{"title":"Ann Walmsley","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"prison-book-club-book-ann-walmsley-9781780748634","title":"The Prison Book Club","description":"*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.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49520238690577,"sku":"GOR007664370","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ WELL_READ \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49642435019025,"sku":"GOR009165365","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50588292612369,"sku":"GOR008454397","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52675274408209,"sku":"NLS9781780748634","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1780748639.jpg?v=1751445777"},{"product_id":"prison-book-club-book-ann-walmsley-9781780747835","title":"The Prison Book Club","description":"When Ann Walmsley was asked to take part in a book club in a men’s prison, she was initially anxious: after a violent mugging a few years before, could she really cope being surrounded by violent criminals? Luckily, curiosity got the better of her, and she signed up for eighteen months of meetings with heavily tattooed inmates, talking about books ranging from The Grapes of Wrath to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. But this wasn’t your typical book club – there was no wine and cheese, plush furniture or superficial chat about recent holidays. Classic works of fiction and non-fiction became springboards for frank discussions about loss, anger, redemption and loneliness, and for the men a prized oasis in which to regain a sense of humanity.    In this heart-warming example of the rehabilitative power of reading, 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. The Prison Book Club is unlike anything you’ve read before.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49592491704593,"sku":"GOR006944192","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ WELL_READ \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50657569374481,"sku":"GOR014026202","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50812045459729,"sku":"GOR006996405","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51771555217681,"sku":"GOR010653714","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1780747837.jpg?v=1751430418"},{"product_id":"prison-book-club-book-ann-walmsley-9780143194163","title":"The Prison Book Club","description":"\u003cb\u003eA daring journalist goes behind bars to explore the redemptive power of books with bikers, bank robbers, and gunmen\u003c\/b\u003e. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAn 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.\u003cbr\u003e 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. \u003cbr\u003e From \u003ci\u003eThe Grapes of Wrath\u003c\/i\u003e to \u003ci\u003eThe Cellist of Sarajevo\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eOutliers\u003c\/i\u003e to \u003ci\u003eInfidel\u003c\/i\u003e, 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. \u003cbr\u003e Written with compassion and humour, \u003ci\u003eThe Prison Book Club\u003c\/i\u003e is an eye-opening look at inmates and the penal system, and the possibilities of redemption.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ WELL_READ \/ SBYB","offer_id":50345678602513,"sku":"CIN014319416XA","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51415526277393,"sku":"CIN014319416XG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51568544284945,"sku":"CIN014319416XVG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53001256894737,"sku":"GOR008823591","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/014319416X.jpg?v=1751258806"},{"product_id":"prison-book-club-book-ann-walmsley-9780670069484","title":"The Prison Book Club","description":"\u003cb\u003eA daring journalist goes behind bars to explore the redemptive power of books with bikers, bank robbers, and gunmen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 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. \u003cbr\u003e 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. \u003cbr\u003eFor the men, the books were rare prized possessions, and the meetings were an oasis of safety and a respite from isolation in an otherwise hostile environment. Having been judged themselves, they were quick to make judgments about the books they read. As they discussed the obstacles the characters faced, they revealed glimpses of their own struggles that were devastating and comic. From \u003ci\u003eThe Grapes of Wrath\u003c\/i\u003e to \u003ci\u003eThe Cellist of Sarajevo, Outliers \u003c\/i\u003eto \u003ci\u003eInfidel\u003c\/i\u003e, the book discussions became a springboard for frank conversations about loss, anger, redemption, and loneliness. \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e The Prison Book Club\u003c\/i\u003e follows six of the book club members, who kept journals at Walmsley's request and participated in candid one-on-one conversations. Graham the biker, Frank the gunman, Ben and Dread the drug dealers, and the robber duo Gaston and Peter come to life as the author reconciles her knowledge of their crimes with the individuals themselves, and follows their lives as they leave prison. And woven throughout is the determined and compassionate Carol Finlay, working tirelessly to expand her program across Canada and into the United States. \u003cbr\u003e The books changed the men and the men changed Walmsley, allowing her to move beyond her position as a victim. Given the choice, she'd forsake the company of privileged friends and their comfortable book club to make the two-hour drive to Collins Bay.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50430448206097,"sku":"CIN0670069485G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53222266077457,"sku":"GOR014813433","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53393329389841,"sku":"GOR014898431","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":53461325381905,"sku":"CIN0670069485VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0670069485.jpg?v=1751327171"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-ann-walmsley.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}