Book - Alcatraz: A History of the Penitentiary Years

Alcatraz. The name alone says it all. It was meant to send a shudder down the spines of America's most incorrigible criminals. It stripped Al Capone of his power. It tamed "Machine Gun" Kelly into a model of decorum. It took away birds from the Birdman of Alcatraz. For the men confined within its walls, US Penitentiary Alcatraz (1934-1963) was truly the end of the line. In this massive volume, historian Michael Esslinger takes his readers on a fascinating journey into the world of America's most famous high-security federal prison. Drawing together hundreds of photographs, inmate records, letters, telegrams, and other historical documents, Esslinger goes far beyond Hollywood myths surrounding the Rock and penetrates some of the island's innermost secrets. In the world of USP Alcatraz, sometimes truth was "stranger than fiction"

NOTE: This book contains graphic depictions of crime and violence. Its content may not be suitable for all readers.

Product Specifications:
Paperback, 585 pages
11" tall x 8.5" wide x 1.5" thick
Printed in USA