Conrad Black on his prison life

Former media tycoon Conrad Black has told how he has been expanding his social circle and learning to play the piano during his first year in prison.

Black, a member of the House of Lords, was jailed for six and a half years for fraud and obstruction of justice.

In an e-mail interview with Canadian newspaper the National Post he said his day starts with granola and ends with coffee made by Colombian prisoners.

He also revealed he is giving history and politics lectures.

In an interview with the paper to mark his first year anniversary in the Florida Coleman Federal Correctional Facility, he said there is no violence and "everyone tries to make conditions for everyone as decent as possible".

"It is not difficult to find interesting people to talk to and I have time to read and write," he said.

Coffee drinking

Describing his daily routine, he said he gets up just after 7am, except on weekends and holidays.

"I eat some granola and go to my workplace where I tutor high school-leaving candidates, one-on-one, though sometimes I have to deal with up to four at a time, around my desk, and talk with fellow tutors and other convivial people.

"I lunch around 11am with friends from education, work on e-mails, play the piano for 30 to 60 minutes, return to my tutoring tasks by 1pm, return to my unit at 3pm, deal with more e-mails, rest from 4pm to 6pm, eat dinner in the unit then, and go for a walk in the compound or recreation yard for a couple of hours, drinking coffee well-made by Colombian fellow-residents.

"I come back into the residence about 8.30pm, deal with e-mails and whatever, have my shower etc, around midnight, read until 1-1.30am and go to sleep. On the weekends it is pretty open."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7920648.stm