With World Book Day on March 7th just around the corner, and a horde of hungry readers on the Fine Cell Work team, we wanted to share a few of our favourite topical titles with our supporters. 

That Peckham Boy: Growing Up, Getting Out and Giving Back by Kenny Imafidon

“I read Kenny Imafidon’s book cover to cover in a couple of days. I found his story so personal and compelling. It’s inspiring to see the ways he’s used his challenges to make some real positive impacts within his community and beyond.”~ Jordanne

All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles

"Historian Tiya Miles writes the unwritten tale of three generations of women through a rough cloth bag. With a story that begins in 1850s South Carolina, this simple cotton sack and its contents is passed down through the hands of mothers and their daughters, with the family's history eventually stitched into its very fabric, telling a tale of enslavement, love and loss, left otherwise untold. It also shows the power of a stitched object." ~ Mariana

Jailbirds: Lessons from a Women's Prison by Mim Skinner

"Jailbirds is a funny, poignant, insightful and eye-opening read. Sharing the stories and memoirs that Skinner kept during her time working in the women's estate, Jailbirds delves into the importance of creative work, building community, and showing compassion to women who have never known kindness. Jailbirds is a wonderful, enlightening read, and very timely pick given that it's International Women's Day on March 8th!" ~ Mary

Stuart: A Life Backwards by Alexander Masters

"It's the story of the life of Stuart, a Cambridgeshire man who has a chaotic life including spells in prison and as a campaigner.  The book starts with Stuart's adult life, tracing his story back to his troubled childhood; the author was a friend of Stuart and the book is warm and engaging, even though it describes a life with the odds stacked against him." ~ Kate

Stitching Freedom: Embroidery & Incarceration by Isabella Rosner

"This short read explores embroidery made in prisons, workhouses and mental health institutions, and the calmness, strength and distraction that can be found through needlework. The twelve stitcher stories span from Mary Queen of Scots to the present day, their work filled with rage, frustration, hope - and redemption - and are a fantastic jumping-off point for further reading and research." ~ Jess

Time After Time: Repeat Offenders – the Inside Stories by Chris Atkins

We couldn't write a reading list without including this title by BAFTA-nominated documentary filmmaker Chris Atkins, who served two and a half years at HMP Wandsworth. Having spent six years tracking the fortunes of a dozen repeat offenders, Atkins strives to understand why the state fails to keep them out of trouble - and why the system actually makes reoffending all but inevitable for ex-prisoners.

Have you read any of these books? We' love to hear your thoughts, and also any other recommendations. Please add your comments and suggestions below!