Escape from Alcatraz

Escape from Alcatraz

In 1963, just weeks before the original publication of this book, the last prisoner was escorted from Devil's Island, and Alcatraz ceased to be a prison. Author J. Campbell Bruce vividly details the transformation of the rock from a Spanish fort to the high-security prison that housed notorious inmates like Robert Stroud, also known as the Birdman of Alcatraz, and mobster Al Scarface Capone. The chapters describing the daring escape attempts of Frank Morris and two accomplices from this escape-proof prison became the basis for the 1979 Clint Eastwood film. Discover the fascinating and gripping saga of Alcatraz, a name still associated with punitive isolation and deprivation, where America's most violent and infamous prisoners lived in agonizing proximity to one of the world's most beloved cities.

About the Author

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 respected feature writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, a lecturer, and a regular contributor to national magazines. J. Campbell Bruce passed away in 1996.