Charlie Hopkins, an inmate at Alcatraz in the 1950’s, details his troubled youth, and the path to The Rock, and later changing his ways and becoming a law abiding citizen. Interestingly, Hopkins met the Anglin brothers during his stint at a reform school – John and Clarence Anglin, along with Frank Morris, escaped from Alcatraz in June 1962, leading to wide speculation regarding their fates. In “Hard Time,” Hopkins gives his theories on who located the ventilation shaft used in the famous escape, and the man responsible for the fake heads that fooled the guards.
The book notes the author’s attempt at accuracy, and it is amazing the amount of details he recalled when the manuscript was written in the 1990’s. Hopkins describes his conversations with some of Alcatraz’s most notable inmates – such as Bumpy Johnson, “The Birdman” Robert Stroud, and Alvin “Creepy” Karpis. After Alcatraz, Hopkins was in the same prison as Chuck Berry in Missouri, who was serving time for violating the Mann Act.
Hopkins was born shortly after the great depression, and came into a life of extreme poverty, thus turned to robbery at an early age. After a crime spree which included armed robbery and kidnapping, Hopkins received a seventeen year prison sentence. In the book, Hopkins recalls the brutality of the chain gang. and witnessing prisoners being hung by their thumbs. Ultimately, Hopkins would be transferred to Alcatraz.
In “Hard Time,” relives his days on the “Rock of despair,” but first shares his first impressions of Alcatraz. Hopkins recalls the daily routine, and describes the inmate he hated the most. Hopkins didn’t have any visitors, nor received any letters from his family. However, he made friends during his incarceration at Alcatraz, and honestly felt torn when he was transferred off The Rock, leaving behind friends he didn’t have outside the bars. Hopkins discusses a personality change while in prison, and outlines how he was able to be reformed.
I truly appreciated the memories Hopkins shared, and I find it refreshing that an inmate serving hard time was able be rehabilitated. I also enjoyed Christopher Lane’s outstanding narration. “Hard Time” is highly recommended.
By: Charles Hopkins, Don DeNevi
Narrated by: Christopher Lane
Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
Release date: 09-11-19
Publisher: Creative Texts Publishers, LLC