On this edition of The Literary Life, an evening of readings at Books and Books from the 2022 Prison Writing Awards Anthology. The evening was sponsored by PEN America's Prison and Justice Writing Program along with Exchange for Change, a Miami-based organization whose mission is as follows: "We believe in the value of every voice, and we give our students an opportunity to express themselves without the fear of being stigmatized. When everyone has the ability to listen and be heard, strong and safe communities are formed. With a pen and paper, incarcerated students can become agents of social change across different communities in ways they may otherwise have never encountered."

I dare anyone to hear these voices and not be moved and helping them find an audience is among the most gratifying missions I have as a book seller.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices