By Nolan Page
For The Diamondback
Every month, University of Maryland English professor Jason Rudy and three other organizers discuss literature at a book club in the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women.
Founded by university alum Brenda Murray, the club is more than a place to talk about books — it’s a space for stimulating conversation that links the women to each other and the outside world. Through this university’s new Forward funding initiative, the club will broaden its impact by including a graduate student. Despite being decades old, the club has remained true to its mission.
“It was clear to me that one of the main goals was to bring that kind of rigorous thinking to women who wanted to have that experience,” said Rudy, who co-leads discussions at the club’s meetings. “[It’s] not always easy to encounter that kind of critical thinking in the space of a prison.”
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Influenced by book availability and the members’ interests, Rudy said the club tries to select readings that prompt such thinking.
Rudy pointed to a standout example: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, a novel that explores the relationship between humans and robots. He said it sparked a lively debate in the book club over the extent to which human emotion is natural or programmed. Rudy recalled, “people genuinely disagreed on these questions, and that was great.”
For the club’s members, those challenging conversations resonate beyond the novels being discussed.
Sara Citroni — now director of prepare for success at PREPARE, a nonprofit supporting incarcerated individuals in their re-entry process— joined the club near its inception and was a long-term member throughout her incarceration.
She said her conversations in the club let her express herself and connect with the other members.
“What starts as a book club ends up as a bonding experience between like-minded folks from all different backgrounds,” Citroni said.
Anne Pack, a former member of the club and director of advocacy at PREPARE, described the club as a “place where positive people who are doing good things in the community congregate.”
She added involvement in the club indicates a dedication to positive change that aids in the parole process.
Pack, who helps incarcerated individuals become strong candidates for parole, emphasized the value of forming relationships in the book club. She said its meetings are an opportunity for members to share stories and build connections.
“In those conversations bits about yourself come up,” Pack said. “You find out each other’s interests.”
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Pack and Citroni also emphasized the critical, intrinsic thinking and presentation skills participants develop in the book club and their applicability to parole hearings and job interviews. The former members highlighted the club’s mental and emotional impact while expressing gratitude for its organizers.
“Just knowing that somebody cared enough about you to be there for you—it does wonders for you internally,” Citroni said.
Co-leaders of the club Rudy and Vicki Barnett-Woods hope a recent donation through the Forward campaign can expand the club’s value to its members and broader community. The gift will allow one graduate student to work with Rudy to run the book club in the future.
Rudy emphasized the importance of public humanities — the idea of outwardly applying humanities work to the broader community. These experiences can lead to careers that serve the community at large, he said.
Following those ideas, Barnett-Woods highlighted the importance of interweaving higher education with broader communities through programs like the book club.
“It is like a thin thread that brings us together,” she said. “It’s one of the few opportunities that the women get to connect to the outside world.”
