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This year approximately 300 incarcerated Mississippians participated in one or more of the 50 prison book clubs hosted by the Mississippi Humanities Council.
The book clubs involved 11 different groups in seven prisons, each facilitated by a humanities scholar. The members and the leader collectively select the titles and typically devote four sessions to each book.
During 2023, the clubs read 32 different titles. While the most popular author was Mississippian Jesmyn Ward, the members selected a wide variety of books. They read 20 works of fiction including classics like Alexandre Dumas’ Count of Monte Cristo, Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, and Toni Morrison’s Beloved. Recent fiction included Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half, Colton Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys. Two clubs received permission to receive hardback copies of Ward’s newest novel, Let Us Descend.
Memoirs such as Heavy by Kiese Laymon, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, and Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land were also common choices. Several clubs have opted to read Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy and Brittany K. Barnett’s A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom, both dealing with the criminal justice system.
Members frequently express how much they value the book clubs and the opportunity for open discussion. Once read, some members share their books with family members or other incarcerated individuals. One member is giving the books she has finished as Christmas presents.
Our prison book club program is funded by the Mellon Foundation and James and Madeline McMullan Family Foundation.
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