SKU: 10479030305

Alcatraz: A History of the Penitentiary Years

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Alcatraz: A History of the Penitentiary YearsALCATRAZ the name alone said it all It was meant to send a shudder down the spines of the nation's most incorrigible criminals. It stripped Al Capone of his power. It tamed "Machine Gun" Kelly into a model of decorum. It took the birds away from the Birdman of Alcatraz. When prisoners boarded the boat for Alcatraz, they knew that they had reached the end of the line. Not only was this the toughest of all Federal penitentiaries, but it was also said to

ALCATRAZ - the name alone said it all... It was meant to send a shudder down the spines of the nation's most incorrigible criminals. It stripped Al Capone of his power. It tamed "Machine Gun" Kelly into a model of decorum. It took the birds away from the Birdman of Alcatraz.

When prisoners boarded the boat for Alcatraz, they knew that they had reached the end of the line. Not only was this the toughest of all Federal penitentiaries, but it was also said to be virtually escape-proof. The island was a natural fortress, separated from the mainland by a narrow strait of freezing water and deadly currents. This prison was the U.S. government's drastic answer to the lawlessness unleashed under Prohibition, which continued throughout the "Roaring Twenties" and into the teeth of the Great Depression. Alcatraz, with its damp cold and austere isolation, its rigid discipline and strict rule of silence, was as tough as the criminals that were sent there, and by the time the prison closed down in 1963, "the Rock" had indisputably done its job.

Alcatraz - A History of the Penitentiary Years has sustained as a staple reference for staff members on Alcatraz and remains one of the most comprehensive references chronicling the history. This mammoth reference navigates the island's history through rarely seen documents, interviews and hundreds of pages of historic photographs. Author interviews range from men such as legendary FBI fugitive James "Whitey' Bulger; Dale Stamphill, a principle in the 1938 escape with Doc Barker and Henry Young; to Atom Spy Morton Sobell, the codefendant of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

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 case 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. Esslinger interviewed a variety of principle figures, comprised of both convicts and officers who were either involved, on-duty, or on Alcatraz during nearly escape attempt. Interviews included prisoners and officers that covered each era of operations at Alcatraz from the early military period in the late 1920's, through the federal years, 1934 to 1963.

His study has resulted in detailed accounts of all the recorded escape attempts including the Battle of Alcatraz. A detailed 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 and Bureau of Prisons 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: The 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 (over 1,000).

WARNING: This book contains graphic depictions of extreme crime and violence and may not be suitable for all readers.



Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Ocean View Publishing
Published: 11/22/2016
ISBN: 9780970461469
Pages: 610
Weight: 3.72lbs
Size: 11.00h x 8.50w x 1.31d
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SKU: 10479030305

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Annabelle wilson
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
Quality and Functional
Color: Navy Blue, Color: Navy Blue
I was looking for a case that could rotate and includes a keyboard. I have the gen 5 Ipad Air and it fits just fine. The part that rotates is magnetic (pretty strong) so if i just want the part with the ipad, I can just take it off. Keyboard is magnetic and the touchpad is such a bonus. It was easy to connect and every key works (can also change light color). Im also really impressed with the quality of the case, its pretty thick and even the plastic is nice. The navy blue color is also super cute, wish they had a dark red color too.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2026
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Ellary
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
ABSOLUTELY PERFECT - I LOVE THIS!!!
Color: Pink
I absolutely LOVE this case and the keyboard - it’s absolutely perfect in just about every way. If I had to get nit-picky and find something to give feedback on, I would say it is a bit heavy and it is a bit annoying that you have to move the keyboard forward when you want to use it and backward when you want to close up the case but I don’t care, I love it!
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Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2026
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Kyle K.
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
iPad case
Color: Navy Blue
Great case, functions well and the keyboard is a nice touch. Would recommend.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2026
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C. Coleman
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Quality Case
Color: Pink
This is an All in Pne case. I really like the lavender color with sparkles. It is a little heavier than expected but I still love it!
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Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2026
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Amazon Customer
New York, US
★★★★★ 3
Ok, but don’t use hand cream
Color: Black, Color: Black
I like the case for its ability to house the keyboard, the pencil and the iPad in one convenient place. I find that the magnetic closure and magnets holding the keyboard are not as strong as a previous case I had purchased. The keyboard is great, I like the touchpad and the backlight colors. The cover material is not hand lotion friendly! I’ve tried water and lens cleaning wipes, and neither gets this cover clean. I hesitate to use any chemicals because the material is the type that will get sticky and nasty, and I don’t like that. I’ve included a photo of what the cover looks like after using a lens cleaning wipe. If the magnets were stronger and the cover material easier to clean, I would buy again.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2026

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