Today, I bought a book for myself and a book for the Prisoners Literature Project (PLP). PLP is a grassroots nonprofit that encourages reading, the pursuit of knowledge, and self-determination among incarcerated people.

This all started with Charles Dickens. My husband and I annually volunteer as part of Mr. Fezziwig’s Dance Crew at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco. Immersing in a fantasy world of Victorian London and contributing to holiday cheer is a lovely if exhausting rite of our holiday season. Part of my tradition is to read one new Dickens novel over the weeks of our participation to better acquaint myself with the fair’s context.

Last season, I read The Old Curiosity Shop. It is the story of Little Nell and her grandfather, residents of the Old Curiosity Shop in London, whose lives are thrown into destitute misadventure due to the grandfather’s addiction to gambling and the machinations of evil moneylender Quilp. Among the story’s classic characters representing virtues, vices, and humorous foibles is Kit Nubbles, who, for me, represents Integrity.

At one point, Kit is falsely accused of theft due to Quilp’s vindictiveness, convicted, and thrown into prison. Dickens’ description of Kit’s spiritual suffering while in prison and his profound gratitude upon his vindication and release moved me deeply. As Kit left prison, there was this passage:

They have passed the outer wall and stand in the open air–in the street he has so often pictured to himself when hemmed in by the gloomy stones and which has been in all his dreams. It seems wider and more busy than it used to be. The night is bad, and yet, how cheerful and gay in his eyes! One of the gentlemen, in taking leave of him, pressed some money into his hand. He has not counted it; but when they have gone a few paces beyond the box for poor Prisoners, he hastily returns and drops it in. —The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

A “box for poor Prisoners.” What was that? I had to look it up. Open University revealed that historically, prisons used “alms boxes” or “boxes for poor prisoners” to allow passersby who felt charitable to donate coins to help feed and clothe those inside. 

In The Old Curiosity Shop, Kit was fortunate in having his mother bring him food and his friend bring him beer while he was in prison. Prisoners without friends, family, or alms to provide for them would have only received course bread and gruel. In his thankfulness for his exoneration, Kit donated all he received for the benefit of less fortunate prisoners.

I wondered if there was a modern equivalent. It turns out there is. Several charities assist incarcerated prisoners, focusing on rehabilitation, education, and family support. The one that resonated with me as an avid reader and writer was the Prisoners’ Literature Project. While prisoners can access books, it varies by prison and can be limited. Prison libraries are often under-resourced.

On their website, PLP says, “By sending free reading materials to those behind bars, PLP aims to foster learning and critical thinking and help prepare people to lead successful lives after incarceration. We believe that all people have a right to read.” PLP recognizes that many incarcerated people lack formal education. They strive to remedy that by providing books that impart knowledge. They also provide genre fiction, understanding that incarcerated people must pass the time.”

You can donate time or money to PLP. However, local bookstores in the Bay Area and Palm Springs also dedicate shelf space to promoting the program. This includes my own Books Inc. bookstore within walking distance of my house. I can support them by buying books off their PLP shelves or their online wishlist and support a good cause.

So that’s what I did. I bought a book for me — Julia Park Tracey’s historical fiction novel, Silence, which made the Kirkus Reviews List of Best Indie Books of 2024 (like my book, The Strength of Water!). And I bought a book off the PLP shelf. I love Victorian classics, so I picked some Edgar Allan Poe, but I’ll buy something more practical next time — perhaps the in-demand Commercial Drivers License Exam guide, which helps those leaving prison find self-employment as truck drivers.

Here’s to the power of books to educate, uplift, and melt the walls around us.