature and just how fragile our own freedom is.
Throughout, we see these men evolve; they become men of great empathy, men with deep insight, men who love reading for the escape. We get brief clippings from their personal journal entries and see how heartbreaking and tragic incarceration is on their lives. We see how hard it is for them to adapt in the world after release. Imagine being enclosed inside walls, with literally no view of the outside, only the sounds of the animals and vehicles beyond the wall enclosing you. And then imagine having to get on with your life in a world that has advanced decades without you. It warms me to read that most of these men continue to read after release, having created their own book clubs, to spread the pleasures and joys of literature. Many of them move on to become invaluable parts of society.
Read this book and gain an appreciation for just how difficult it is so survive in a life that has been set up for your failure. This is how it is for prisoners to incorporate themselves back into society, yet often they do. Credit must be given where due. This is a book that is about everything readers know to be true, but put to use in a real life scenario where it can help improve lives.
I really hope more people pick this book up and read it. What a journey it took me on. It even managed to elicit a tear out of me at the end.
I can't believe I haven't heard more about this book. More shockingly, I can't believe I haven't heard more about these prison book clubs, which are in dozens of prisons throughout Canada and are spreading in popularity around the world (USA, Japan, etc). It goes to show that the science behind reading really has powerful effects on improving empathy in people.
For me, the most powerful part of this novel was in learning about the prisoners themselves. Walmsley sat down monthly with bank robbers, drug dealers, even murderers. We are given insight that the regular person never has into the lives of a prisoner, how they've gotten to where they are, and how they cope with and accept their crimes. It is easy for anyone on the outside to assume these men are bad seeds, evil. What isn't easy is choosing to remember that there have been circumstances, sometimes unimaginable to us in our own safe lives, that have landed these men in prison. These aren't evil men, they aren't even monsters; they're men. They're men who have done something bad, and who are (for the most part) entirely conscious and aware of their wrongdoing. Reading this book has given me an entirely new appreciation for the delicacy of human nature and just how fragile our own freedom is.
Throughout, we see these men evolve; they become men of great empathy, men with deep insight, men who love reading for the escape. We get brief clippings from their personal journal entries and see how heartbreaking and tragic incarceration is on their lives. We see how hard it is for them to adapt in the world after release. Imagine being enclosed inside walls, with literally no view of the outside, only the sounds of the animals and vehicles beyond the wall enclosing you. And then imagine having to get on with your life in a world that has advanced decades without you. It warms me to read that most of these men continue to read after release, having created their own book clubs, to spread the pleasures and joys of literature. Many of them move on to become invaluable parts of society.
Read this book and gain an appreciation for just how difficult it is so survive in a life that has been set up for your failure. This is how it is for prisoners to incorporate themselves back into society, yet often they do. Credit must be given where due. This is a book that is about everything readers know to be true, but put to use in a real life scenario where it can help improve lives.
December 31, 2015
I got this book at a Read For The Cure event. I found the premise very interesting, but the execution was poor, due to the shallow treatment of the discussions the book club members actually had. Each chapter started with a description of the book for that month's meeting (which read like a cross between a newspaper book review and the blurbs you find printed on book jackets, convincing you to pick them up). The writer would then delve into the book club discussion itself, but unfortunately, it all read like a transcript. I also thought that the author could and should have explored more deeply her relative privilege compared to the prisoners and used that as a theme to guide each chapter, especially given the many references in the book to her relative wealth, that of the women in her Toronto book club, etc. While I appreciate the intention behind this book, it was ultimately unsatisfying on so many levels. However, it has made me very keen to learn more about the charity behind it all - Book Clubs for Inmates - so in that way, I think the book serves a greater purpose, as disappointing as it was to actually read. What a weird experience.
July 18, 2017
This is a book about books. And books within books. It should come with a warning attached: you are not required to read ALL of the books listed in this book. Which of course means you will want to. I’m also inspired to start up a bunch of bookclubs, everywhere, all the time.
Yeah, so you get the picture. This is actually a true story about an enterprising woman called Carol, who wanted to see if reading – through an organised and voluntary bookclub -could help give inmates a purpose. She wanted to help them to empathise with others and expand their horizons. The experiment turned into a charity called Books for Inmates, and expanded to prisons all over Canada.
The author of the book (Ann) was recruited to help select appropriate books for the men, and she sought permission from the authorities to write a book about the experience. The names have been changed to protect identities, but the dialogue and descriptive detail is real.
Apart from the fact that I loved being introduced to many, many books that I wouldn’t normally pick up, I loved the way that Carol fearlessly and confidently grew the bookclub. She seemed to intrinsically understand how to inspire the men and take them on a journey. She also went out of her way to help them rebuild their lives on the outside, tirelessly calling in favours from her extensive list of contacts. Within the pages of the book she wasn’t let down.
Did I mention there are a lot of books? Just in the first chapter I added several to my wish list – ones I had never heard of and not usually in the genre I read from. This is the beauty of sharing books – it helps you to branch outside of your comfort reading and into new areas. One of the inmates who had been in and out of jail for 35 years said “I got through by doing a lot of reading, but if you have no one to share it with, it fades.” They had amazing and insightful discussions. The author and other volunteers at the bookclub were often stunned at the insights by some of the men. It was a profound experience for everyone.
Yeah, so you get the picture. This is actually a true story about an enterprising woman called Carol, who wanted to see if reading – through an organised and voluntary bookclub -could help give inmates a purpose. She wanted to help them to empathise with others and expand their horizons. The experiment turned into a charity called Books for Inmates, and expanded to prisons all over Canada.
The author of the book (Ann) was recruited to help select appropriate books for the men, and she sought permission from the authorities to write a book about the experience. The names have been changed to protect identities, but the dialogue and descriptive detail is real.
Apart from the fact that I loved being introduced to many, many books that I wouldn’t normally pick up, I loved the way that Carol fearlessly and confidently grew the bookclub. She seemed to intrinsically understand how to inspire the men and take them on a journey. She also went out of her way to help them rebuild their lives on the outside, tirelessly calling in favours from her extensive list of contacts. Within the pages of the book she wasn’t let down.
Did I mention there are a lot of books? Just in the first chapter I added several to my wish list – ones I had never heard of and not usually in the genre I read from. This is the beauty of sharing books – it helps you to branch outside of your comfort reading and into new areas. One of the inmates who had been in and out of jail for 35 years said “I got through by doing a lot of reading, but if you have no one to share it with, it fades.” They had amazing and insightful discussions. The author and other volunteers at the bookclub were often stunned at the insights by some of the men. It was a profound experience for everyone.
September 13, 2015
THE PRISON BOOK CLUB
Author: Ann Walmsley
Type of Book: Hardcover
Genre: Non-Fiction
Length: 279 pages
Release Date:
Publisher: Viking - A Division of Penguin/Random House Publishing
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
* I received a free hardcover copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaway program. A review is not a requirement of receiving the book, but it is appreciated.
There are several factors that drew me to this book. Firstly, the author, Ann Walmsley, is Canadian and I love to read books written by my fellow Canadians. Secondly, this book is non-fiction and the subject matter intrigued me.
There is something about prison life that fascinates people. In the past few years a number of new prison-based television series (both fictitious and factual) have been created. Netflix has created a series called "Orange is the New Black" which takes place in a fictional U.S. woman's prison. New Zealand's "Wentworth" is similar to "OITNB." There are also several new documentary/reality shows aired on channels such as A&E including "Behind Bars - Rookie Year" which chronicles the challenges new prison guards face when first beginning their jobs.
Before reading "The Prison Book Club" I was guilty of thinking of book clubs as the milieu of the middle or upper classes. I had never given a thought to the fact that people in prison would want to take part in such a club. Of course I am aware that reading takes place in prison since it is a way for inmates to pass the time. However, I had a hard time picturing inmates of different religions and different races putting aside their prejudices to get together to discuss literature. To me, this idea seemed to be fraught with pitfalls that would ultimately lead to it's failure.
As I read this book I was surprised to read the responses of the inmates to the various books they read. Some of the reactions were insightful and intelligent.
I understand the goal of the prison book clubs is to foster empathy in the inmates through the reading of literary fiction. I was surprised to find that many of the books that were chosen were books that I had also read and enjoyed. Before reading "The Prison Book Club" I had a hard time picturing hardened criminals sitting together to discuss books in an intelligent and meaningful way. Now that I have finished reading the book, I am able to admit that it was my preconceptions that had skewed my view of what a prison book club would be like. This book has shattered those preconceptions and opened my eyes to the possibility that something as simple as reading and discussing a book can have a profound effect on those who are incarcerated.
I admit that throughout the book I was waiting for something violent to happen to the author, either during the book club meetings or during her one-on-one interviews with the participants. I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case.
I think anyone who loves a good read will enjoy and be able to relate to this book. It is also interesting to compare my own experiences while reading with those of the prisoners.
This book will open your eyes to the fact that while there are some people in jail who are probably irredeemable, that is not the case for every inmate. No matter what crime a person has committed or why they did so, these men are still people with valid opinions and who deserve a chance to enrich their lives through reading.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read more of my reviews visit
http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
Author: Ann Walmsley
Type of Book: Hardcover
Genre: Non-Fiction
Length: 279 pages
Release Date:
Publisher: Viking - A Division of Penguin/Random House Publishing
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
* I received a free hardcover copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaway program. A review is not a requirement of receiving the book, but it is appreciated.
There are several factors that drew me to this book. Firstly, the author, Ann Walmsley, is Canadian and I love to read books written by my fellow Canadians. Secondly, this book is non-fiction and the subject matter intrigued me.
There is something about prison life that fascinates people. In the past few years a number of new prison-based television series (both fictitious and factual) have been created. Netflix has created a series called "Orange is the New Black" which takes place in a fictional U.S. woman's prison. New Zealand's "Wentworth" is similar to "OITNB." There are also several new documentary/reality shows aired on channels such as A&E including "Behind Bars - Rookie Year" which chronicles the challenges new prison guards face when first beginning their jobs.
Before reading "The Prison Book Club" I was guilty of thinking of book clubs as the milieu of the middle or upper classes. I had never given a thought to the fact that people in prison would want to take part in such a club. Of course I am aware that reading takes place in prison since it is a way for inmates to pass the time. However, I had a hard time picturing inmates of different religions and different races putting aside their prejudices to get together to discuss literature. To me, this idea seemed to be fraught with pitfalls that would ultimately lead to it's failure.
As I read this book I was surprised to read the responses of the inmates to the various books they read. Some of the reactions were insightful and intelligent.
I understand the goal of the prison book clubs is to foster empathy in the inmates through the reading of literary fiction. I was surprised to find that many of the books that were chosen were books that I had also read and enjoyed. Before reading "The Prison Book Club" I had a hard time picturing hardened criminals sitting together to discuss books in an intelligent and meaningful way. Now that I have finished reading the book, I am able to admit that it was my preconceptions that had skewed my view of what a prison book club would be like. This book has shattered those preconceptions and opened my eyes to the possibility that something as simple as reading and discussing a book can have a profound effect on those who are incarcerated.
I admit that throughout the book I was waiting for something violent to happen to the author, either during the book club meetings or during her one-on-one interviews with the participants. I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case.
I think anyone who loves a good read will enjoy and be able to relate to this book. It is also interesting to compare my own experiences while reading with those of the prisoners.
This book will open your eyes to the fact that while there are some people in jail who are probably irredeemable, that is not the case for every inmate. No matter what crime a person has committed or why they did so, these men are still people with valid opinions and who deserve a chance to enrich their lives through reading.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read more of my reviews visit
http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
January 2, 2016
In The Prison Book Club, journalist Ann Walmsley shares the story of the eighteen months she spent as a volunteer with Book Clubs for Inmates, a fledgling project that began at the Collins Bay Institution, a medium-security penitentiary in Kingston, Ontario that has now grown into a successful nationwide program.
Walmsley was understandably reluctant when her friend, Carol Finlay, asked her to support the Collins Bay book club, several years before she had been badly traumatised when she was violently mugged outside her London home. She has little recollection of the first meeting at Collins Bay but decided to return, taking strength from her late father's (a former judge) advice, "If you expect the best of people, they will rise to the occasion."
For eighteen months Walmsley joined inmates in Collins Bay, and later the Beaver Creek Institution, to discuss selected fiction and nonfiction titles including The Cellist of Sarajevo , The Book of Negroes , The Boy in the Moon: A Father's Journey to Understand His Extraordinary Son, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Walmsley recorded the book-club discussions and conducted regular one on one interviews with a select number of prisoners who also kept diaries for her, not only about their thoughts on reading but also aspects of their daily lives. It is this material she draws on to tell the story.
I admit to being surprised that the literary titles chosen engaged the men so much. I enjoyed the discussion and insights of the prisoners, even though I was unfamiliar with several of the books. The program is an excellent initiative that seems to offer tangible benefits to the prisoners that choose to participate. What particularly struck me was Walmsley's recognition of the way in which reading seems to encourage the development of empathy, something I have long believed to be true.
I was less interested in Walmsley's musings about nature and felt perhaps that she could have better explored the contrast between the book club made up of her affluent friends, and the prison book club, beyond the menu and setting.
Overall I found The Prison Book Club to be an interesting read, I really admire the program and I'm heartened to learn that Australian prison's are encouraged to establish book clubs for inmates. I've also added a few books to my own reading list as well including The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story and Alias Grace
February 2, 2016
This was a fascinating read and just reinforces for me....not that I wasn't completely convinced anyway...the power of books. Ann's friend Carol was instrumental in starting up Book Clubs in prisons all over Canada. In her book, Ann, documents these meetings and gives us an insight into some of the men who attended. It was heartening to see how sensitive and perceptive these men were; some who were accused of serious crimes and how through books and reading they were able to make a life for themselves outside of prison.
January 25, 2026
I really enjoyed this 📖book about a woman who joins a bookclub in a prison with inmates. She starts out traumatized and fearful but ends up with a completely different attitude. The in depth discussions of books was especially interesting as I have read many of them. I especially liked that this is a Canadian 📖book set where I live, in Toronto.
2026 reading challenge -a 📖book with cover text that is NOT black or white (red)
BookWyrms
2026 reading challenge -a 📖book with cover text that is NOT black or white (red)
BookWyrms
January 26, 2019
I went into this book based on the blurb, especially the last line which had mentioned this book to be a "heartwarming example of the rehabilitative power of reading" and I just have to say, it is a very accurate description of this book.
And the icing on top is the fact that this book is a MEMOIR!
Ann Walmsley, an ardent reader of books, is still haunted by a mugging incident that happened a few years back when her friend Carol approaches her to talk about her new initiative of opening book clubs in Prisons. Her curiosity is piqued and she agrees to be a part of this committee despite her fear of being around prison inmates. What follows is a very interesting look into the minds of the prisoners and how the books influenced their minds.
The members of the Prison Book Club meet monthly and discuss the book they decided upon the previous month. And you would think that this pack of convicted criminals containing murderers, drug traffickers and mobsters with barely any higher education would not have any deep insight into the books they read ( at least, I thought so at the beginning). But you'd be surprised. These prisoners delve into their reads and express their thoughts with such eloquence and insight that it'll knock you off your feet! And with every book they read, we see them taking something from each book to their hearts with them and honestly that was just so heartwarming to read and I suspect, overwhelming (for the author) to witness.
As the chapters go by, you'll see many new members joining the book club and old members leaving it. And we get a glimpse into the prisoners past and present now and then and what their takeaway is from reading every book. We also get a glimpse into their minds through their daily journal entries. We see them developing more empathy, we see them talk about their fears and anxieties through the characters in the books they read. We witness the ultimate power of books, the ability to free an imprisoned mind.
Additionally, they also read along with external book clubs and exchange notes sharing their thoughts with the other group.
.
As the book progresses, you see this initiative becoming big thanks to the ever efficient and ambitious Carol, extended to every public prison in Canada.
And in the final chapters, we see the initial set of the Prison Book Club members all gradually heading into real life.
.
And here is where I have a small problem with the book, I didn't feel like there was a strong ending or that the characters have impacted my life in any way, which is one of the things that I look for in a book. I barely remember the main book club members now and don't remember much of what they said. And here lies my dilemma: the fact that this book is a memoir. I am unsure if I am not impacted because the writing could've been better or because I just needed to be there to feel the entire impact, but either way it was just a thoroughly wholesome read and I recommend you to read it.
.
Thank you so much to Oneworld Publications for sending me a copy of the book for review 🌟
And the icing on top is the fact that this book is a MEMOIR!
Ann Walmsley, an ardent reader of books, is still haunted by a mugging incident that happened a few years back when her friend Carol approaches her to talk about her new initiative of opening book clubs in Prisons. Her curiosity is piqued and she agrees to be a part of this committee despite her fear of being around prison inmates. What follows is a very interesting look into the minds of the prisoners and how the books influenced their minds.
The members of the Prison Book Club meet monthly and discuss the book they decided upon the previous month. And you would think that this pack of convicted criminals containing murderers, drug traffickers and mobsters with barely any higher education would not have any deep insight into the books they read ( at least, I thought so at the beginning). But you'd be surprised. These prisoners delve into their reads and express their thoughts with such eloquence and insight that it'll knock you off your feet! And with every book they read, we see them taking something from each book to their hearts with them and honestly that was just so heartwarming to read and I suspect, overwhelming (for the author) to witness.
As the chapters go by, you'll see many new members joining the book club and old members leaving it. And we get a glimpse into the prisoners past and present now and then and what their takeaway is from reading every book. We also get a glimpse into their minds through their daily journal entries. We see them developing more empathy, we see them talk about their fears and anxieties through the characters in the books they read. We witness the ultimate power of books, the ability to free an imprisoned mind.
Additionally, they also read along with external book clubs and exchange notes sharing their thoughts with the other group.
.
As the book progresses, you see this initiative becoming big thanks to the ever efficient and ambitious Carol, extended to every public prison in Canada.
And in the final chapters, we see the initial set of the Prison Book Club members all gradually heading into real life.
.
And here is where I have a small problem with the book, I didn't feel like there was a strong ending or that the characters have impacted my life in any way, which is one of the things that I look for in a book. I barely remember the main book club members now and don't remember much of what they said. And here lies my dilemma: the fact that this book is a memoir. I am unsure if I am not impacted because the writing could've been better or because I just needed to be there to feel the entire impact, but either way it was just a thoroughly wholesome read and I recommend you to read it.
.
Thank you so much to Oneworld Publications for sending me a copy of the book for review 🌟
April 19, 2016
2 ½-stars.
this book was chosen as a monthly read for april, 2016 in one of my GR groups. so i won't say too much on specifics just yet. but, generally, though i found the subject and book club program completely interesting and book-worthy, i never warmed to the style of walmsley's writing or to the way this book is structured. i felt frustrated at moments during the read because even though the book can be extremely personal - for both walmsely and some of the men she profiles taking part in the prison book clubs - it also manages to feel very detached and impersonal. so that was an odd feeling to carry while reading. but i am glad i read it, and i very much enjoyed feeling the power of books and reading through the lens of prison book clubs.
this book was chosen as a monthly read for april, 2016 in one of my GR groups. so i won't say too much on specifics just yet. but, generally, though i found the subject and book club program completely interesting and book-worthy, i never warmed to the style of walmsley's writing or to the way this book is structured. i felt frustrated at moments during the read because even though the book can be extremely personal - for both walmsely and some of the men she profiles taking part in the prison book clubs - it also manages to feel very detached and impersonal. so that was an odd feeling to carry while reading. but i am glad i read it, and i very much enjoyed feeling the power of books and reading through the lens of prison book clubs.
October 13, 2019
An important but flawed read.
Important because the power of books is so wonderfully illustrated. And a look at our prison systems is always important.
Flawed because it felt like it should have been shorter, and at times felt like it was wandering. I read a newspaper review that said the organization that recruited the author to volunteer in the book club was upset about her book, saying the inmates felt betrayed - I was surprised by the content she shared about their crimes and private lives, but she does say she asked for permission so 🤷♀️
At some points it also felt a bit repetitive, she had a tendency to remind readers about some facts that we already knew. We’re not children.
I was fully engaged and engrossed while reading tho
Important because the power of books is so wonderfully illustrated. And a look at our prison systems is always important.
Flawed because it felt like it should have been shorter, and at times felt like it was wandering. I read a newspaper review that said the organization that recruited the author to volunteer in the book club was upset about her book, saying the inmates felt betrayed - I was surprised by the content she shared about their crimes and private lives, but she does say she asked for permission so 🤷♀️
At some points it also felt a bit repetitive, she had a tendency to remind readers about some facts that we already knew. We’re not children.
I was fully engaged and engrossed while reading tho
December 31, 2015
I wanted to like it more than I did. Too bad! There's an interesting story to be told here, but not in this book. Well-meaning concept but limp narrative.
February 13, 2018
I was so intrigued by this concept I was hooked from the beginning. Ann joins a book club her friend has started at Collin’s Bay penitentiary in Kingston. She is responsible for the book choices and suggests that the men keep journals while they read. It was really interesting to see when the men felt comfortable discussing their past, childhood, upbringing and the reason they were incarcerated. Ann created three ‘layers’ while participating in the book club: the book club discussions, private one-on-one meetings with the inmates, and a (semi)private journal they could write in. The men would hand over their journal entries to Ann at their private meetings and she would read them on her own time and respond to them if they liked.
Some men spoke freely about their (rough) upbringing and past crimes during the book club discussions, while others only opened up in their journals. They seemed to gravitate most toward the themes of family, humanity and right vs. wrong.
The only part of this book I couldn’t fully enjoy was when they were discussing a book I had not read and didn’t quite grasp the concept from her short summary. I found it difficult to relate to the opinions being shared. Had I read all the books discussed in this memoir, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more! On the plus side, I now have about 10 new books I want to read!
Some men spoke freely about their (rough) upbringing and past crimes during the book club discussions, while others only opened up in their journals. They seemed to gravitate most toward the themes of family, humanity and right vs. wrong.
The only part of this book I couldn’t fully enjoy was when they were discussing a book I had not read and didn’t quite grasp the concept from her short summary. I found it difficult to relate to the opinions being shared. Had I read all the books discussed in this memoir, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more! On the plus side, I now have about 10 new books I want to read!
October 1, 2021
I think that most people who love to read, also love stories about the power of reading to influence our lives. The Prison Book Club is such a story. I was a bit worried this might have turned into a white-saviour story but I was pleased when it didn’t. Instead, Walmsley’s experiences volunteering in prison book clubs in Ontario form a story about reading as an act of connection. This connection helps Walmsley to process her own trauma, develop her attitude to the incarcerated, and to reflect on the power of stories to help us understand ourselves, the world around us, and to connect us to places that are out of our reach. This is a story where ever reader’s experience and insight is valued. A wonderful reminder of how great reading is which made me grateful for all the books I am able to read, the friends with which I discuss them, and my amazing book club.
April 27, 2025
The Prison Book Club by Ann Walmsley.
This is the true story of how Ann and a friend set up book clubs in prisons in Canada.
It is really amazing how seriously some of the prisoners take the book clubs and the depth and intelligence with which they study the texts. The book clubs really enrich the prisoners lives.
I picked up this book at an op shop (thrift store) and it had particular interest for me as I have a penpal who is in prison in the USA. I thought this book might give me additional insight into my penpal’s experience.
I have really enjoyed the book and recommend it.
This is the true story of how Ann and a friend set up book clubs in prisons in Canada.
It is really amazing how seriously some of the prisoners take the book clubs and the depth and intelligence with which they study the texts. The book clubs really enrich the prisoners lives.
I picked up this book at an op shop (thrift store) and it had particular interest for me as I have a penpal who is in prison in the USA. I thought this book might give me additional insight into my penpal’s experience.
I have really enjoyed the book and recommend it.
January 24, 2021
An interesting, non judgemental read.
November 9, 2024
So sweet!! Bit recounty at times bc jt was nonfiction but very beautiful. If I was a different person I may have cried. Also many good book recs
April 26, 2016
Author Ann Walmsley was the victim of a mugging in England and had some degree of PTSD. When she returned to Canada, her friend Carol asked her to participate in a book club in a men's prison. She was leary but taking strength from something her father had said, she agreed to give it a go. What happened next is the meat of this book. This was a fascinating read and if definitely reinforces the power of books. Ann's friend Carol was instrumental in starting up Book Clubs in prisons all over Canada. In her book, Ann, documents these meetings and gives us an insight into some of the men who attended. Each chapter highlighted a monthly meeting in one of the prisons. Several of the inmates were chosen to be ambassadors and to recruit other members. Some were involved in journaling about the book as well as other thoughts and situations. Some of the men opened up to Ann about the reason they were in prison as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. Some of the discussions carried over to life in the prison, crossing gang lines and promoting even more literacy. I really enjoyed learning about the books clubs, the books, about life in prison as well as following some of the men after their release. The book was realistic in that it not only told us about the success stories but also about those that ended up back in prison after their release. This was a selection for our monthly read by one of the groups I am in on Goodreads and I am glad I had the opportunity to read this book.
November 12, 2015
This book should be a model for how book clubs work. Ann Walmsley recounts her experiences in 2011 and 2012 with book clubs established by a friend in prisons near Kingston. She explores her own feelings with searing honesty - her understandable nervousness about going into prisons. Her growing respect and affection for the men she meets there.
And the books. Because she was given permission to record the book club meetings, the author is able to reproduce the topics raised and selections from the discussion. These book clubs are unlike any I have participated in - the reading seems closer, the participants more engaged and the thinking more profound.
I am not that kind of reader - I read quickly and seldom retain much of the detail of a book once I've finished it. But I value book clubs because they lead me to works I may not have selected for myself.
Carol Finlay's initiative allows book club members to reconnect with the world (and at the risk of sounding melodramatic) and with their own humanity.
And the books. Because she was given permission to record the book club meetings, the author is able to reproduce the topics raised and selections from the discussion. These book clubs are unlike any I have participated in - the reading seems closer, the participants more engaged and the thinking more profound.
I am not that kind of reader - I read quickly and seldom retain much of the detail of a book once I've finished it. But I value book clubs because they lead me to works I may not have selected for myself.
Carol Finlay's initiative allows book club members to reconnect with the world (and at the risk of sounding melodramatic) and with their own humanity.
February 8, 2016
This book describes the personal experience of the author, Ann, who volunteers with a couple of book clubs located in Canadian prisons. Ann, herself, had been a victim of a violent crime prior to this, and it was with mixed feelings that she participated. This book describes in detail individual prisoners who took part in the book clubs (though names have been changed) and their comments and perceptions of the books that were read, some of which are quite enlightening. The book describes the progress of the participants and the effect it had on the author.
I found the analysis of the book very interesting and in cases thought-provoking. I found the writing style of the book a little bit 'grinding' and the detail a bit too much, but it did paint the picture, which I think was the intent of the author and one of the aspects she brought to the prisoners attention. I would love to know what the prisoners book club would say about her book.
I found the analysis of the book very interesting and in cases thought-provoking. I found the writing style of the book a little bit 'grinding' and the detail a bit too much, but it did paint the picture, which I think was the intent of the author and one of the aspects she brought to the prisoners attention. I would love to know what the prisoners book club would say about her book.
November 23, 2017
The tone of the book was a bit upsetting to me. The author writes as if she is an upper-middle class white women writing for her peers. She isn’t engaged with her subjects. She tries too hard to define the characters, rather than letting them define themselves. She can’t mention a character without it feeling like she’s labeling them. It’s like she’s telling the story at lunch in a country club with a group of her rich white friends.
I was also unsettled by the fact that she basically decided to write this book before she even attended one of the book club meetings. It reeks of selfishness. Which is a shame, because the topic is unique and intriguing.
The book club wasn’t even her idea. A friend of hers had been doing it for years and only asked her for book recommendations. But, she writes as if she was an integral part of the whole thing. She constantly uses ‘we’ when she should be using ‘they’.
I was also unsettled by the fact that she basically decided to write this book before she even attended one of the book club meetings. It reeks of selfishness. Which is a shame, because the topic is unique and intriguing.
The book club wasn’t even her idea. A friend of hers had been doing it for years and only asked her for book recommendations. But, she writes as if she was an integral part of the whole thing. She constantly uses ‘we’ when she should be using ‘they’.
November 21, 2015
I honestly didn't love this book so I purposely waited a few weeks after reading it to see if I'd change my mind. Sadly, I didn't. Technically this is a well written book, but I just found that the story dragged, as if too much effort was made to fill pages with words rather than with content (story). When I picked this novel up I was hoping for deeper insight into the life of prisoners in Ontario and how reading transformed them, and, hopefully, how the book clubs affected the prisoners AND the volunteers who led them. Instead, I found myself reading long tedious reviews about various books, along with a backstory on why the author loved them. I guess that would be great if that were the books intent, but then why call it The Prison Book Club? All that being said, I cannot fault the book for writing style. It's well done, but in my opinion it missed its mark.
August 11, 2017
I expected to find this much more absorbing than I did. It was not that the subject matter failed to engage me . The establishing of a book club in a Canadian prison and the inmates growing enthusiasm for reading and discussing the books was of great interest. Rather it was the way the book was written.
Although Ann Walmsley states that she became involved in the group partly to help her overcome her post-traumatic stress after a mugging in London, she remained only a shadowy figure in the narrative.It felt as if she was keeping not only the prisoners, but also her readers at arms length. That aside, it was good idea for Walmsley to compare the opinions of the prison book clubs with those of her wealthy, well-educated friends within the Toronto book clubs she was a member of and often the best insights came from inmates, causing the author to see books in a different light.
Although Ann Walmsley states that she became involved in the group partly to help her overcome her post-traumatic stress after a mugging in London, she remained only a shadowy figure in the narrative.It felt as if she was keeping not only the prisoners, but also her readers at arms length. That aside, it was good idea for Walmsley to compare the opinions of the prison book clubs with those of her wealthy, well-educated friends within the Toronto book clubs she was a member of and often the best insights came from inmates, causing the author to see books in a different light.
February 2, 2016
This is a must-read for those who love books. I learned a very important lesson in reading this book. Just because someone is in prison, doesn't mean that they can't enjoy literature. Of the books that I had in common with the ones that the prison book club read, the prisoners had better insights into what they read than I ever could.
The attack on the author and the aftermath were a bit played up, but it couldn't detract from the joy I got from reading about what the inmates felt about the book. Now to go out and read some of the books mentioned in this one.
The attack on the author and the aftermath were a bit played up, but it couldn't detract from the joy I got from reading about what the inmates felt about the book. Now to go out and read some of the books mentioned in this one.
Read
December 13, 2015brilliant. had read quite a few of the books read by the book club and it was interestng to see the depth of the discussions and the topics introduced and also I have added a few books to my reading list.
Read
September 13, 2015An eye opening memoir that left me speechless! A must read
May 5, 2016
Read for (non-prison) bookclub.
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