Quite an interesting telling of the escape of Frank Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin. It has long been believed that they drowned trying to escape from Alcatraz. This book by the nephew of the Anglin's tells of their early lives up until what is believed to be their survival in another country undetected for years. No trace of them has ever been found.

I was hooked instantly. This version was absolutely captivating and I couldn’t put it down.

This book by Ken Widner and Mike Lynch was a captivating and informative read! Written by a family member of two of the famous Alcatraz escapees would be interesting enough, but being able to provide readers with photos, quotes from a variety of sources, documents, and a detailed storyline that could be used as evidence to support the idea that they were successful in their escape is amazing.

The Last Escape details the family life and upbringing of the Anglin brothers, the relationships they forged, prison life for all inmates, "possible" life after escape and much more. In addition to the detailed description of the escape itself, we as readers also get a glimpse of how the escape from Alcatraz had affected the family members of the escapees as well.

There was a lot of information presented in this book that while it was related to the escape felt wordy at times. While reading it, I knew it was going to be important as the story progressed but I kept wanting to get to the exciting parts. However, this is not a reflection of the authors writing but in my ability as a reader to wait for the exciting parts of the escape that I knew were coming!

This book was extremely well researched and was compelling to read. For anyone who enjoy non-fiction books and/or are captivated by Alcatraz and the famous escape, this is a must read.

At first, I was a bit hesitant about this book. The book started slow but as I continued reading I could not put it down. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys learning about history and specifically about Alcatraz. Thank you NetGalley and Globe Pequot for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Alcatraz was "The Rock." The prison that was considered escape proof. While a handful tried to escape, they were either captured, or drowned during their attempt. Alcatraz continued to tout their mantra of being THE one prison no one could escape from - or so they thought.

There is a small group of men that are going to try and test the theory of escape, and what they begin to plot is far more advanced than any other group has tried yet. Every single detail has to be thought out meticulously, and every movement planned with care. But when you reside in a maximum security prison, how likely is it that your plans are going to go unnoticed?

June 11, 1962 is when everything kicked off, and became, perhaps, the greatest prison break of all time. Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin had planned, re-planned, got around all expected barriers, and figured out how to get off the island, with a little help of course. Who else would offer this help? (Seriously, I can't give EVERYTHING away here, otherwise you might not enjoy the book).

Once off the island, the water would be freezing cold. With above said help, and some good luck, the impossible might just be possible.
Based on new evidence, and some pretty compelling photographic evidence on top, it looks as though the three did, in fact, make it off Alcatraz, escaping to Brazil, where they started new lives. In addition to this book, there is an episode on Expedition Unknown (season 10), where this case is examined, and further evidence is brought forth.

My Thoughts:
Honestly, this was a hard book to put down. There are some areas where it feels a bit slow, but overall, the narrative was well-done. You are going to be introduced to the major players, and the lives they led before they were imprisoned at Alcatraz. These details are important, as they will come to bear later in the story.

But to think that three men actually made it, alive, and were able to escape under one of the most daring feats is incredible. Using ingenuity, some down home know how, and what seems to be a complacency of the guards on Alcatraz, the events and items all came together to allow the men to plan and execute this plan.

I was not sure at first, whether the evidence put forth was going to be believable or not. It is hard to think that this massive undertaking could be going on, under the noses of the guards, and no one notice.

Further, it is hard to believe that out of those involved, not one person snitched, trying to gain a lighter sentence or just out of spite. As stated, there is some pretty compelling evidence and data to show that they did escape, and were able to start a new life. However, I think the case cannot be conclusively closed without some DNA evidence as proof. While DNA was not a thing back in the 1960s, today, it would be the ultimate show stopper, allowing history to be re-written, and tearing the idea apart that Alcatraz was an "unescapable fortress."

For those who enjoy history, this is going to be a book you do not want to pass up. Interesting and full of colorful characters.

Thank you to the publishers, the authors, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy of this book.

Thank you so much to netgalley, authors and Globe Pequot for my arc in exchange of an honest review.

Now, I don't know if I liked the book. But I'll tell you why. Since the beginning I felt like the authors were trying to justify criminals and blame on everyone and everything what this guys did. I don't like that. No matter the background, there must be a point where we say criminals are criminals. Saying some knew where the fugitives were and they said nothing wasn't good. Saying they were sons, brothers blahblah in repeat felt weird, like yeah every criminal comes from somewhere, they don't just pop up.

Overall, the book was interesting. Superficially. I know a family member said this would be the best because it tells the real story blahblah but I think, as a reader, it needed more, to be able to keep the readers engaged to the story. It's great to read the pov of the family and great to see all the official documents, and the photos. That was cool.

I recommend the book if you're interested in these kind of books and part of the history. And to Alcatraz history lovers.

Very interesting read. About the prisoners and history of Alcatraz island. Thanks for the ARC from Netgalley.

Situated in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, it was considered by most to be escape proof, including among the inmates.

In the 1930s, Alcatraz was already a forbidding place, surrounded by the cold, rough waters of the Pacific. The redesign included tougher iron bars, a series of strategically positioned guard towers, and strict rules, including a dozen checks a day of the prisoners. Escape seemed near impossible.

Despite the odds, from 1934 until the prison was closed in 1963, 36 men tried 14 separate escapes. Nearly all were caught or didn’t survive the attempt.

However the 11th June 1962, is a day that will forever be forged into the crime history books.

Three men, Frank Morris and brothers Clarence Anglin and John Anglin, did the unthinkable, they escaped!

Their fate… remains a mystery to this day! Or does it!

Alcatraz: The Last Escape written by the brother’s Nephew, Ken Widner alongside award-winning author Mike Lynch takes a deep dive into one of America’s greatest mysteries.

Through connections to stories, photos, and information unknown outside the family, Ken Widner and Mike Lynch gives us a real look into who were Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin and John Anglin.

IMO this is the best book I have read on Alcatraz’s infamous escape. It gave me a look into the beginnings of the three men, the lead up to how they ended up in Alcatraz, their escape and then their life after it.

Working through all the conspiracy theories the authors put forward some solid evidence how the three men survived the escape.

Complete with family photos, family letters and historical photos of the escape, you don’t have to be a true crime fan to enjoy this one!

Thank you to @netgalley and @kenwidner for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review. Alcatraz: The Last Escape is now available in stores.

In the book Alcatraz by Ken Wittner and Mike Lynch, we learn about the angle Brothers in their younger years and they’re slowly but surely bigger and bigger criminal careers. We also learned about when they met Frank and the real escape plan that didn’t come to fruition and the one they left behind. I found this book not only interesting but had lots of things other books didn’t. I did fine on more than one occasion it seemed the authors were apologist for the criminals but I don’t feel right saying that because they didn’t skimp on any of their illegal doings. I also liked all the extras they put in the book like the judges all the stuff from the Alcatraz pamphlet ET see this is a book I definitely recommend unfortunately for the angles mother her third son also died trying to escape from Kelby prison in Florida so essentially she lost all three of her boys because they tried to escape and that is just sad. Whether John and Clarence made it to San Francisco is unknown although evidence does say they survived either way this is a great read and while I definitely recommend if you have an interest in Alcatraz historical True Crime prison escapes or just history in general this is a great book to read. I want to thank the publisher for my free art copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Thank you to Globe Pequot and NetGalley for my advanced-reader copy of this book. This review features my own opinions and authentic thoughts.

Alcatraz: The Last Escape is a compelling account of the Anglin brothers, the infamous Alcatraz escapees, who are widely believed to have drowned during their escape attempt from the equally infamous prison island. Written by their nephew, the book uses a collection of government documents, personal letters and testimonies, and photographs to paint a strong case that the brothers actually survived. In fact, Widner suggests that his uncles escaped with the help of their mobster friend Mickey Cohen and wound up in Brazil, living out their lives and fathering children.

I’m fascinated by this case and have been for years, so I enjoyed this engaging read. It was super interesting to see government documents and even read the somewhat intrusively private personal letters. For all the petty crimes they committed, they were humans, brothers, sons, after all. The format was a little hard to follow at times, and I could just about let the reconstructed dialogue pass – it took me away from the overall story, because it just felt cheesy and forced. I also found it emotionally captivating: here is a nephew desperately reconstructing the potential story of his uncles and whose family has been irrevocably changed by their actions and paths. Is it his wishful thinking? I finished the book with more questions than before!

This book has in interesting view on the escape. While I have read and watched shows on Alcatraz and the escapees I have never knew about the how they got to where they were suspected to be. It would be really awesome to find out for sure. I liked the bit of info on how the book came about. I felt the info in this book was a bit repetitive but I enjoyed reading it.

This book by Ken Widner and Mike Lynch was a captivating and informative read! Written by a family member of two of the famous Alcatraz escapees would be interesting enough, but being able to provide readers with photos, quotes from a variety of sources, documents, and a detailed storyline that could be used as evidence to support the idea that they were successful in their escape is amazing.

The Last Escape details the family life and upbringing of the Anglin brothers, the relationships they forged, prison life for all inmates, "possible" life after escape and much more. In addition to the detailed description of the escape itself, we as readers also get a glimpse of how the escape from Alcatraz had affected the family members of the escapees as well.

There was a lot of information presented in this book that while it was related to the escape felt wordy at times. While reading it, I knew it was going to be important as the story progressed but I kept wanting to get to the exciting parts. However, this is not a reflection of the authors writing but in my ability as a reader to wait for the exciting parts of the escape that I knew were coming!

This book was extremely well researched and was compelling to read. For anyone who enjoy non-fiction books and/or are captivated by Alcatraz and the famous escape, this is a must read. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book as an ARC and i look forward to adding a copy to my bookshelf after its official release.

I love reading books about Alcatraz, and this one is no exception. I couldnt put it down. I hope to get the chance to read more.

I found this book to be captivating. The addition of photos and documents added a nice touch to the reading experience. Exploring the lives of John and Clarence was engrossing, and I appreciated learning more about them. However, I encountered some difficulty following the formatting and style of the book at times, which was my only minor complaint.

I would like to take time to thank Globe Pequot and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of the factual happenings behind the infamous escape from Alcatraz.

“Alcatraz: The Last Escape” is a carefully crafted account, written by family members of the notorious escape artists that all but proves the successful escape from inescapable prison.

Widner and Lynch gain ethos with a detailed background of the criminal’s childhood, upbringing, early encounters with the legal system and then lifelong illegal activity. Quite frankly, John and Clarence Anglin were destined for prison their entire lives, until they weren’t.

The co-authors do an incredible job incorporating photographs, documents, letters and historical artifacts to help ferry the reader through the life and mischievous journey of the two brothers.

Towards the end of the book, a lot of the story is left to interpretation, hear-say and conjecture, which was inevitable considering the two brothers were forced to disappear and cut ties completely with their former lives. So although necessary, the reader is left with a sense skepticism in moments of fabricated dialogue between characters left in the story.

Overall, the book was well paced, well researched and entertaining. I will be grabbing the hard copy for my collection as soon as it hits shelves.

Fascinating story of 3 brothers rumored to have escaped the unescaple Alcatraz prison. Written by family the book details how the escape was pulled off.

A very interesting and detailed look into the infamous escape from Alcatraz.

Knowing that the author is a member of the family makes the book feel more intimate and the details about the upbringing was fascinating, especially the relationships with the siblings.

When Frank Morris and the brothers John and Clarence Anglin escaped from Alcatraz, their bodies never recovered from the freezing waters of San Francisco Bay, what resulted was decades of speculation. The most common is that they drowned, their bodies swept out to sea.

This new account of their escape, written by a nephew of the Anglins, suggests that they were able to successfully escape with the aid of mobster Mickey Cohen, and make their way to Brazil, where they lived out their lives. It's tempting to discount this account as wishful thinking, and the authors use of reconstructed dialogue doesn't help matters. But I found the book persuasive. An important addition to the growing body of literature on "the Rock."

This was an excellent book about a subject that has intrigued me for years. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Alcatrez, especially the last escape, to read this one.