The Life Inside: A Memoir of Prison, Family and Learning to Be Free

NOW A MAJOR BBC DRAMA, ‘WAITING FOR THE OUT’

An Irish Times and The i Book of the Year
‘Tense and intimate … an education’ – Geoff Dyer
‘Authentic, fascinating and deeply moving’ – Terry Waite

Andy West teaches philosophy in prisons. Every time he steps behind bars, he also confronts his inherited shame: his father, uncle and brother all spent time inside. While Andy has built a different life for himself, he still fears that their fate will also be his.

Every day he has conversations with prisoners about their lives, discusses their ideas and feelings, and listens as they explore new ways to think about their situation. Together they tackle the big questions: 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? As he discusses pressing questions of truth, identity and hope with his students, Andy searches for his own form of freedom too.

Now a six-part BBC drama, ‘Waiting for the Out’, The Life Inside is an elegantly written and unforgettable memoir. Through exquisite 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.

‘Inspiring’ – The Observer
‘Enriching, sobering and at times heartrending’ - Lenny Henry
‘A remarkable insight into prison life’ – Amanda Brown
‘Expands both heart and mind’ – Ciaran Thapar
’A fascinating and enlightening journey … A legitimate page-turner’ – 3:AM Magazine