Books Behind Bars: The Role of Books, Reading, and Libraries in British Prison Reform, 1701-1911

This is an original and scholarly study of the role of books and libraries in British prisons during the period of penal reforms between 1700 and 1911. Janet Fyfe discusses the role of groups and individuals who advanced the ideology of reform as well as those who were actively engaged in bringing reading material into the jails and prisons of Great Britain.

Perhaps Fyfe's most valuable contribution to the field is her rich bibliography of primary sources; these include a wealth of official ...