A Rare Sense of Peace
September 17, 2011
Although having a “room of one’s own” is not possible for most women featured in my study, curling up in bed with a book of one’s own-even if it is borrowed from the prison library-can provide a rare sense of peace, solitude, fantasy, or escape in the midst of a life governed by constant struggle and the realism of others.
-Reading is My Window: Books and the Art of Reading in Women’s Prisons by Megan McSweeney
Beautiful quote, Eva! Made me think on how we take the pleasures of reading for granted, and how for some people, it might be all that they have got.
Oh wow this is really interesting. I’ve been thinking a lot about Woolf, lately and her thoughts on a room of one’s own. Thanks for sharing this!
This quote immediately brought to mind Hanna in “The Reader” and how books gave meaning to her life, particularly once she is imprisoned.
Ooooohhhhh wants to read that book. Is it all as good as it sounds?
Yes! It’s awesome! I need to catch up on my backlog. :)
Thanks for this quote, Eva. I sometimes volunteer for an organization caledl Books to Prisoners. They send books to people in prison all over the US. I have added Reading Is My Window to my TBR list.
It’s a great read Gavin, and good on you for volunteering!
Oh, wonderful quote! I’m going to have to look for this book. We have a nonprofit in the city where I live called the Women’s Prison Book Project and my husband and I happily make regular paperback book donations to them but we never know what it is like for the women reading in prison which makes this sound like a perfect book for me to read!