Super Short Summary

Shakespeare Saved My Life by Laura Bates is a 2013 memoir about her experience teaching Shakespeare to prison inmates, with a focus on Larry Newton, a convicted murderer who profoundly responds to her lessons. Newton collaborates with Bates to create workbooks on Shakespeare, turning his life around through this literary engagement. Set mostly in Indiana prisons, the memoir highlights the transformative power of education and literature. Sensitive topics such as violence, criminal offenses, and suicide are discussed.