Customer Reviews

Fortress Alcatraz: Guardian of the Golden Gate

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For the first time, the fascinating story of the U.S. Army's nearly 90 years on Alcatraz comes to life - coastal guns, Civil War and San Francisco, army family life on the island, and tales of the military prison. John Martini describes the Rock in a lively manner and gives us an exciting history, well-illustrated with rare 19th-century photographs." Erwin N. Thompson Historian

Not living in California, I only knew Alcatraz as a prison. That's only the tail end of the history of this rock.

I was making a trip to San Francisco with two Japanese visitors who wanted me to be the tour guide. Well, I only knew the city from a sightseeing bus in 1963 and a few brief trips over 30 years ago. I obtained Martini's book to get a flavor of the history of the rock, intending to skim it only. NOT! You can't skim this book. The many, many photos showing the various aspects of the island's history grabbed me immediately. The narrative is knowledgeable (the author was a tour guide on Alcatraz in his youth)and amusing. I couldn't put the book down, reading it from cover to cover before my trip.

The high rating I give this book is an easy call.

Author John Arturo Martini also maintains a web site to update informational materials and publicity for the book. It's at http://www.fortressalcatraz.com

A former park ranger stationed at Alcatraz and a military historian, Martini takes readers into the days before "the Rock" became a prison. Starting with the first mappings of San Francisco Bay by the Spanish and English through the modern day, Martini presents an amazing number of photographs of and stories about life on Alcatraz. Particularly interesting is how designs for the fort and its armaments changed over the years from the Mexican-American War through the Civil War and through to World War II. It's quite a different look at the island that the common focus on Al Capone, the Bird Man and other inhabitants of the federal prison.

John Martini's well-thought-out work gives a very readable, historically accurate look at the "fort period" of Alcatraz Island. John brings the old fort to life, and gives a visitor to Alcatraz a new perspective on the historic site. A real treasure are the numerous photographs John was able to obtain through painstaking research - most were mislabled in the Archives! As a total package, the book is very enjoyable and informative - a very good read.

This book has amazing details about the history of Alcatraz! I especially enjoyed learning about the Northwestern Pacific trains on barges that brought prisoners to the island and the role that Alcatraz played in the harbor defense fortifications from the Civil War through World War II. Too many people only think of Alcatraz as a home of Al Capone and other lesser cons when the island has a much more important history. Another well documented history lesson!

Robert R. Talley
Author, "Child on the Home Front"