Eastern State Penitentiary: A History

by Paul Kahan, Dr. Richard Fulmer (Foreword)

The only comprehensive history of one of America's most infamous prisons, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA.
Looming on the horizon like a storm cloud made of stone, the Eastern State Penitentiary spent more than a century as the fortress that both the law-abiding and criminal feared. In this superbly balanced and thoroughly researched volume, Paul Kahan presents the history of this revolutionary penitentiary, from its inception as a model of the revolutionary Pennsylvania System of incarceration in 1829 to the demands for its closure in the wake of ever-increasing violence in 1971. Through tales of spectacular escapes, official corruption, reformation and retribution, Kahan chronicles the tensions that plagued Eastern State since the arrival of its first prisoners.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2008

About the author

Dr. Paul Kahan is a leading expert on U.S. political, economic, and diplomatic history, with a particular interest in the half-century between Andrew Jackson's election to the presidency in 1828 and the so-called end of Reconstruction in 1877. He earned his Ph.D. in U.S. history from Temple University, an M.A. in Modern American History & Literature from Drew University, and B.A. degrees in history and English from Alfred University.

Dr. Kahan has published several books, including "Eastern State Penitentiary: A History," "Amiable Scoundrel: Simon Cameron, Lincoln's Scandalous Secretary of War," "The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant: Preserving the Civil War's Legacy," and "The Bank War: Andrew Jackson, Nicholas Biddle, and the Fight for American Finance." Find out more about Dr. Kahan and his work by visiting his website, www.paulkahan.com or his facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pkahan

Reviews

[David Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that I see this enormous stonework complex every day, I wanted to dig further into its past. This book basically collects information from newspaper articles, which means its contents lean heavily toward escape attempts and other newsworthy events. The author seems enchanted by the original philosophy of the penitentiary, enough so that the critiques to its original design rarely get harsher than “sometimes they didn’t fully isolate prisoners”, (He fully attempts to deflect the fervent criticisms of Charles Dickens by attempting to discredit his source) but it’s exactly that early state that interests me the most. What happens to the average person when they’re kept in a silent box, alone with their work and their one hour of “outdoor time”?
This book is more concerned with advocating for the Pennsylvania model of imprisonment, it seems.

[Brit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paul Kahan's Eastern State Penitentiary: A History gives a concise overview of the history of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. The historic site is open to the public to visit and explore. I was given this book as a gift.

I have visited Eastern State several times and I am fairly familiar with its history. This book provides a good overview for a beginner and it is easy to read. Kahan utilizes primary sources such as prisoner/worker interviews, memoirs, newspaper articles, prison reports, photographs, and more. This is probably not the book for anyone who wants a more in depth study of Eastern State.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in American criminal justice history and or Eastern State Penitentiary.

[Patti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting book about ESP and the system they used to "reform" the prisoners. For example when a prisoner first arrives after speaking to the warden and classified they were then hooded and led to their cell. This was to provide privacy so that none of the other prisoners would know who was incarcerated.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

We went to Philadelphia for a wedding and stopped to tour this facility. It was amazing. So, I came home and purchased this book to read more about the history of the building and the people who once lived there. This was a fascinating read. I found it to be very interesting.

[Alison Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

a nice general overview of a very unique building. it is a nice supplement to the tour.