Escape from Alcatraz

The true-crime classic and basis for the renowned 1979 Clint Eastwood film: a “dramatic [and] thrilling” (Los Angeles Times) account of life inside Alcatraz, where America’s most violent and notorious prisoners resided in tortuous proximity to one of the world’s favorite cities

Mobster Al “Scarface” Capone, “Machine Gun” Kelly, Robert Stroud aka the Birdman: only the most violent, desperate criminals were sent to Alcatraz Island—the Rock—where prison conditions were so harsh that escape, riot—even death—were an inmate’s only hope.

In 1963, just weeks before the original publication of this book, the last prisoner was escorted off of Devil’s Island and Alcatraz ceased to be a prison. But how did a Spanish fort transition to the infamous maximum-security penitentiary? In Escape from Alcatraz, J. Campbell Bruce presents a gripping history of the Rock interwoven with a spellbinding narrative of the daring escape attempt by Frank Morris and two accomplices.

This updated edition of Escape from Alcatraz features a gallery of photos, including scenes from the 1979 movie and archival photos of the prison and prison life.In addition to authoring ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ in 1963 and The Golden Door: The Irony of Our Immigration Policy in 1954, J. CAMPBELL BRUCE was a noted feature writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, a lecturer, and a regular contributor to national magazines. J. Campbell Bruce died in 1996.