English

Book Club participants learn that how we respond to texts depends, in part, on who we are as readers. Reading a text with others who bring different assumptions and values to the reading enlarges participants’ understanding of the reading process. Book club also invites participants to reflect on the purposes of literature, including its power to promote empathy and social justice.

For Anamosa participants, book club provides the opportunity to read more widely and to connect with people outside the prison.

For Mount Mercy students, book club dispels prison stereotypes and demonstrates the relevance of literature outside the classroom.

All participants experience the ways in which literature enriches their ethical framework and connects readers from differing backgrounds. All participants build confidence in their abilities to communicate and take meaningful risks. As they learn to collaborate, improvise, and interact with diverse groups of people, participants develop skills that are highly valued by today’s employers.

Here's what book club participants say about their experience:

"Book club ... allows me to feel and stay connected to society."
—Michael, book club participant  

"MMU English majors go to maximum-security prison and collect rare literary insights not available anywhere else—on works from Shakespeare to Erdrich." 
—Billie Barker '16

"My students hone their discussion skills, deepen their love of literature, and open their minds—all while helping a group of men who are hungry to learn."
—Mary Vermillion, Professor of English