Invisible Crying Tree

The true story of an extraordinary friendship 

In the summer of 1992, Christopher Morgan, a farmer, joined a penfriend scheme whose aim was to give prisoners a window on the world. He was allocated Tom Shannon, a lifer, inside for murder. Through their correspondence, a strong and honest friendship developed between the two men whose lives were poles apart.  

Never intended for publication, the authenticity of these letter is all the more powerful and convincing. Whilst portraying the grim reality of prison life in Britain in the 1990s, they also reassure us that friendship and respect can prevail in the most unlikely circumstances.  



Royalties from the publication of the Invisible Crying Tree helped to found Shannon Trust, a national charity unlocking the power of reading for people in prison.

‘A small gem of a book.’ Marie Claire 

‘A remarkable insight into prison conditions and human nature…The murderer, defying a poor education…finds an eloquent voice which rings with poetry, humour and a moral certitude.’ Sunday Times 

‘A truly revealing insight into the mind and existence of a “lifer”. A sensitive and telling dialogue between an understanding outsider and a man condemned to life inside prison.’ Jon Snow