The Bird That Never Flew

by Johnny Steele

All his life, "Johnnyboy" Steele has been running. First it was from an abusive father, then it was from the rigors of approved school, and finally, it was from the harshness of prison life. This title follows in the dangerous footsteps of a major figure in the Glasgow underworld. It tells of how John and his older brother Jim became legends and why they became heroes in prison. Preceded there by the reputation of his safeblower father, Steele's rebellious nature led him to defy a brutal system that prized the breaking of the human spirit above the breaking of old habits. He rebelled, meeting violence with violence, leading riots, and planning dramatic escapes. The book details how the brothers staged a daring breakout from Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison and recounts what happened when their younger brother, Joseph, was falsely accused of the greatest mass murder in Scottish legal history.

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Shaun Attwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

the eloquently written story of a major figure in Glasgow's underworld who served almost 20 years, it's a masterpiece

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, funny, sad, interesting and a bit harrowing in places from what I remember.