Alcatraz

Shrouded in mystery and rich with history, Alcatraz draws over a million visitors each year. This enlightening volume provides the first complete history of Alcatraz told through its architecture. In friendly illustrations and accessible text, authors Donald MacDonald and Ira Nadel reveal the design decisions that have shaped the island from its first brick and masonry fortress to the infamous concrete cellblock, to the landscape design of its contemporary gardens and bird sanctuaries. Packed with intriguing facts throughout, this little treasure allows an unprecedented glimpse into the life of the island. In a lovely cloth-bound package, this is an eminently giftable book and an entertaining look at one of the nation's most visited destinations.

Award-winning architect and longtime San Francisco resident Donald MacDonald and Vancouver-based author Ira Nadel are the authors of Golden Gate Bridge: History and Design of an Icon.