by Pamela Banayoti
Angela Levin has seen it all; from interviewing celebrities, victims’ families following a tragedy, to even columnising as an agony aunt on The Daily Mail, Levin boasts a beefy portfolio that is sure to garner human interest. Her latest project, Wormwood Scrubs: The Inside Story, is no different. What is it about human disaster that captures us so intensely?
Angela Levin has seen it all; from interviewing celebrities, victims’ families following a tragedy, to even columnising as an agony aunt on The Daily Mail, Levin boasts a beefy portfolio that is sure to garner human interest. Her latest project, Wormwood Scrubs: The Inside Story, is no different. What is it about human disaster that captures us so intensely?
Leaving a long trail of journalistic credentials behind her as she brings to us the inside scoop into Wormwood Scrubs -- one of London’s most notorious prisons -- Angela Levin takes us through the journey of what life is really like behind those bars for prisoners, guards and governors. With information never leaked before, this is a chance for readers to understand the psychology behind the workers and inmates alike. It is a revelatory book that makes leeway for reforms proposed by Levin herself. Levin’s position on the Independent Monitoring Board at Wormwood Scrubs has allowed her to experience goings on that the average person may never know. Levin gives a voice to all those involved in running the prison, including the inmates themselves, in order to bring forth a wider picture for the public to see how exactly a prison is run, why officers feel afraid, and why inmates may feel the need to protect themselves against anyone who dares to inadvertently step onto their territory or leave a mark on their liberty.
This book is sure to shock with its subject matter. The unknown has always been a matter of debate and controversy, but with the inside scoop involved in Levin’s book, there is no doubt that the secrets that are to be revealed will entice the audience into finding out what exactly happens behind closed doors. I find the project an interesting one; definitely one that renders the mind into an objective state whereby one is able to view a situation from all angles; having had the different viewpoints of governors, officers and inmates. The question of humanity and the lengths some people will go to in order to protect their liberty, is one that will continue to ignite the fire of curiosity in each human being, as we connect and learn from one another, in the quest to search for the meaning of life. Thus, Levin’s book is not just a book about England’s most famous prison, but it serves as a chance for us to connect with one another, helping each other to understand the way in which we operate, and how aware we are of those around us.
This book is sure to shock with its subject matter. The unknown has always been a matter of debate and controversy, but with the inside scoop involved in Levin’s book, there is no doubt that the secrets that are to be revealed will entice the audience into finding out what exactly happens behind closed doors. I find the project an interesting one; definitely one that renders the mind into an objective state whereby one is able to view a situation from all angles; having had the different viewpoints of governors, officers and inmates. The question of humanity and the lengths some people will go to in order to protect their liberty, is one that will continue to ignite the fire of curiosity in each human being, as we connect and learn from one another, in the quest to search for the meaning of life. Thus, Levin’s book is not just a book about England’s most famous prison, but it serves as a chance for us to connect with one another, helping each other to understand the way in which we operate, and how aware we are of those around us.
RSS Feed
