Escape From Alcatraz

By J. Campbell Bruce

Book Overview

In 1963, just weeks before the original publication of this book, the last prisoner was escorted off Devil's Island and Alcatraz ceased to be a prison. Author J. Campbell Bruce chronicles in spellbinding detail the Rock's transition from a Spanish fort to the maximum-security penitentiary that housed such infamous inmates as Robert Stroud, aka the Birdman of Alcatraz, and mobster Al "Scarface" Capone. The chapters describing the daring escape attempts by Frank Morris and two accomplices from this "inescapable" prison became the basis for the 1979 Clint Eastwood movie. Discover the intriguing and absorbing saga of Alcatraz, whose name is still synonymous with punitive isolation and deprivation, where America's most violent and notorious prisoners resided in tortuous proximity to one of the world's favorite cities. The true-crime classic first published in 1963 is reissued in this special edition. Includes archival photos of the prison and prison life. This story will appeal to Bay Area locals and tourists alike. Alcatraz hosts more than a million visitors each year.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580086780
• ISBN13: 9781580086783
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Rock History

Escape from Alcatraz would be more appropriately named The History of Alcatraz. On most levels, the book is well put together. The number of misspellings is grotesquely unacceptable, but the content is reasonably thorough. The book begins at the discovery of the San Francisco island by Spanish settlers and continues through the closure of the prison. The book documents each of the attempts to break out of Alcatraz. Unfortunately, no inmate is confirmed to have escaped alive from The Rock. Many of The Rock's most famous inhabitants are discussed including Al Capone. I particularly enjoyed the stories of how the inmates passed their time. Bootlegging took on a new meaning in Alcatraz when inmates made pruno. Pruno often included such exotic combinations as milk and gasoline. The book is concluded with the closure of the prison. There is no doubt that Alcatraz was a brutal prison that drove some men insane and others to suicide. While it was not a deterrent to crime, it was an effective punishment for crime. Had the condition of Alcatraz not deteriorated so much since the Civil War, it may still be punishing criminals for there crimes.

The history of the Rock

Escape from Alcatraz depicts the full history of this infamous prison stronghold. It reflects how life was on the Rock and details the circumstances when and how 23 convicts attempted or succeeded in escaping from the island prison - the latter few never to be ever seen or heard of again. If you are interested in Alcatraz you need go no further than reading this book - it is really that good !

More than just the movie: a history of the Rock.

Most people know of Escape from Alcatraz from the movie staring Clint Eastwood. However, the famous prison has enjoyed a long and colorful history. Written by J. Campbell Bruce, a San Francisco Chronicle newspaperman for over forty years, the book delves into the history and social significance of Alcatraz Island. Beginning with its discovery and subsequent use by Native Americans, the book takes us through the island's history as America's "unescapable" prison. The books most recognizable chapter, by far, deals with the mystery shrouding the prison's most famous escape attempt. This section of the book became the basis for the film Escape from Alcatraz. The book is very intersting as a historical account of both the island and the San Francisco Bay Area. It comes highly reccomended from this reader.