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The Life Inside: A Memoir of Prison, Family and Learning to Be Free
A Memoir of Prison, Family and Learning to be Free
By: Andy West
Paperback | 11 July 2023
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An Irish Times and The i Book of 2022
'Tense and intimate . . . an education' - Geoff Dyer
'Enriching, sobering and at times heartrending. A wonder' - Sir Lenny Henry
'Authentic, fascinating and deeply moving' - Terry Waite
__________
Can someone in prison be more free than someone outside? Would we ever be good if we never felt shame? What makes a person worthy of forgiveness?
Andy West teaches philosophy in prisons. Every day he has conversations with people inside about their lives, discusses their ideas and feelings, and listens as they explore new ways to think about their situation.
When Andy steps into a prison, he also confronts his inherited shame: his father, uncle and brother all spent time behind bars. While Andy has built a different life for himself, he still fears that their fate will also be his. As he discusses pressing questions of truth, identity and hope with his students, he searches for his own form of freedom too.
Moving, sympathetic, wise and frequently funny, The Life Inside is an elegantly written and unforgettable memoir. Through a blend of storytelling and gentle philosophical questioning, it offers a new insight into our stretched justice system, our failing prisons and the complex lives being lived inside.
About the Author
Andy West has written for The Guardian, Aeon, 3:AM Magazine, Huck, The Big Issue, openDemocracy, Lead, The Times Education Supplement and Bloomsbury. The Life Inside is his first book.
'Tense and intimate . . . an education' - Geoff Dyer
'Enriching, sobering and at times heartrending. A wonder' - Sir Lenny Henry
'Authentic, fascinating and deeply moving' - Terry Waite
__________
Can someone in prison be more free than someone outside? Would we ever be good if we never felt shame? What makes a person worthy of forgiveness?
Andy West teaches philosophy in prisons. Every day he has conversations with people inside about their lives, discusses their ideas and feelings, and listens as they explore new ways to think about their situation.
When Andy steps into a prison, he also confronts his inherited shame: his father, uncle and brother all spent time behind bars. While Andy has built a different life for himself, he still fears that their fate will also be his. As he discusses pressing questions of truth, identity and hope with his students, he searches for his own form of freedom too.
Moving, sympathetic, wise and frequently funny, The Life Inside is an elegantly written and unforgettable memoir. Through a blend of storytelling and gentle philosophical questioning, it offers a new insight into our stretched justice system, our failing prisons and the complex lives being lived inside.
About the Author
Andy West has written for The Guardian, Aeon, 3:AM Magazine, Huck, The Big Issue, openDemocracy, Lead, The Times Education Supplement and Bloomsbury. The Life Inside is his first book.
Industry Reviews
'Inspiring' - The Observer
'Strives with humour and compassion to understand the phenomenon of prison' - Sydney Review of Books
'Expands both heart and mind' - Ciaran Thapar
'A fascinating and enlightening journey . . . A legitimate page-turner' - 3AM
'Strives with humour and compassion to understand the phenomenon of prison' - Sydney Review of Books
'Expands both heart and mind' - Ciaran Thapar
'A fascinating and enlightening journey . . . A legitimate page-turner' - 3AM
ISBN: 9781529032024
ISBN-10: 1529032024
Published: 11th July 2023
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Number of Pages: 352
Audience: Professional and Scholarly
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK
Country of Publication: AU
Dimensions (cm): 18.5 x 14 x 2.5
Weight (kg): 0.25
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This product is categorised by
- Non-FictionBiographies & True Stories Memoirs
- Non-FictionPhilosophyEthics & Moral Philosophy
- Non-FictionSocial Services & WelfareCrime & CriminologyOffenders
- Non-FictionSociety & CultureEthical Issues & Debates
- Non-FictionBiographies & True Stories BiographiesLiterary BiographiesLiterary Autobiographies
- Non-FictionSocial Services & WelfareCrime & CriminologyPenology & PunishmentPrisons
- Non-FictionPhilosophyPopular Philosophy
- Non-FictionEducationTeaching of a Specific Subject
- Non-FictionPsychologyCriminal or Forensic Psychology
- Non-FictionEducationAdult Education
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