Synopsis
Breaking the Rock: The Great Escape from Alcatraz by Jolene Babyak is a meticulously researched nonfiction account of the infamous 1962 escape attempt from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, focusing on the intricate planning and execution by four inmates—Frank Morris, brothers John and Clarence Anglin, and Allen West—and the enduring mystery of their fate. Babyak, who lived on Alcatraz Island as a teenager during the escape, brings a unique perspective, as her father, Arthur Dollison, served as an administrator and later associate warden at the prison. Drawing on eyewitness interviews, FBI documents, and crime scene analysis, the book delves into the factors that made this audacious escape possible, while also exploring the prison’s vulnerabilities and the unresolved question of whether the three escapees who left the island survived.
The narrative centers on the escape’s meticulous preparation, which Babyak attributes largely to Allen West, whom she considers the mastermind, though some reviewers dispute this, suggesting Frank Morris, a high-IQ inmate, may have been the true leader. The inmates exploited Alcatraz’s deteriorating infrastructure, such as concrete walls weakened by leaking saltwater pipes from the prison’s toilets, to dig through their cells. They crafted tools from stolen materials, created dummy heads from soap and other substances to fool guards during bed checks, and constructed a makeshift raft from raincoats and accordion bellows. Babyak details how the prisoners leveraged prison routines, such as new four-man dining tables that offered privacy for planning, and capitalized on relaxed security measures, ironically influenced by Dollison’s reforms, as well as staff errors, like the closure of an armed guard tower. The book vividly recounts the escape’s execution on the night of June 11, 1962, when Morris and the Anglin brothers climbed through ventilation shafts to the roof, descended to the water, and launched their raft, leaving West behind after he failed to break through his cell’s wall.
Babyak’s account is enriched by her personal connection to Alcatraz, where she lived among 60 other families and was present when the escape siren sounded on June 12, 1962. She describes the chaotic aftermath, including her father’s receipt of the fateful phone call alerting him to the breakout. The book traces the escapees’ presumed route, noting key evidence like a homemade paddle found near Angel Island, matching one discovered on the prison roof. While Babyak leans toward the theory that the escapees likely drowned, citing evidence such as a lost bag of contacts and the fact that many bodies from Golden Gate Bridge jumps during that period were never recovered, she acknowledges the mystery persists due to the absence of definitive proof. She also explores alternative theories, though some readers criticize her for not fully addressing conflicting evidence, like artifacts found in disparate locations or a rumored photo of the Anglin brothers in Brazil years later.
The book’s strength lies in its detailed, suspenseful storytelling, supported by 96 black-and-white photos and interviews with over 175 individuals connected to Alcatraz, making it a definitive resource on the escape. However, Babyak’s occasional use of fictionalized quotes, italicized to distinguish them from verbatim accounts, draws criticism for blurring the line between fact and speculation, sometimes giving the narrative a novelistic feel. Additionally, some readers note minor editorial issues, such as typos, and question Babyak’s dismissal of certain details, like missing prison records or the feasibility of reaching Angel Island versus the Golden Gate. Ultimately, Breaking the Rock not only chronicles a legendary prison break but also examines how the escape exposed Alcatraz’s flaws, contributing to its closure nine months later, and cements its status as a gripping true-crime tale that continues to captivate readers and prison buffs alike.