Eyewitness on Alcatraz: True Stories of Families Who Lived on the Rock

Jolene Babyak has written three excellent books about Alcatraz Island. This one is an easy read with no real heavy or serious material. But the purpose of the book is to describe what it was like as an Alcatraz resident. And Babyak again delivers.If you're looking for stories of Al Capone and escapes, there are plenty of books by former inmates and guards. (Although Babyak's account of the escape of '62 is definitive.) But if you desire to swallow as much Alcatraz knowledge as possible, you must have this book.Babyak is considered the top authority on Alcatraz. In fact, park rangers go to her with historical questions. She has personally interviewed more AZ inmates (including significant ones like Clarence Carnes who survived the "Battle of '46" and Dale Stamphill who was right beside Doc Barker when the guards shot him in the head) than any other author. This lady will educate you about Alcatraz.

I found this book to be a fascinating memoir of an aspect of the island that not many people stop to consider. Ms Babyak demonstrates both a superior knowledge of Alcatraz history, as well as a unique viewpoint of an island resident that is neither guard nor inmate.

It was a great book featuring lots of imformation about the rock. It got me very interested in Alcatraz history. I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did. Jolene Babyak is a great auther and has first hand experiance on this island we call The Rock.