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Last Train to Alcatraz: The Autobiography of Leon (Whitey) Thompson, Former Alcatraz Inmate
"Thompson was able to commit over 30 successful bank robberies during the 1940's, before neing informed on. He received a 15 year sentence, of which he spent ten years at McNeill Federal Penitentiary in Washington, before he was transferred to the most infamous prison in the federal system... "The Rock"- Alcatraz. A large portion of the book is dedicated to describing the routines of daily life in prison, both at McNeill and Alcatraz. Whitey was generally regarded as one of the meanest inhabitants of the cell block. He participated in an extortion racket, and generally built a shell of hate around himself. He was always on the lookout to exact revenge on his fellow inmates, for any perceived slight. After his transfer to "The Rock" Whitey began to experience a slow change in his character. His legendary recalcitrance began to recede... and he developed better relations with his fellow inmates. He even softened a bit toward a couple of the guards. One of the main causes of this transformation was his discovery of painting. In fact Thompson's release at the end of this segment in his life, along with his noble efforts in creating a post-incarceration existence for himself, are nothing short of amazing. Whitey includes a basic outline of some of the formative events of his youth... and the overall tale is quite harrowing. He was completely without family support, and left to fend for himself during the difficult years of the depression. Even his experiences in the Navy during WWII suggest that he was fated for self-destruction. The negotiation of the specific mores and interrelationships of prison life honed his character to a sharp edge, and presented significant challenges to his readjustment into society. Last Train to Alcatraz gives us a full plate- with grit, horror, and ultimately... redemption.
332 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 21, 2017
Interesting account. Not for the faint hearted if you can't handle vulgar language. Looking forward to going to tour Alcatraz again soon in the future.
July 4, 2020
4,5 stars
In October 1998 I was in San Francisco and of course also visited Alcatraz Island. After I've finished the audio tour over the premises and seen the cells, and the small court the inmates could use, I came by the souvenir shop. There was a small table with lots of red books that caught my attention. An old man, with a grey beard and a pony tail was signing them. I had missed his speech and they were already in the final stages of the Q&A session, so I didn't learn much about this person or his story. And the book was a costly $20. Still, I was curious and also intrigued by the life story of someone who was once an inmate here. So I bought the book, plus got myself an autograph of Mr. Thompson. I didn't regret it!
The book begins with the childhood of Leon Thompson, which was not a very nice affair. He was out on the street and responsible for himself at a very young age, and thus was easily led to petty crimes. He then went into the military and served in World War II, but was finally discharged from the army for bad-conduct. Thompson claims that this was not justified. It definitely was justified that he went to prison some years later, after robbing countless of banks. He apparently never got enough money from one robbery that he could live off of it for a while. In 1958 he got transfered to the high-security prison in the bay of San Francisco, where only the really bad guys had to go. In his former prison he threatened to kill a guard, and so off he went to Alcatraz.
He spent 4 years there in Alcatraz, but he himself says that every year on "The Rock" feels like several years in a 'normal' prison. Life was definitely hard for the convicts there. Thompson was also there when the most famous escape took place, where 3 inmates used spoons from the cafeteria to dig holes in their cell walls, placed papier maché heads in their beds to fool the guards (and those dummy heads where still on exhibit when I was in Alcatraz 1998) and finally disappeared into the freezing bay. The movie starring Clint Eastwood
gives the impression that they have made it. Leon Thompson is of a different opinion. It's not possible to survive in those waters, he says.
Shortly after this incident, Leon Thompson himself left Alcatraz as a free man. Just a couple of years later he was back behind bars, he violated his parole. Alcatraz was already closed as a prison by then, so he spent the next 10 years in the equaly 'famous' San Quentin. After he got released from there in 1975, he was already 52 years old, married a woman he had been writing letters with for the past few years. And he started his finally lawful life.
His wife encouraged him to write his autobiography, although it was very hard for him to formulate his thoughts and memories. His education was very poor, and he was not a natural born writer. But eventually, and with the help of his wife, he finished his tale - but then couldn't find a publisher. So the couple finally published the book themselves with borrowed money, and went with 500 copies of the book back to Alcatraz. They sold all of them there in the souvenir shop in just one week!
I don't know if my copy is one of those first 500 (the book was initially published 1998), or if I have one from the second or third round already. Either way, I'm glad that I've bought the book and read it. It's especially fascinating when you keep in mind that it's a true story.
In October 1998 I was in San Francisco and of course also visited Alcatraz Island. After I've finished the audio tour over the premises and seen the cells, and the small court the inmates could use, I came by the souvenir shop. There was a small table with lots of red books that caught my attention. An old man, with a grey beard and a pony tail was signing them. I had missed his speech and they were already in the final stages of the Q&A session, so I didn't learn much about this person or his story. And the book was a costly $20. Still, I was curious and also intrigued by the life story of someone who was once an inmate here. So I bought the book, plus got myself an autograph of Mr. Thompson. I didn't regret it!
The book begins with the childhood of Leon Thompson, which was not a very nice affair. He was out on the street and responsible for himself at a very young age, and thus was easily led to petty crimes. He then went into the military and served in World War II, but was finally discharged from the army for bad-conduct. Thompson claims that this was not justified. It definitely was justified that he went to prison some years later, after robbing countless of banks. He apparently never got enough money from one robbery that he could live off of it for a while. In 1958 he got transfered to the high-security prison in the bay of San Francisco, where only the really bad guys had to go. In his former prison he threatened to kill a guard, and so off he went to Alcatraz.
He spent 4 years there in Alcatraz, but he himself says that every year on "The Rock" feels like several years in a 'normal' prison. Life was definitely hard for the convicts there. Thompson was also there when the most famous escape took place, where 3 inmates used spoons from the cafeteria to dig holes in their cell walls, placed papier maché heads in their beds to fool the guards (and those dummy heads where still on exhibit when I was in Alcatraz 1998) and finally disappeared into the freezing bay. The movie starring Clint Eastwood
gives the impression that they have made it. Leon Thompson is of a different opinion. It's not possible to survive in those waters, he says.
Shortly after this incident, Leon Thompson himself left Alcatraz as a free man. Just a couple of years later he was back behind bars, he violated his parole. Alcatraz was already closed as a prison by then, so he spent the next 10 years in the equaly 'famous' San Quentin. After he got released from there in 1975, he was already 52 years old, married a woman he had been writing letters with for the past few years. And he started his finally lawful life.
His wife encouraged him to write his autobiography, although it was very hard for him to formulate his thoughts and memories. His education was very poor, and he was not a natural born writer. But eventually, and with the help of his wife, he finished his tale - but then couldn't find a publisher. So the couple finally published the book themselves with borrowed money, and went with 500 copies of the book back to Alcatraz. They sold all of them there in the souvenir shop in just one week!
I don't know if my copy is one of those first 500 (the book was initially published 1998), or if I have one from the second or third round already. Either way, I'm glad that I've bought the book and read it. It's especially fascinating when you keep in mind that it's a true story.
February 3, 2012
A favourite as a child, it's an horrific tale of life on Alcatraz Island and other prisons. Nothing is held back.
June 30, 2021
An interesting story to hear how an individual had pretty much behind the eight ball starting in his childhood. His father really didn't do him any favors with the way he treated him. Needless to say it wasn't long before he ended up in prison. I noticed that the way the author describes. himself it really appears as though for so much of his life he was just a very mean person. But he came a long way and persevered through the monotonous doldrums of prison life. This is one of those things that being as this is an autobiography and the author is trying to sell his book, you just have to wonder how much some of the things that the author describes are accurate and factual. Even so, I found it to be an interesting read.
October 3, 2022
The autobiography jumps around in the beginning between Leon “Whitey” Thompson’s childhood and various prison stints but once he’s transferred to Alcatraz the story line remains there until his release. It would have been interesting to hear about Whitey’s life after he was released since the last chapter summarizes it too quickly. How did he get into public speaking? What influenced his later life decisions? How did he reflect on his past decisions?
November 9, 2018
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I definitely would!
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January 14, 2023A
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2017
I stand convicted of not reading the book, but I have a personal Whitey story from Alcatraz. My friend and I went on vacation to California in what was likely 1989. We flew into San Francisco, and being two single guys looking for some excitement, took the tour of "The Rock".
The ferry ride (like the Recreation Yard) was windy as a bastard. We received a head-set for an audio walking tour, guiding us to cells of its more infamous residents, like Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and "The Birdman". While we were exploring the facility, wondering what it was like to be caged there, we noticed a guy sitting at a table signing books. There were about 30 people standing around waiting for him to speak. We took the head-set off and listened.
His name was Whitey Thompson and he had written a book about his experiences as a prisoner at Alcatraz. If we bought the book, he said he would sign it. He spent about 15 minutes telling his story. What I remember is that he was a danger to inmates at another Federal maximum security prison. He was "hired" by fellow cons to collect unpaid debts. His method of extracting payment was, as he described, to "cave-in their skulls". He was considered incorrigible and unfit to live among the general prison population, so he was sent to Alcatraz.
He claimed to now believe in a higher power and to no longer be the same person. About 10 minutes after saying that, he contradicted himself and stated that he didn't regret anything he had ever done. That struck me as incongruous. I waited until the Q & A to point out the incongruity.
I will never forget the look he gave me. It was not your garden-variety dirty look. It was a dirty look, accented with "I am going to rip the heart out of your chest and saute it in olive oil, with some minced garlic and basil". You know, that look. It was chilling.
After he finished speaking, about a half a dozen women upbraided me for the accusatory question. They insisted that he had changed his life, should not be challenged on the past and was entitled to be treated in a more gentle manner. I reminded them that he caved people's heads in for cigarettes and should show a little more contrition.
I have met killers before and, I assure you, Whitey was stone-cold.
I spoke today for the first time in years with my friend who ferried with me to Alcatraz. He reminded me of that brief sulfurous exchange. In 2005, Whitey departed for the great penitentiary in the sky. It's time to read his book.
Update: I read the book. It covers his singular abusive childhood, the crime spree leading to his arrest, his incarceration at McNeil Island (where he served as a "collector") and his transfer and final years of prison at Alcatraz. I regret challenging him at the book signing solely because of the merciless beatings and absence of love in his childhood. "There but for the grace of God [go I]"...
The ferry ride (like the Recreation Yard) was windy as a bastard. We received a head-set for an audio walking tour, guiding us to cells of its more infamous residents, like Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and "The Birdman". While we were exploring the facility, wondering what it was like to be caged there, we noticed a guy sitting at a table signing books. There were about 30 people standing around waiting for him to speak. We took the head-set off and listened.
His name was Whitey Thompson and he had written a book about his experiences as a prisoner at Alcatraz. If we bought the book, he said he would sign it. He spent about 15 minutes telling his story. What I remember is that he was a danger to inmates at another Federal maximum security prison. He was "hired" by fellow cons to collect unpaid debts. His method of extracting payment was, as he described, to "cave-in their skulls". He was considered incorrigible and unfit to live among the general prison population, so he was sent to Alcatraz.
He claimed to now believe in a higher power and to no longer be the same person. About 10 minutes after saying that, he contradicted himself and stated that he didn't regret anything he had ever done. That struck me as incongruous. I waited until the Q & A to point out the incongruity.
I will never forget the look he gave me. It was not your garden-variety dirty look. It was a dirty look, accented with "I am going to rip the heart out of your chest and saute it in olive oil, with some minced garlic and basil". You know, that look. It was chilling.
After he finished speaking, about a half a dozen women upbraided me for the accusatory question. They insisted that he had changed his life, should not be challenged on the past and was entitled to be treated in a more gentle manner. I reminded them that he caved people's heads in for cigarettes and should show a little more contrition.
I have met killers before and, I assure you, Whitey was stone-cold.
I spoke today for the first time in years with my friend who ferried with me to Alcatraz. He reminded me of that brief sulfurous exchange. In 2005, Whitey departed for the great penitentiary in the sky. It's time to read his book.
Update: I read the book. It covers his singular abusive childhood, the crime spree leading to his arrest, his incarceration at McNeil Island (where he served as a "collector") and his transfer and final years of prison at Alcatraz. I regret challenging him at the book signing solely because of the merciless beatings and absence of love in his childhood. "There but for the grace of God [go I]"...
June 17, 2013
I only made it a few pages into the book and decided if I was a guard I would put Whitey in the hole and beat him senseless too. I mean *really* flooding your cell because you suddenly want a new one... and talking about yourself in the third person is just weird ><
March 13, 2014
So detailed. I love when people's memoirs are honest and don't claim that everything is perfect and the pain is over. This shows that even though the pain of his past is still with him he has learned from it and still continues to learn from it.
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February 11, 2017After "Whitey" was through selling autographed copies of'Last Train",he would come to the American Youth Hostel in the Presidio(Marina).That's where I met him and he didn't seem like such a bad dude.Me:"So what are you doing ,now?"
Whitey:"I don't know,what are you doing ?"and a slow smile.
Whitey:"I don't know,what are you doing ?"and a slow smile.
December 18, 2021
Really really bad. This man wrote a book and throughout it he pretty much admits a bunch of racist and homophobic things he said. This book also just seemed to drone on forever and ever and it got pretty boring sometimes.
August 23, 2013
so great. so great
May 29, 2016
This was a very interesting book and was even better to read since I just toured Alcatraz a couple of weeks ago. The writing style was a little rough but I expected that.
August 6, 2008
I actually met Whitey at Alcatraz and he is truly a man who seemed to be repentant of his crimes.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews