Alcatraz 1259

by William G. Baker

This is a true account of life in Alcatraz prison written by an ex-prisoner, William G. Baker, prison number 1259-AZ, who served time there in the 1950's.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Memoir, True Crime, Autobiography, Crime

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2013

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I met Bill Baker at Alcatraz just in February of this year. He is now 82, recently married and visits Alcatraz 2-3 times per week to sell his book. Although I wouldn't normally want to support the income of a former inmate, he has certainly done his time, spending most of his life behind bars (in and out from age 16 to age 80!) His crimes were counterfeiting, stealing a car and escaping from an Oregon prison (probably among some other offenses). He was a really nice man who is trying to make the most of his life at age 82. Who can fault him for that?

His book was written very much as if he were talking and telling his story to someone how recorded it and typed it up for him (probably was). It wasn't super organized, as it jumped around a bit, but I enjoyed his story. What impressed me about Baker, is that he has a strong character, a very sharp mind and a positive outlook on life. He made a myriad of horrible choices and although he didn't always accept his fate when caught, his mind did not wither and die or go crazy, even when in the "hole" for long periods of time. He's funny and witty at times and I have to say, seems to be a likeable man.

Assuming that the information in the book is all true (one never knows, I guess), it's worth the read just for the experience of it.

I say, make the most out of your life now, Bill Baker! It's never too late.

[Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a first hand account of life at Alcatraz as an inmate, I enjoyed the insight given and the stories of prison life.

I found the book easy to read, each chapter is a story in itself which means it's easy to continue if you leave it for a while.

He has a great sense of humour throughout and it kept my interest.

[Donna Galanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a surprise as a great read I couldn't put down! I was lucky enough to meet the author at Alcatraz this month as he was doing a talk and signing. I was fascinated by the prison and his experiences and gobbled up this book. What I enjoyed most is that the book was written in the straight-no bull voice of a convict who was living it in the moment combined with poetic thoughts that came from the heart. It was like a movie in my head filled with colorful characters and events in a harsh environment that also included hope and fellowship. It was the real-deal prison life written plain, without glamor and boasting, yet there are strong, heroic characters that the author encountered and in his humble way we see him as heroic too. Although there is no denying the fact that he is a criminal and deserved to be in there (and all the prisons he was locked up in...and escaped from), we see how he came to be the way he was from a young age and can understand why he is the way he is. I highly recommend this book and also coupled with a visit to Alcatraz. A book to read more than once! The story was so engrossing that I could forgive the numerous typos, spacing issues, and repetitive sections.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it’s odd some reviewers are angry they gave money to a convict. What’d you buy the book for then? Don’t use convicts (or anyone else) for your entertainment and then be mad that you’re also supporting their livelihood.

Anyway, I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Baker before I took my tour on Alcatraz two weeks ago. He was very kind, quiet, and clearly trying to support himself. While I do think his book jumped around a bit, it made it feel more like an honest conversation with someone. With a grandpa, almost. I enjoyed learning more about his story in Alcatraz, and learned a lot that they didn’t share on the tour (for obvious reasons). I’m really glad I bought this book, and really enjoyed reading it.

[Taylor Deskin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baker has a unique voice that paints vivid pictures throughout the book. Not only a great narration but a wonderful insight into the human condition.

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good insight into prison life, so it was cool to read after touring Alcatraz. However it angers me a bit that I just gave this lifelong criminal my money....I had hoped it would be a story about what good he did with his life after prison.

[Ryann Bowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Met this guy when I went to SF and decided to read his book! Very interesting to hear his story and about what Alcatraz was like

[Todd Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this immersive view of former inmate William Baker of his time and his cronies at Alcatraz and the path that brought him there and that he followed post release.

[Roger Smitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Alcatraz # 1259, William G. Baker takes us inside the head of long-term convict sentenced to the most well-known prison in the US. His initial crimes – stealing cards – would not seem to merit a sentence to the island prison in San Francisco. Unfortunately, for Baker, he drove the car across state lines.

Baler’s biography of prisons comes out almost as a stream of consciousness that was recorded and turned into a document. There are moments when he provides some good insights (his fascination with the gulls at Alcatraz) but the reader needs to work hard to find a theme in any of the chapters. He had few visitors and no family support. For example, after a year or more in prison, he sends his grandmother a three sentence letter telling her where he is.

In Baker’s prison, the convicts, not the officers, are in charge. He plays down the raw acts of his comrades and manages to tell us about the high – jinks (stealing food to make beer in the cells).

The book closes quickly after his first release. However, the time in prison did not stop him from a life of crime, as a continued to do non-violent crimes that landed him back in the system.

One take-away is Baker’s ability at times to see beyond the prison to an insight about humans. Another is that the time in prison added nothing to his skills that would lead to a better life. Perhaps the biggest insight is that prison became a place to be—even to the point of going back to an “open-house” at Alcatraz late in his life.

[Helen Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book during a visit to Alcatraz last summer with my family. We met the author, Bill Baker, as he was signing copies of the book in the gift shop (quite a surreal experience really, and my two teenage kids were more than a little nervous about standing so close to a 'real ex-con' to have their picture taken). I packed the book in my suitcase, brought it back to the UK and it has sat on my shelf ever since but I am so pleased that I picked it up again a week or so ago. It is genuinely fascinating book. The author's voice is clear and there right with you as you read and the writing is clever, witty, even beautiful at times. The book provides a genuine, real, honest and surprising insight into prison life. Highly recommended.

[Candice Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely surprised me! I picked it up in the bookstore on my visit to Alcatraz in June of 2021. It was written as if he (Baker) was telling a story to an old friend. It jumped around a lot but told the stories/memories well! His memories are so vivid and I appreciate his transparency.

[PJ Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book signed by the author at Alcatraz while on Honeymoon so I will always remember and be fond of this book. Nothing too spectacular between the covers but a good insight into life on the rock.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met the author at Alcatraz and purchased this book. Pretty interesting in a historical perspective. I recommend this one.

[Dave Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting after picking it up from a charity shop. I've always been kind of fascinated by Alcatraz ever since reading Al Capone Does My Shirts in secondary school (excellent YA fiction, by the way) and went into this one blind.

The book is essentially a recollection of memories from Bill G. Baker, a former prisoner of Alcatraz. I really enjoyed hearing a perspective from a “standard” Alcatraz inmate and learning about the daily workings of the prison. I also really appreciated that it never felt like he needed to overexaggerate or make up stories for the reader, and just told his story as he remembered it - which I found to be more than interesting enough. Well worth a go if you're in any way interested in Alcatraz.

[Emma Sheridan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite conversational and jumped from story to story, but it was an interesting lens into everyday life at Alcatraz (it was great to meet Bill in San Francisco too)

[Rowan Spangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Bill Baker’s voice is SO audible in every story he tells—it feels less like reading a book and more like having a conversation with the actual man. Although much of the book deals with heavy topics and circumstances, most of Bill’s stories are laugh-out-loud funny and he introduces such a charming and unforgettable cast of supporting characters. He still manages to slip in heartbreaking and contemplative lines about incarceration, friendship, identity and even existence. What a wonderful book! I absolutely recommend reading.

[melissaa.maree]

𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘪𝘳𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳����𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴/𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t laughed this hard in a book in a long time - the guy has some good stories I felt like a fool chuckling, but couldn’t help myself. Even better since being at Alcatraz and meeting the guy.

[Xenia Girdler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am torn with how to rate this book. There were passages, paragraphs, sentences or simply a phrase which warranted 5 stars. The author's lens is, at times, poetic, lyrical - a melancholic humour - as he takes the reader meandering down memory-alleys and to linger at long abandoned curb sides. Yet by the same token there is a naive petulance which is distracting or maybe unwittingly providing an insight into Baker I didn't want. Either way the stars would dwindle. Just a little. It was a moveable feast. Having said that, I enjoyed the time I spent hearing William G Baker's voice as it twanged and sang through the pages. I appreciated his recall of incarceration and the psychological measures he used to get through each stint behind bars. I met him - when I bought the book on Alcatraz a few months back. A purchase I was ambivalent about at the time. I am glad, now, that I did.

[Carol_Reads2u · Rating 5 out of 5]

My friends and I toured Alcatraz and they showed this mugshot (on the cover) of one of the prison's survivors and I turned to the old man next to me who looked just like him and said "is that you?" I shit you not, he said yes. So of course I bought this book. In literally no other circumstances would I have ever read or purchased a book like this. I do not regret it but it definitely reminded me that I was chit-chatting casually with an old man who is literally a lifelong criminal. And for the reason that I personally met Bill, I give it 5 stars. Easy and quick read.

[Travis Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alcatraz #1259 is a gripping and authentic memoir that offers an insider’s view of life on the infamous island prison. Written by William G. Baker, a former inmate who served time at Alcatraz in the late 1950s, this book pulls no punches in depicting the harsh realities of incarceration. Baker’s firsthand account is both candid and compelling, providing readers with a rare glimpse into the daily struggles and survival tactics of those confined within the prison walls.

What sets this memoir apart is Baker’s ability to humanize the experience, sharing not only the brutality but also the moments of camaraderie and resilience among inmates. His storytelling is vivid, drawing readers into the atmosphere of Alcatraz, from the cold, damp cells to the ever-present tension among prisoners and guards alike.

Beyond the prison walls, Baker’s narrative extends to his life before and after Alcatraz, offering a comprehensive look at his journey through the criminal justice system. This broader perspective adds depth to the story, illustrating the complexities of a man shaped by his experiences.

For anyone interested in true crime, prison history, or personal stories of redemption, Alcatraz #1259 is an essential read. It’s not just a tale of incarceration; it’s a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to endure and evolve.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this at the Alcatraz gift shop as the author was there signing copies - as I understand, now in his 90s and the last surviving Alcatraz convict! I didn’t have high expectations but it was laugh out loud funny in parts w some interesting insights into daily life at the prison in its heyday. Don’t know that I’d recommend you go out of your way to read this but definitely felt like a nice little coda to the Alcatraz visit. 3.5

[Jenny DeFraties · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging read about one man’s experience getting caught up in the prison system. I had the pleasure of meeting Bill at Alcatraz, and his narration felt just like his in-person storytelling—funny, raw, and a bit vulgar at times. The biggest downside was the timeline, which can be hard to follow since he jumps around quite a bit. Still, it’s an entertaining and insightful read that I’d recommend overall.

[Mady Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great piece of history! I had the pleasure to meet Bill Baker on a trip to Alcatraz and to read his events of what happened is truly amazing! It really shows how life was life in his words and he recounted it like how he remembers it as a prisoner. I love the realness of it! Definitely an book I will remember!

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bill's story was a strong reminder of how reform schools (as they were once called), violence to children, and the prison system are not ways to give new life. I understand reform is necessary in some form, but as is....we need a lot of help. Bill got his soul back (the best part) and entertained me with how a person can make booze in prison with stolen fruit. 🤣

[Joe Allegro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read! We met the author signing books in Alcatraz

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay. I loved this story so much! It was just sooo real. Even crazier after visiting Alcatraz and having the book signed by William Baker!

[Chris Heim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was enjoyable to read this following my visit to Alcatraz. It was there that I met the author, who signed my book and is one of two surviving former inmates at Alcatraz. Though the editing left much to be desired, the anecdotes about Alcatraz and the author's life before and after his time there provided colorful additions to my recent visit to "The Rock" and encounter with Mr. Baker.

[Mark C. Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent account of the author's life, in and out of prison. And an exceptional description of life inside "The Rock".

[audrey 💙 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be an interesting look into life in prison, but I definitely wouldn’t call it well written(but considering the author didn’t have much education, it actually wasn’t bad!).