Current projects include a comprehensive history of the Apollo program, documenting mankind’s epic journey to the moon, which is based on first person interviews with the Apollo Astronauts including Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins; Alcatraz Escape – The Untold Story of the Greatest Prison Escape in American History, a new detailed account of the famed 1962 Frank Morris and Anglin Brothers escape and Al Capone: The King of Alcatraz, a historical account of Capone’s years on the Rock.
Visit www.HistoryArchive.com for more information on current and future works.
Also available from Ocean View Publishing:
Alcatraz — A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years
By Michael Esslinger
Paperback: 464 pages
ISBN-10: 0970461402
ISBN-13: 978-0970461407
NATIONAL EDITORIAL REVIEWS
“Michael Esslinger’s steady gaze penetrates the Hollywood fog surrounding Alcatraz to find an even greater trove of historical riches and human drama than screenwriters could imagine, illuminated in meticulous detail.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“They’re all here, from Capone and the Birdman to tough warden “Salt Water” Johnston and even the “Rock Islanders” inmate orchestra. “Alcatraz” delivers on its promise as a definitive history. Author Michael Esslinger balances the drama of his narrative with an earnest effort to let the facts speak for themselves. The result is a fascinating portrait, sprung from the heart of Devil’s Island.”
—Chicago Tribune
“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.”
—Coast Weekly
“I think you will enjoy reading Michael’s book. Through meticulous research, he has captured the experience of Alcatraz with an authentic voice. It is a skillful blend of history and character study, and a compelling portrait of America’s most notorious prison.”
—Former Alcatraz Inmate Darwin E. Coon
“Many books have been written about Alcatraz, or rather about aspects of its history (i.e., prison life as recounted by former inmates or accounts of the sensational escape attempts), but Michael Esslinger has compiled the first complete definitive history of The Rock. From fortress to military prison to federal penitentiary through the “Indian Occupation” and right down to its present status as a National Park. All the escape attempts are covered in detail, as are the infamous inmates, and the political maneuverings that led to both the rise and fall of Alcatraz. Even Alcatraz movies are examined and both the similarities and contrasts of the real “Birdman,” Robert Stroud, with the character portrayed by Burt Lancaster, are startling. Though boasting an extensive bibliography, the book is the end product of original research at its finest, being based largely on Bureau of Prison records, FBI files, contemporary news accounts, and interviews with many former Alcatraz inmates and officials. And this scholarly and well-written work is a visual delight at 450 pages and with hundreds of photos. Also included is a complete listing of all Alcatraz inmates. The first truly factual work on a much sensationalized chapter of American history, it’s an endlessly fascinating book and makes for great reading.”
— Rick Mattix, Public Enemies: America’s Criminal Past, 1919-1940
“Historian Michael Esslinger offers readers an in-depth portrait of the intimidating and seemingly inescapable American prison in Alcatraz: A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years. Black-and-white photographs enhance a detailed chronicle of this penal institution and its inmates, from its creation as a Mexican military fortress, to its first use as an American Civil War facility of incarceration for prisoners of war by the Union in 1861, down to its final closure in 1963. A detailed, in-depth, definitive, informative, and superbly presented account of an infamous institution of
American history, Alcatraz is a unique and welcome contribution to Penology Studies
and American History reference collections.”
— Midwest Book Review, KNLS Bookwatch
Available at reputable online booksellers including ParksConservancy.org, Amazon.com, HistoryArchive.com, www.alcatraz.us.com and AlcatrazHistory.com.
Letters from Alcatraz Page 39
