Children of Alcatraz Growing Up on the Rock

Alcatraz Island is one of the most infamous places in American history. The maximum-security prison on the " Rock, " once home to criminals like Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and the Birdman of Alcatraz, has long since captured our country' s imagination. But what few people realize is that during the past 200 years, Alcatraz was not only home to criminals-- it was home to many children, too! Over the years, the island has been home to the children of Native Americans, lighthouse keepers, military soldiers, and prison guards. Imagine playing hide-and-seek in the prison morgue, having a convict as your babysitter, or having Al Capone as your neighbor. This compelling photo-essay profiles generations of children who had the unique opportunity of growing up on this isolated island in San Francisco' s shadow. With personal anecdotes, revealing interviews with the surviving Alcatraz Kids, historical documents, and archival and family photographs, "Children of Alcatraz "reveals a one-of-a-kind childhood sure to fascinate readers young and old.Murphy, Claire Rudolf is the author of 'Children of Alcatraz Growing Up on the Rock' with ISBN 9780802795779 and ISBN 0802795773.