Robert Harris Visits HMP Wormwood Scrubs

A memorable occasion for the Leviathans book club at HMP Wormwood Scrubs this month, to welcome best-selling author Robert Harris for a discussion of his first novel, Fatherland. We were also joined by men from Education; it was great to have full house in the Library. ‘Are you The Silence of the Lambs?’, the first question, met with Robert’s good-humoured response: ‘No, that was Thomas Harris, wish it had been me.’ This set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.

The far reaching discussion was fully engaged on all sides and covered a lot of history, especially Nazi Germany. ‘My god I look like an obsessive’ commented Robert after one interchange about Nazi policy, as he gestured to another of his novels, V2, part of librarian Tracy’s stunning display behind him.

Robert fielded some searching questions such as ‘why did the Germans hate the Jews’ with full and careful answers. His starting point for the novel was Hitler’s plans for resettlement in the East, and what would have been said about the disappearance of European Jews. As might be expected, there were some war-buffs in the audience too, and some conspiracy theory aired. ‘I love a conspiracy theory’ murmured Robert. He was amused by the ex-postman’s revelation that they didn’t deliver Remain leaflets: ‘See, a good plot right there!’

Is Britain like Fatherland now? ‘No, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. It’s great to come here, at a time when people are stopping reading books’.

Conversation was lively, with references, connections and comparisons made with Gaza, US, China. Particularly moving was a Polish man who apologised for his poor English but wanted to thank Robert for helping him understand what Munich was all about. What a session!

Jenny Hartley, co-facilitator of the Wormwood Scrubs PRG reading group