My kids and I listened to the book tape Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. I thought this book would bring Alcatraz alive for my kids when they got there. The book did an amazing job of describing the prison grounds and inmate quarters that I think the kids got more out of the tour. We didn't do the night tour, but it was spooky nonetheless. I found it interesting what one criminal said about his stay at Alcatraz. He said it changed him and he left a reformed man, never wanting to break the law again. With the number of repeat offenders running around today it makes you wonder if Alcatraz wouldn't better serve the public by being reinstated as a prison rather than a tourist attraction...
The Island's original name translates as "the island of the pelicans", but it was affectionately known as "the rock" to the criminally minded during its 29 years of operation. Alcatraz officials boast that no one ever escaped from Alcatraz. The 3 men who did escape were never found and the official report says they died at sea. However Bentley maintains they survived the strong currents, freezing water and sharks and they are all now sipping soda on the sand in South America. Guess we'll have to watch the movie Escape From Alcatraz...
2 comments:
Gosh I wish we would have stopped to visit but we didn't. Thanks for the amazing info.
Love your pictures from SF. I was too scared to visit the Rock, naybe when the kids are older.
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