West, Andy – The Bell Bookshop https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk Henley-on-Thames Fri, 26 May 2023 07:53:11 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/cropped-Bell-Background-Blue-32x32.png West, Andy – The Bell Bookshop https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk 32 32 The life inside https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/the-life-inside-2/ Thu, 09 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=28938 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
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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.
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‘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

]]> The Life Inside https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/the-life-inside/ Thu, 03 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=19877 ‘Tense and intimate? an education.’ Geoff Dyer
‘Written with sensitivity and humanity… a remarkable insight into prison life.’ Amanda Brown
‘Authentic, fascinating and deeply moving.’ Terry Waite
‘Expands both heart and mind.’ Ciaran Thapar
__________

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 goes behind bars, he also confronts his inherited trauma: his father, uncle and brother all spent time in prison. 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 book. Through a blend of memoir, 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.
__________

‘Stives with humour and compassion to understand the phenomenon of prison’ Sydney Review of Books
‘A fascinating and enlightening journey… A legitimate page-turner’ 3AM

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