Review
An insightful view into life as a prison inmate at HMP Wandsworth. Chris Atkins is incarcerated for his involvement in a dodgy financial scheme to fund his next film production.

He tells of the trials he personally encounters on entering jail from running out of toilet paper to the difficulties he has with his solicitor (who doesn’t seem to want to know now that he’s not making money from him). He uses his time to become involved as a Listener (part of the in-prison Samaritan service) and helping with the education department. As well as concentrating on his psychology studies.

I found the book interesting to learn about the high levels of mental health illness and the lack of interest by many prison officers. We hear that Wandsworth is in disrepair in terms of the building and hygiene. However, I would have liked to know more, not just about the rat entering his cell. But what the food was like, more about the other prisoners. Surely it wasn’t all as calm and orderly as it came across?

I did feel that he landed on his feet and that prison life was easy for him, with the exception of missing his son. He seemed to have an element of respect from some of the officers. He’s given responsible positions such as delivering the slips and working in the education department. I initially thought that it seemed unrealistic but I think this was due to him being educated, white and middle class.

For me personally, I felt this book was less of a diary and more an opportunity to air the inefficiencies of the criminal justice system and Ministry of Justice.

I rate this book 3 stars 🌟🌟🌟

Thanks
Thank you to the author Chris Atkins and Publishers Atlantic Books for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an independent review.

A quick but interesting read. The author, rather self-effacingly, admits that, as an affluent, well educated, white, liberal man, his experience of the British prison system was perhaps not as typical as might be expected. However, despite this, Atkins is a keen observer of the upsetting, the surreal and the darkly amusing. He manages to find humanity and humour in the most dreadful of encounters all the while excoriating the current prison system, which has clearly gone off a cliff in recent times. As well as bemoaning the current regime he does offer fairly well thought out arguments to redress the dire situation. The rather unsexy solution to much of the current issues facing the prison system is to spend more money on staff, infrastructure and education. This is something that Atkins realises is a political cyanide pill but is something that he could clearly see from his time inside. This is well written, funny and warm book which gives insight into the warmth and humanity which is usually kept locked away by your typical inmate. Recommended.

I love watching documentaries of this type so I was really looking forward to reading Chris Atkins experience of life in jail.
Very interesting and an eye opener. I generally follow the American prison system so it was refreshing to see how things are done in the uk! It’s shocking just how bad the system actually is...

An absolutely brilliant book, which I couldn't put down. This so clearly shows that the prison system isn't working for anyone, and the majority of people in prison appear to be just abandoned. As always the educated middle class will survive, but it is heart-breaking to read how the majority of prisoners are treated. A well-written and moving book which should be compulsory reading for all politicians.

Chris Atkins is a film maker, with a young son who gets mixed up in a tax avoidance scheme and ends up being sentenced to five years in prison in 2016. A bit of a stretch was informative, insightful and deeply moving.
The prison he is sent to is Wandsworth and definitely is not the holiday camp vibe you often read about and hear in the media.
He keeps diaries throughout his sentence and it proves to be a fantastic read.
Absolutely gripping book that has you so frustrated at times, on the verge of tears and lots of head shaking. The subhuman treatment of prisoners, prisoners committing suicide and how you are almost immediately disadvantaged by your race, social class and education.
Unfortunately like a lot of our other public services we have too much to do without enough money and everything in this Victorian prison is being stretched to the very limit.
I learnt so much from this book, the volume of drugs, officials making mistakes with court cases, plans to increase the already overflowing prisons, no rehabilitation and days without being let out of cells without showers.
Chris is aware that he is privileged middle class, the right health, skin colour and his mental health status allows him to see the reality into the bureaucracy of prison life he becomes a “listener, ” inmates are trained by The Samaritans to counsel those in distress. The listeners are called out all hours of the day and night to try to help. A number of them became completely overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the prisoners problems.
I couldn’t put the book down, fascinating, a kindness in prison you wouldn’t expect to find and a horrifying harshness. Five big shining stars from me. Thank you Net galley for the advanced copy.

Chris Atkins is a middle class film-maker with a young son when he becomes mixed up in a tax-avoidance scheme and ends up being sentenced to five years in prison. "A Bit of a Stretch" is based on the diaries he kept during his time at Wandsworth, and makes for shocking, informative and discomforting read.

I couldn't put this book down, it was absolutely gripping. Other than the odd prison-based TV show, I haven't given much thought to life on the inside, and probably would have considered myself aligned with the philosophy "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime". But ABOAS was eye opening, and made me realise how much more complex and nuanced the issues with incarceration are.

I found myself frustrated almost to the point of tears on more than one occasion, and horror struck on several attitudes. The laissez-fair attitudes of the staff, the subhuman treatment of the prisoners, and the total obliviousness of the higher-ups harping on about prison reform while having no real understanding of how the prison was being run....as Chris is quick to point out himself, he was one of the more privileged prisoners, being white, middle class and literate, and if this is his experience of the prison system, what must it be like for someone with mental health issues who doesn't have the literacy necessary to fill out a simple form?

I feel this is a deeply moving and necessary book that everyone should read for an insight into what life is really like in a British prison, which is - in contrast to what the Daily Mail and its ilk would have us believe - a far cry from a holiday camp.

A brilliant, disturbing, and insightful book that I will be recommending.

Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I shortlisted A Bit Of A Stretch for a few reason, firstly because of the cover - I vaguely remember the tv show Porridge. My knowledge of prisons and the criminal justice system is limited to the media - newspapers, documentaries, etc so the opportunity to obtain a greater understanding and from a personal perspective was not to be missed.

Chris Atkins, a documentary film maker was sentenced to 5 years for a tax evasion scheme used to fund one of his films. A Bit Of A Stretch is his diary of the 9 months spent at HMP Wandsworth chronicling his induction to his transfer to an open prison. It highlights the challenges he faces trying to assimilate to a new environment. We are introduced to some very interesting characters and situations and it also illustrates the futility of processes and the mental health crisis that is at breaking point within the prison system. The book concludes with Chris Atkins sharing his recommendations for prison reform

At just the point when I asked the question, the author shared the details of why he was incarcerated and updated the reader throughout on the process, which made it clear that even after you are sentenced, it doesn't end there.

A Bit Of A Stretch was Informative, insightful and oddly entertaining. The latter sits a tad uncomfortably, given the subject matter and the humorous moments. Indeed, as does, entire conversations and motivations of other prisoners. However, if it's an accurate reflection and recollection of what occurred then I can see why it's been included in this way.

The format at times felt disjointed because of the diary format, additionally, the short introduction to a subject and then it being repeated multiple times again as a prevalent theme was a minor irritation. However, what was powerful was clearly seeing the effects of prison legislation, ministerial incompetence and administrative inefficiency on an individual.

What stood out for me in particular was how prison mirrored life on the outside and how you were immediately disadvantaged by your race, social class and education. It illustrated, no confirmed that it's who and what you know that will give you an advantage in (most) situations.

Reading A Bit Of A Stretch raised many questions for instance how could the author become a listener in addition to the number of other positions of responsibility within four months? Is that working the system to your advantage or essential because the system needs inmates to step up to these roles for it to function?

Finally, It would be useful within the kindle edition if the citations were footnotes and not endnotes, as it would make it far easier to read the references.

However, these points don’t distract from what was a fascinating read.

3 stars

This is an interesting and eye opening read. It talks about a lot of the failures in the prison system. The facts given have obviously been well researched.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This was a fascinating look into the modern prison. I found it such an eye opener. I’m going to recommend it to the book club in my library as I think many people will get something different out of this book.

This book is about Chris Atkins a journalist and documentary filmmaker. In 2016 he was sentenced to 5 years in prison. The prison in question being Wandsworth. His crime being fraudulent tax avoidance scheme.

We meet some very likeable characters some of whom help him settle into the hard stretched prison system. This book bursts the bubble that prisons are like holiday camps as we go through his day to day struggle to get his glasses repaired and for other prisoners to just be given some support and not to be banged up 23 hours in a day.
Chris finds that by joining the listening scheme, which is what is says, listening to the worries, anger and frustration of his fellow prisoners he can get out of his cell more and also being given extra privileges such as a bigger cell, with tv and added extras.

The drug Spice is rife in the prison Muslims that don't drink alcohol take up going to AA meetings as this is the place to go to get your supply. Some of the prison staff corrupt bringing in allsorts for the inmates.
All the governors worry about are reforms which never work. All Chris worries about is seeing his son Kit and being moved to Ford prison.
His skin colour and the fact that he is middle class and literate all add up to him being given a slight advantage over some of his fellow inmates.

The prison is failing and the prisoners and staff are at risk day in and day out.
The book has some lighthearted parts but it is mainly the day to day struggle of life on the inside which is its focus.
A good book that i really enjoyed. Well worth 5*
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. x

This book was amazing! Documentary maker Chris Atkins was sent to Wandsworth Prison in 2016 after one of his films was found to be made using money funded illegitimately. He wrote this diary during his time there, and it is such a valuable insight into the prison system, and its shortcomings - the thing that stood out for me particularly is how the mentally ill are not properly cared for in prison, and are in fact punished further for their illness, which was really sad (and worrying) to read. the way Atkins has interspersed his diary entries with short researched articles about relevant topics really works well and his writing style is witty and humorous, with echoes of Adam Kay - if you enjoyed This Is Going To Hurt, I would strongly recommend this book.

When I saw this I thought here is another memoir about prison life. However it is so much more than that. It follows the journey of Chris Atkins who has been sentenced to 5 years in prison. He is sent to Wandsworth Prison and at the start life is hard.
But as his journey continues he becomes almost like the agony uncle of the prison, I got the impression that the prisoners are and have not ever been listened to before.
Here is a very insightful look at prison life but from a different angle.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Atlantic Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review

This book was everything I thought it was going to be and more. I particularly enjoy this genre and this book in particular is a great example of why. Would recommend to anyone with similar reading tastes.

I found Chris's story of time inside absolutely fascinating. It was informative, eye-opening, compelling and funny. There's some fact weaved into his story about life inside which makes shocking reading. We learn exactly what it's like to be a prisoner in HMP Wandsworth, one of the largest, oldest and most dysfunctional prisons in Europe.

He's sent to prison after being found guilty of taking part in a tax avoidance scheme to fund his film making and was sentenced to 5 years. From being locked in his cell for 22 hours a day to finding jobs which allow him to be out of his cell which in turn allow him more privileges and a better cell..

He becomes a Listener - which is a prisoner who acts like a Samaritan (they are trained by the Samaritans) listening to those who self-harm, take drugs, are suicidal or just need a listening ear. He also makes some real friends when he's inside - one of which he now visits in prison.

He's got a good relationship with his ex, who brings his young son Kit in to visit and that in turn keeps him feeling like he's still being a good parent to his young son.

He tells it like it is with no frills - the appalling conditions that the inmates live in, officers who couldn't care less, the lack of resources, the filth, the vermin and prisoners with serious drug and mental health issues. The tale has some laugh out loud moments and some highly entertaining episodes as well as a first hand look at what is going on right now in UK prisons. Would highly recommend.

Written in a simplistic and straightforward style, this story quickly draws you in and keeps you turning its pages. The thought of going to prison is at once scary and fascinating and Chris has done a good job of portraying what life is like behind those walls.

Chris Atkins is sent to Wandsworth prison after taking part in a tax avoidance scheme to fund his film production. This eye-opening autobiography of his time there charts the relationships he makes and the balmy way the system often operates.
A prime example is that prisoners have to pretend they don’t know they’re being moved to open prison although they’ve been told by prison officials. If they spill the beans, they won’t go.
Another example is politicians boasting about prisoner schemes that don’t actually exist.
Chris also maintains his relationship with his ex-wife and toddler son Kit despite the system throwing many obstacles in his way, most commonly failing to organise and unlock prisoners for visits.
It’s also fascinating to read about how Chris gets better privileges - for example, working for the prison Listeners scheme entities him to a larger cell.
He is also passionate about the level of mental illness and distress in prisoners and - at the end - suggests how the system needs to change.
The beauty of this book is that it treads just the right line between humanity, humour and telling it how it is. I found it fascinating and hugely enjoyable.

Chris Atkins is a white middle class man who was imprisoned for 5 years for something that he did at work. This book charts his time in a typical men's prison in the UK. I found this book quite interesting as it wasn't really something I knew much about. The media likes to imply that prisoners are experiencing a life of luxury but the reality is that they're locked in a tiny cell for at least 22 hours a day. This book is a really good insight into prison life and its quite shocking in places. I found it lagged a little towards the end but overall a good read.

This was an eye opening read. Chris Atkins, the epitome of a white collar criminal fell foul of HMRC through a tax avoidance scheme that did not work as the film maker found himself on a five year stretch at HMP. Wandsworth.

He was a keen observer from the inside and the book provides a shocking view from the inside of the waste, squalor and lack of resources endemic within our prison service.

Atkins lays bare the appalling conditions faced by prisoners who spend the majority of their day in lock down in their cells.

Rehabilitation and education opportunities are strictly limited and the prison staff themselves are hamstrung by the cuts faced throughout the criminal justice system. .

Atkins is a keen observer of the bedlam he faced and his easy writing style peppered with black humour only makes the serious points and measures for reform that he proposes seem only more crucial.

An important book that deserves a wide audience.