Recently I’ve been working on a set of short stories about women in prison.
As a consequence I’ve been thinking about my years spent working in HMP Low Newton –a women’s prison on the outskirts of Durham City and in particular I’ve been talking to my friend and collaborator author Wendy Robertson about her time there as Writer In Residence. (She’s the reason I began writing at all!)
Wendy has a wonderful new book out which springs directly from her experience of the women at Low Newton –Paulie’s Web. It’s available to buy on Kindle and if you’d like to read an insightful and thought provoking review of this great book then Kathleen Jones book blog is the place.
While we worked together at Low Newton Wendy and I were fortunate enough to go to Boston USA to see the Changing Lives Through Literature Programme in action and to meet its founders Bob Waxler*and Jean Trounstine.. It was an unforgettable February: icy winds blew off the North Atlantic, stalking Boston streets and biting at our legs. We got lost in the corridors of the Midwestern Hotel eventually learning to navigate by the paintings on the walls. We ate maple syrup pancakes for breakfast. We drank cocktails in the Boston Colonnade for dinner. And we roamed the streets of the Back Bay like the feral writers we were. But most important of all we met Bob and the young men and women (offenders) who were taking part in this unique sentencing programme. And one truly unforgettable evening we sat around the table with them along with judges and probation officers and talked about the meaning of love – and in particular, Raymond Carver’s story What We Talk About When We Talk About Love .
With a Criminal Justice system lurching from crisis to crisis, and our prison population at a record high we could learn a great deal from Bob Waxler and the ground breaking Changing Lives Through Literature Programme…
Losing Jonathan and Courage To Walk – Bob Waxler*
Avril: My best to you and Wendy. Keep the vision. And keep writing always.
How great to hear from you Bob. We do keep the vision, although we are outside of the system now. Hope to publish some short stories inspired by the women soon. I have sent you an email I hope it reaches you.
Really moving, to use Carver’s story in this way. Remember reading Ian McEwan stories to a bunch of unemployed / verging on offending behaviour lads years ago. How being read to strangely worked, even though there was staff room derision. One of them borrowed it (First Love Last Rites) and it never came back but I was happy about this ..
Thanks Jo – yes, we both know all about staff room derision but we also know about the power of reading and being read to. Using First Love Last Rites – would have been amazing. I will never forget reading the collection when it first came out and buying copies for friends because I so wanted them to read it too, as you say it’s a great sign that it didn’t come back.
I remember so well meeting Bob and the judges and the offenders in Boston. A seminal experience. I loved Boston – the bright buildings, the Back Bay, the hailstones whipping round the squared corners, the cocktails,, the judges… and especially the young men and women ‘offenders# whoi had found delight in reading under the magical wand of Bob Waxler., who does change lives – including ours!
Thanks also Avril for the mention of Paulie’s Web (and pointing towards Kathleen’s lovely review). Paulie is going well and would never have emerged without my joining you for my own life-changing experience in prison – pre -&post Boston!