Bill Stewart lived on the Rock during the last five years it operated as an Army prison and provides the only first-hand account ever of life on Alcatraz during this time. He may be the sole remaining link between the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is now in charge of the island, and the old Army days of Alcatraz that ended in 1934. In Alcatraz Kid, Bill shares admiring glimpses of the West Point engineers who reshaped a useless hunk of hill into the enigmatic curiosity that draws so many visitors today. He also reveals, often with stark realism, what the effect of constant association with prison Trustees - prisoners working daily in his home as cooks and houseboys - has on a youngster whose characters has not yet formed. Anyone with an interest in Alcatraz with find this unique coming-of-age story to be a valuable addition to their library.