Escape from Alcatraz: The True Crime Classic Paperback – April 1, 2005

This book was finished in under 48 hours. The timeliness of Alcatraz as a federal prison is amazing from a historical viewpoint.

This item arrived quickly Via Amazon prime.This book does a particularly good job of summing up the history of Alcatraz, as opposed to simply covering the Morris breakout that the Clint Eastwood film was based on. At the time the book was written, the events portrayed later in the film were still fresh in the author and the publics mind. Indeed, it was this book which is instrumental in the production and development of the film.As stated before, the majority of the book details the conception of the prison, along with its history. There's a vast amount of time and detail dedicated to the lives and experiences of prior prisoners and their own escape attempts. Various administrations are covered, along with the daily routines, habits, jobs, and protests of the inmates. Escapes, murders, trials in the city, the lack of communication with the press, and hearings. The lives and housing of the guards and their families, the smuggling processes within the prison, the deficiencies in medical care, weather conditions, etc. The amount of detail in this book is simply astounding.The family history and childhood of Frank Morris is briefly covered, and his escape is highly detailed. The author then takes time to cover the maybe and why of the escape, along with the veil of secrecy regarding the prison and its reputation. The book closes with an epilogue from the author written 10 years after " the rock is gone". The events and fate of the prison as of September 1973 are described in detail. This includes several brief and unsuccessful attempts by various individuals and groups to lay claim to the island and prison itself, along with various potential ideas and plans for the future.Well-written, exceptionally detailed, and worth every cent. I came away from it with a greater understanding of the entire history of the prison, let alone the famous escape now immortalized by Hollywood. This is an outstanding read, and I highly recommend it.

This book was the background for the Clint Eastwood film "Escape From Alcatraz". I thought it would be a good book for info on that breakout.It is much more than that. This book surprised me in two ways.First of all, as a nonfiction book, I did not expect it to be written so that it reads like a novel. It is really well done. I was captivated from the first by Mr. Bruce's description of Frank Morris being transported to Alcatraz to begin his life there as a prisoner. I started turning pages and was transported along with the prisoner - through the rain and fog to that dismal prison.The second surprise was all the history Mr. Bruce put into the book that went way beyond just this one escape. The book turned out to be a real bonus in that regard. He sketches the history of the island and the area, and then goes into some of the background history of Alcatraz.It's a great read all the way around.

A surprisingly good read. I bought this after seeing the movie Escape from Alcatraz. I expected it to be rather dry. It was far from that. It is a fascinating look into the history of Alcatraz from its beginning. Even though it is not fiction, it reads like a novel due to the almost unbelievable lives of the people who were incarcerated there. If you enjoy history and true crime you will enjoy this

This book presents a balanced perspective of Alcatraz beyond just the escape attempts. It is ostensibly based on the Morris Anglin brothers escape that was the subject of the movie of the same name. However it covers a lot of ground and in the process presents a more balanced view of the prison life in it than is found elsewhere including Michael Esslinger's book. It does not shy away from discussing the harsh and sometimes sadistic treatment of inmates. It refers to the dungeon as a usual feature of the prison and even mentions the subcages there that were absolute torture. The book is very readable and does not present artificial divisions between points of discussion. The fact that the book was written about the time that Alcatraz was closing is significant as the sources of information were available and fresh.

A good read for those who want a bit of insight into the goings on at the prison when it was actively filled with inmates. While it does not give thorough biographies of the more famous inmates, it does describe the many escape attempts by various convicts in detail. You get an idea of just how resourceful a person can be when he is set up for life on the Rock. And you also are reminded of how damp and cold and uncomfortable that prison must have been.

If you ever plan to visit Alcatraz, one of the most famour prisons in the United States, then this movie is a "must see". The prison is not done up to be fancy and painted but remains as it was. The audio tour is chilling. If our prisons were more like alcatraz was, we would have less repeat criminals. After taking the tour, get the movie and relive your experience. It's great and a bargain price for one of Clint Eastwood's great movie!

Well written thorough summary of key moments in Alcatraz history. While the Clint Eastwood movie was based on this movie, the film took a number of liberties. Reading about the real history is a real pleasure. A great quick read.