A guilty read, m'lud. Felt terrible laughing at this, particularly when you realise that outside of the author's incredibly privileged prison experience, the conditions described here are real life (for life!) for so many of the UK's prison population.

A real eye-opener, and should be required reading for anyone who thinks prison should be a punishment rather than a rehabilitation.

An enjoyable book written about a subject people know little about, and which should really be treated as a national crisis.

Chris Atkins A Bit of a Stretch is his biography of his recent time in Wandsworth Prison and how faulty the UK prison system is looking from the inside out.

I really hope that folks high up in the Department of Justice read this book and review and hopefully take forward into the future of the prison system what Chris has pointed out.

It was a real eye opener hearing first hand how the prison system is failing those in jail. Its a very well written book with a huge amount of information in it.

Not a book I would usually read but have to say I really enjoyed the way Chris put his points across and how well he dealt with the situation he ended up in.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC. (My review is my own opinion.)

A Bit Of A Stretch follows Chris Atkins' 9 months in Wandsworth prison, which leads to the big question about this kind of biography, is he guilty? Well, it's not a spoiler to say yes, he is. And I think he adopts a tone that most people will find reasonable - he's not proud of his crime, but he doesn't shirk away from it either. Based on the details I'd say most people would feel pretty aggrieved to be in his shoes - certainly, I've read other biographies where people find it far harder to accept they did anything wrong. But that very question also starts down a complicated path that is very common with criminal behaviour - judgement. Throughout the book, various aspects of prison life get cast under that light too. It raises questions about what is and isn't acceptable for someone who is in prison.

The book itself is somewhat repetitive - the search for a suitable cellmate, a series of pointless forms, some bizarre rules, a random course or program, a search for a suitable cellmate, a series of pointless forms... Yep, it's repetitive. But then, surely that is what life in prison is like too. Atkins captures that sense well. Each cellmate search has a different perspective as he progresses through his sentence - from being the new guy looking for a safe place to sleep to the man with the cell everyone wants. What could easily become tedious stays remarkably fresh and interesting. Partly because these events all build on each other and help to create the larger image of numerous problems that are identified. Not just spat out angrily, but explained, demonstrated, and considered.

The book doesn't show a dramatic, Hollywood style prison. It shows the tedious bureaucracy that bogs the system down. Yes, there is spilt blood and drugs, but most of that is self-harming and requests for paracetamol (okay, in fairness spice is actually fairly constant throughout and far more frequently mentioned, but it's still pretty mundane stuff really). And that's what makes it all work. This is an interesting perspective on the prison system by someone with a fairly moderate position - it's not railing against grand injustices, it's observing and reporting with limited extra comment. Clearly, this is a man who sees flaws in the system and therefore not without any personal opinion, but it never feels like he has an axe to grind. Chris Atkins may not have caused much upset while inside prison, but with this book he proves he is one of the worst prisoners possible - a documentarian. And that also makes him one of the best prisoners we could hope for. It makes for an interesting read and a book that will probably provoke a lot of reaction from those connected with the British prison system.

Bit of a stretch

An eye- opening dive into prison life from the point of view of an educated and mentally resilient individual who has the capability to just about stay afloat in such a deeply flawed and threatening environment. Being educated, mentally healthy and attracting the interest of others of a similar ilk gives him some protection -and yet the experience Chris Atkins relates is horrifying even at this level. Unimaginably worse for those without his background advantages. It is a disgraceful indictment of a supposedly civilised society, that our prisons are overcrowded and that prisoners spend 23 hours a day locked up and not getting necessary support to improve their life options once released.
Dark, but nevertheless often entertaining, this is a book that should give you nightmares (and a zest to push for governmental engagement in meaningful reform in our prisons.)
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Chris Atkins is a journalist and documentary/film maker. His work is noted for causing controversy and in 2016 he faced a prison sentence after being embroiled in a tax scam. Being unable to document his prison time through his usual media of film, he decidedto keep a diary - this book takes some of that & gives us a gritty insight into prison life.
Chris's background as a documentary maker means that there are observations & insights about the government, prison regime, policies etc as well as about his fellow prisoners.
Some aspects of the book didn't suprise me at all, but in other parts it was very eye-opening. It would be interesting to read/watch a follow up in a few years

A Bit Of A Stretch by Chris Atkins is the story of the author's time in Wandsworth Prison. As well as being very entertaining the book is quite shocking as Atkins tells us of a regime of incompetence and neglect that sees appalling levels of self-harm and drug abuse being the norm with lip service played to any kind of rehabilitation.
Atkins is very honest and doesn't try to big himself up or make excuses for doing time if the first place.. He's also very aware that being an intelligent,middle-class white guy with supportive friends and family gives him a massive advantage over most of those in Wandsworth , where even being able to read and write put him in a minority. Atkins had the brains and it has to be said the ethnicity to enable himself to find a relatively comfortable niche while inside and he admits that his is not the typical experience.. What he sees around him however is little more than carnage with drugged up "zombies" and the mentally ill making a large part of the prison population and spending their sentences in circumstances that only make their addictions and issues a lot worse.
This is an amazing piece of writing, the abject stupidity and dishonesty of various politicians and prison service officials is almost as shocking as the conditions in the prison which would shame a third world country.. Chris Atkins highlights many issues about our prison system,the judiciary and Britain's shocking treatment of the mentally ill, whose numbers make up a shameful proportion of the prison population .
As a documentary maker Atkins is well-equipped to highlight the shoddy mess that is our prisons system, the use;less career politicians that have failed completely to change things and the bizarre and contradictory systems that fail people who are too often life's less fortunate rather than bad people.
A great read, and a very important one, that tells the reality of prison rather than the Daily Mail version , it's hard-hitting and I'd guess an eye=opener for many..

Big thanks to Chris Atkins, Atlantic Books and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Chris, the author, was a documentary maker. He became embroiled in a tax scam which led to him being prosecuted. He was sentenced to five years in prison initially in HMP Wandsworth. He decided to keep a diary of his time in prison and this book is the result. It shows at least some of the highs and lows of his time there and of Wandsworth and the prison system generally.

This is one of those books where the publisher's blurb is largely true. Indeed it outlines a number of the events and stories in this book. The fact that Chris is both relatively well educated and has the background of a documentary maker gives this book insights that might not be gained from other writers. The book shows him as a good observer of people and very human. The initial feelings of being separated from his young son and unable to contact people are powerful. During his time in Wandsworth Chris becomes a "Listener", effectively a Samaritan. In this role he sees and deals with some extremely troubled prisoners.

In among the stories of prison life are "asides" about prisons, their regimes and politicians views more generally. A number of these were very interesting indeed. There are many examples I could give - indeed I could fill this review with them. However the best thing would be to think about reading the book yourself if that interests you. That said I will share two or three points that particularly struck me.

I found particularly troubling the story of the Lithuanian teenager. Days before he committed suicide he was seen by a mental nurse but was not allowed a translator. She couldn't understand him and decided he was fit to stay on the block.

There is puzzlement from a Danish academic visiting the prison. He can't understand how it possible to rehabilitate prisoners who are locked up for 23 hours a day.

In his role as a Listener, Chris deals with a teenager who, having tried to hang himself several times, is under observation. The cell he is in has no privacy at all. He is paranoid and schizophrenic. All he has eaten for two days is razor blades. The idea that Chris should get him something in the way of food to eat gets mixed reactions from prison staff!

I did find Chris's reflections on his fellow prisoners one of the interesting parts of this. He becomes friendly with another prisoner who is there for his part in defrauding inexperienced investors through scams. Chris found him a caring person both towards Chris himself and because he was an experienced Listener who had helped many people. The juxtaposition is striking.

As someone who has been a supporter of and interested in prison reform for many years now much of what is in here comes as no surprise to me. However even a small amount of thought would suggest that what is going on in prisons is worrying. There seems little understanding of any objective as far as prisoners are concerned.

The good bits here can be all or any of the following - interesting/troubling/powerful . Some aspects are I found maybe rather more juvenile. It is certainly a valid insight into life in prison or Wandsworth at least. For me however it seemed to become less objective as time goes by and is more self centred. Many people will find this perfectly acceptable and entertaining on some level. However the balance between humour and cutting edge insights is a difficult path to tread and this book did not always succeed in that for me. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject though.

A really interesting read, with the hope of not experiencing first hand, it gave a frank and honest appraisal of conditions, I suspect at times it could have been portrayed more graphically but wasn't needed. Suggest it should be required reading for MPs that have anything to do with prisoner reform. Reform not lockup being the key takeaway from reading this book. One of the ending points about mental heath linked with lack of reform opportunities seems to be key but can understand the reluctance of government to plough in more cash. If only there were a way to make the prisons into a part self funded operation using the overflowing resource of available labour.

This a frightening account of life behind bars in England - the damage it can do to prisoners and ways to survive the experience long enough to be released back into society. This book also discusses how simply surviving long enough to be released may not be the solution to the wider problem because so many prisoners are unable / unprepared / unsupported to cope after release and reoffend. A sobering account of the best and worst of life behind bars.

A very different read to my normal reads but I found this to be a well developed story which gave you a good insight into prison life in Britain.

There are some lol parts in this book and some thought provoking parts too but a thoroughly good and interesting read which I can definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atlantic Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books*

This is a raw and eye opening account of Chris Atkins’ experience inside HMP Wandsworth, for his crime of tax fraud. It offers a rare, all access insight into what it’s really like in one of the most dangerous prisons in Britain. From dodgy inmates to equally dodgy prison officers (or ‘screws’ as they are called inside), to the lack of reformation and squalid conditions, Chris offers his brutally honest account of the harsh realities of being ‘banged up’.

He shares his strategies for survival, by taking on lots of inside ‘jobs’, one of the most important being a Listener. With the self harm and suicide rates sky rocketing inside, a Listener is a prisoner who is trained by the Samaritans to offer help and support to other prisoners who are mentally very unwell.

I really warmed to Chris. He in no way played down his own crime and admitted guilt to his involvement. He managed to help others as much as possible (as much as you can being locked up for sometimes 23 hours a day) and took every opportunity to better himself such as taking a psychology course and other prison roles.

This is going to be a popular hit in the memoir genre. It takes on a similar tone to Adam Kay’s books, with the diary format for easy reading but also a generous sprinkling of dark humour.

#ABitofaStretch #NetGalley

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I really enjoy memoirs like this, and Atkins' work was similarly intetesting as he recounted his time at HMP Wandsworth alongside political commentary about the prison service. A really insightful, well written read.

A well written account of British prison life. This account was an interesting one as the author is not instantly likeable- he always seems to land on his feed and takes advantage of every privilege he has. But by the end, I warmed to him and realised most would do the same in his situation.
Some very funny stories, interesting characters, and some sad home truths in the justice system.

TW: discussion of substance use, self-harm, suicide

Firstly i'd like to say a big thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for allowing me to read this eARC. All views and opinions discussed here are my own.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book, especially after reading The Prison Doctor, and really enjoying it. I hadn't seen many other books that were actually from a prisoners perspective and so thought this would be a really intriguing story. I wasn't wrong at all.

This was a really interesting look at some of the realities for people behind bars; I say some because, and this is something that Chris acknowledges himself in the book, that his experiences are not the norm for those in prison. In a way he was very lucky because he was taken in by a group of guys who looked out for him throughout his time in the first prison (which is what this book focuses on) and taught him how to make himself appeal to the Guards for better transfers and supported him with moving to better cells/getting jobs etc. Chris acknowledges that, due to the nature of his crime, his race, and his class, his treatment in prison was a lot better than that of others. And i'm glad that this is something he acknowledges throughout and doesn't hide. Even still, whilst he is quite privileged, what he experiences and witnesses is just harrowing.

There are some people who work in prisons because they want to help others; Danielle and Linda for example, but there are plenty of others who want to work in prisons for the power trip and the ability to hold power over others. I thought Chris's study into psychology and his ability to relate some studies to prison life was really interesting. It is disgusting that in this day and age, people's basic human rights are being kept from them and they spend up to 23 hours locked in a cell. The whole purpose of prison is to rehabilitate people back into society but how can you do that when there's no funding and no support. This book had me so frustrated at times when the politicians were spewing out about all the reforms going on, when the reality was so far from that.

This book isn't all harrowing though and there are some lighter moments with Chris and his friends. I think the whole Listeners programme is really interesting but also must take such a toll on the listeners- they can't escape the horror at all. Chris offers a really layered and insightful view into prisons and I for one could not put this book down and began reading it as soon as I was approved. It's the sort of thing i'd like to read more about and I know i'll be picking up a physical copy when it is released.

This book is out 6th February 2020; highly recommend picking up a copy!

This was an entertaining read that gave a fascinating insight into the chaos and camaraderie of serving a prison sentence in a UK establishment. The humour and wryness of the author's observations helped to lift what could have been a harrowing read, but without taking away the grit of the situation. Pen portraits of the author's companions and characters he encountered again helped to lift the mood of what is an undeniably frightening experience of the penal system. It is easy to take away from this book the impression that as a white, middle class, mature and educated male, navigating and surviving prison life is fairly straightforward. The reader would do well to remember that actually the majority of prisoners do not fall into these categories and to take note of the stories included here of those who don't speak English; who use drugs to escape reality; and/or, most tragically, don't survive their incarceration. The author does well to highlight these, and to reflect on his experience as a listener, as well as the more amusing and uplifting aspects of his time served. An educational and thought-provoking book.

A brutally honest and horrific look at what our prisons are really like. This book does not make for easy reading and although I agree prisoner’s should be punished the stories about practises within the prison walls are shocking. There are so many things in this book that if they just put a few of the suggestions properly Into practice they could make positive changes not just to the prisoners but also all of the staff who work there. The fact so many criminals reoffend is proof enough that something is going wrong

I really enjoyed this book. The insight into failing prison systems, no wonder many reoffend. I always used to think that it's your own fault. What an eye opener of a book into prison life. Luckily Chris had a support network inside and out. Good luck in the future and thank you for allowing me to read this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book, I was hooked from the very start.

If you believe that prison is a holiday camp I urge you to read this book to gain a little more understanding of what life is like inside. From increasingly poor mental health care to prisons being unable to provide something a basic as toilet paper this book gives an insight into what actually goes on inside of a failing system.

I felt this was very well written and i finished the book wanting to know more!

Review
An insightful view into life as a prison inmate at HMP Wandsworth. Chris Atkins is incarcerated for his involvement in a dodgy financial scheme to fund his next film production.

He tells of the trials he personally encounters on entering jail from running out of toilet paper to the difficulties he has with his solicitor (who doesn’t seem to want to know now that he’s not making money from him). He uses his time to become involved as a Listener (part of the in-prison Samaritan service) and helping with the education department. As well as concentrating on his psychology studies.

I found the book interesting to learn about the high levels of mental health illness and the lack of interest by many prison officers. We hear that Wandsworth is in disrepair in terms of the building and hygiene. However, I would have liked to know more, not just about the rat entering his cell. But what the food was like, more about the other prisoners. Surely it wasn’t all as calm and orderly as it came across?

I did feel that he landed on his feet and that prison life was easy for him, with the exception of missing his son. He seemed to have an element of respect from some of the officers. He’s given responsible positions such as delivering the slips and working in the education department. I initially thought that it seemed unrealistic but I think this was due to him being educated, white and middle class.

For me personally, I felt this book was less of a diary and more an opportunity to air the inefficiencies of the criminal justice system and Ministry of Justice.

I rate this book 3 stars 🌟🌟🌟

Thanks
Thank you to the author Chris Atkins and Publishers Atlantic Books for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an independent review.

A quick but interesting read. The author, rather self-effacingly, admits that, as an affluent, well educated, white, liberal man, his experience of the British prison system was perhaps not as typical as might be expected. However, despite this, Atkins is a keen observer of the upsetting, the surreal and the darkly amusing. He manages to find humanity and humour in the most dreadful of encounters all the while excoriating the current prison system, which has clearly gone off a cliff in recent times. As well as bemoaning the current regime he does offer fairly well thought out arguments to redress the dire situation. The rather unsexy solution to much of the current issues facing the prison system is to spend more money on staff, infrastructure and education. This is something that Atkins realises is a political cyanide pill but is something that he could clearly see from his time inside. This is well written, funny and warm book which gives insight into the warmth and humanity which is usually kept locked away by your typical inmate. Recommended.