One of the most accurate and comprehensive historical books ever written on the history of Alcatraz. A must read books for anyone interested in the history of the Rock, or those preparing a visit.

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Product Description

Alcatraz - A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years is a comprehensive reference with hundreds of pages of historic photographs, documents, and information that breaks away from traditional tourist style books. This book is the result of years of intensive research, and navigates the Island's history through rarely seen documents, interviews, and historic photographs.

Historian Michael Esslinger thoroughly details the prominent events, inmates, and life inside the most infamous prison in American History. His research included hundreds of hours examining actual Alcatraz inmate files (including rare original documents from Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and over a hundred others) exploring the prison grounds from the rooftop to the waterfront to help retrace events, escape routes, in addition to conducting various interviews with former inmates & guards. His study has resulted in detailed accounts of both the 1946 & 1962 Escape attempts. A definitive account of the 1962 escape of Frank Morris and the Anglin Brothers provides rare insight extracted through photos, and over 1,700 pages of FBI investigative notes.

Detailed narratives of Alcatraz's most notable inmates who include Robert Stroud (Birdman of Alcatraz), Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Frank Morris, the Anglin Brothers, Doc Barker, Joe Cretzer, Bernard Coy, Miran Thompson, Sam Shockley, and many-many others. Alcatraz Federal Prison - A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years, is a comprehensive reference on the history of Alcatraz and contains one of the most comprehensive archives of inmate and prison life photographs (nearly 1,000) from 1934-1963.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #112049 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 451 pages

Review
"... a greater trove of historical riches and human drama than screenwriters could imagine."
-- Jeanne Cooper, San Francisco Chronicle

"Through meticulous research, he has captured the experience of Alcatraz with an authentic voice."
-- From the foreword by former Alcatraz Inmate Darwin E. Coon.

"A detailed, in-depth, definitive, informative, and superbly presented account of an infamous institution of American history."
-- Jim Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review, KNLS Bookwatch

"This is a serious book, a comprehensive history of the island during its three decades as a federal penitentiary. At 451 oversized pages, including more than 1,000 pictures, it also represents a mammoth research undertaking... simply a terrific book, and an even better reference tool."
-- Sue Fishkoff, Coast Weekly

About the Author

Michael Esslinger is a historical researcher, whose acclaimed work has appeared in numerous books, film and television documentaries, including segments on the Discovery, BBC, National Geographic and History Channels. In 2003 he published: Alcatraz A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years . Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the most meticulously detailed histories ever written the subject, it has remained a best selling reference since its publication. Michael newest release, entitled Letters from Alcatraz, features a collection of original letters from Alcatraz inmates both on and off the Rock. Their letters capture the essence of life in prison and sometimes painful moments that add up to a richly textured story. It is a finer example of history from one of America's most historical landmarks. The collection features original letters from Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, the Birdman of Alcatraz, Roy Gardner and numerous others, many never before published...
He is also the author of the forthcoming reference chronicling the first expeditions to the Moon entitled: APOLLO - A Definitive History of the Apollo Lunar Expeditions. His research resulted in one of the most comprehensive assemblages of information on the Apollo Program, derived from intensive archival research and over one thousand hours of in-depth one-on-one interviews, which include the elusive Apollo 11 Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. He remains one of the foremost historians on the Apollo Program.
Michael is currently collaborating with Julie Dawn Cole, the original Veruca Salt in the classic motion picture Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on her personal memoir. The book entitled I Want it Now! chronicles her experiences during the entire production and also includes a fascinating portrait of her life and acting career.
Esslinger is a native California coastal resident along with his wife and three sons.

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Customer Reviews

Interesting acquisition
Carefully packed and shipped this precious and rare book, ALCATRAZ by Michael Esslinger.
We are fully satisfied with this interesting acquisition for our library.
Dr Peter Hofstede, Schatsborg Academy Leermens Groningen The Netherlands.

Oustanding exhaustive research!
Michael Esslinger has put years of hard work in this book and it shows!
Pouring over thousands and thousands of files, he has condensed it into this massive brick of a book ,with hundreds of photos and files that quench the thirst of Alcatraz buffs young and old. I noticed two negative reviews which have no merit! One reviewer looks like they're the one who had the agenda by only having one review, which was a negative one against this fine book. For the other, Of course there is mention of the horrors in the book. It was always well documented that it wasn't a pleasant experience to be in Alcatraz. Just look at the rules and regulations!! Don't forget, it was supposed to be a tough prison of the damned and not Disneyland!!

Excellent! It certainly helped me in my research for my webpage on Alcatraz.

Mario Gomes, founder of myalcaponemuseum.com

America's Devil's Island
I was just at Alcatraz last week and I fail to see the elements to it that so fascinate the public at large. Frankly, it's a good place not to go, even as a tourist. I did buy this book from a stand nearby, however, and I wish I'd read it before my trip to "The Rock" because knowing all this went on there might have made the hours I spent in that bleak spot more meaningful. Esslinger's book is a gritty, slightly sensationalized look at the history of a prison every bit as dreaded and infamous in its era as the Bastille was in its day. Here the main facts everyone knows (the Birdman, Al Capone's tenure) are covered, but so is a lot of other material about the living conditions, the construction, the history of the prison, and the site itself, as well as the factors that brought about its downfall (the expense of running the facility, combined with genuine outcries within the penal system itself that Alcatraz was simply too cruel to use as a storage place for human beings). The desperate escape attempts of a number of doomed prisoners---across frigid, shark-brimming waters---and why they universally failed make for gripping reading, and overall, despite the fact this prison is no longer (at the moment) in operation, information of the sort in this book makes you want to be very good in life.