Product Description
Inside Alcatraz
Author(s): Jim Quillen
Format: Paperback
My Time on the Rock
One man's account of Alcatraz, a rare and intimate memoir of life inside the world's most notorious prison.
The Sunday Times Bestseller
Each day we saw the outside world in all its splendour, and each day that view served as a reminder that we had wasted and ruined our lives.
Jim Quillen, AZ586 - a runaway, problem child and petty thief - was jailed several times before his twentieth birthday. In August 1942, after escaping from San Quentin, he was arrested on the run and sentenced to forty-five years in prison and later transferred to Alcatraz.
From terrifying times in solitary confinement to daily encounters with 'the Birdman', and what really happened during the desperate and deadly 1946 escape attempt, this is the true story of life inside America's most notorious prison.
Praise for Inside Alcatraz:
'Extremely well written, fascinating, educational [and] insightful' ***** Reader review
'Honest, brave and inspirational' ***** Reader review
'A must read for anyone fascinated by the Alcatraz history' ***** Reader review
'Inspiring, emotional, beautifully written and very difficult to put down.' ***** Reader review
'Amazing true life story' ***** Reader review
About the Author
Jim Quillen, born in 1919, had a difficult childhood; by the time he was an adolescent, he was regularly getting into serious trouble. At twenty-two—chained at the wrists and sentenced to forty-five years behind bars—he saw the inside of United States Penitentiary Alcatraz Island for the first time. Many years later Quillen returned to the island, which by that time was part of the National Park Service system. For several years, he was one of the island’s most popular volunteers—retelling his story as part of the audio tour, and sharing his past with visitors fascinated by his life experiences. Jim Quillen died in 1998 and is survived by his wife, daughter, and granddaughters.
For custom orders and quotes: shop@schoolspace.co.za
© 2026 Schoolspace. This product description is the exclusive intellectual property of the publisher, protected under copyright law. Unauthorized use, adaption, or copying is strictly prohibited.
