Reading Between the Lines

Reading Between the Lines creates a unique space for the discussion of great literature with people who are incarcerated or transitioning back to their communities. By reading together and sharing insights, participants' voices are heard and valued as they build on their communication and leadership skills. The Reading Between the Lines story began in 2013 with one goal: to equip people, made invisible to the world by incarceration, with tools to rejoin society. Our novel approach is grounded in literature, offering powerful texts accompanied by questions for which there is no “right” answer. Participants practice interpreting a reading, listening carefully to others’ views and articulating their own—skills invaluable as they return to family, community and work. Since piloting the program at one halfway house on Chicago’s West Side, we have seen these skills develop across hundreds of sessions at multiple sites. Today we are surpassing our initial skill-building goals: we now train—and pay—participants to become discussion leaders! And the Reading Between the Lines repertoire has grown. It boasts nearly 60 readings and discussion guides, with authors ranging from the classic to the contemporary. Genres include poetry, short stories, essays, memoirs, speeches and historical documents.