Wandsworth Prison to host live book club with Patterson

HMP Wandsworth Prison in London is preparing to host a "whole prison read" of one of James Patterson’s titles.

The initiative encourages prisoners to request gifted copies of Triple Cross (the 30th book in the Alex Cross thriller series) from their prison library or radio station, Radio Wanno, to read in advance of a book club meeting on Tuesday 14th February. The audiobook will also be played by Radio Wanno, and broadcast to other prisons including HMP Isis Prison, HMP Pentonville Prison and HMP Brixton Prison.

During the virtual event, Patterson will be live in conversation with David Kendall, who has spent over 20 years working to promote literacy in prisons through projects such as the Penned Up Festival.

The readalong is delivered by Century (part of Penguin Random House) in partnership with Prison Reading Groups (PRG), Give a Book and Books for First Nighters. Last year Penguin Random House UK and PRG donated 2,951 books to reading groups for prisoners and family reading initiatives for prisoners and their children.

PRG was set up in 1999 to start, fund and support reading in prisons through informal, voluntary groups that foster the development of both reading and social skills. Groups choose the books they discuss and funding provides new copies of the chosen titles for members to keep or pass on to others. PRG now supports over 50 groups nationwide, including Wandsworth, Brixton, Pentonville and Wormwood Scrubs.

Following the event, audio and video recorded during the book club will be produced and edited by prisoners, to be played on Radio Wanno and Prison TV. If the book club is a success, Century said it plans to roll out similar events more widely.