Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #92713 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 239 pages

Synopsis
"McVicar by Himself" is a classic prison book. First published in 1974, it led to the film "McVicar" (1980) and also influenced Stephen King's Shawshank's Redemption. The text was handwritten, then smuggled out of prison, but its editor, Goronwy Rees, was refused access to the author. Artnik Media's new edition corrects the consequent inaccuracies, it also includes much new material - often humorous - and updates the book's message. "McVicar by Himself", one of the classics in the prison book genre, was first published in 1974 when the author was serving a 26 year jail sentence for armed robbery. It was to inspire Roger Daltrey of The Who to make the film "McVicar" (1980), which in turn influenced Stephen King's story of the Shawshank Redemption (1982) that itself led to the eponymous movie. Filmfour.com lists "McVicar" top ten real life prison escape movies of all time. John McVicar, who was released in 1978, wrote the script. Although he wrote a postscript for Arrow's paperback re-issue of "McVicar by Himself" (1978), its editor, the ex-KGB agent Goronwy Rees, was still alive, albeit barely kicking and the author deferred to his version, even though it contained inaccuracies.

Artnik Media's new version is completely re-written by McVicar: the early inaccuracies are corrected, much new material added and the book message clarified. It includes hetherto unpublished anecdotes about Britain's most savage criminals of the '60's - the Torture Gang boss Charlie Richardson, his macabre hireling "Mad" Frankie Fraser, even Moors murderer Ian Brady and others who were imprisoned in Durham's infamous E-Wing at the time. McVicar brings the reader inside the mentality of the criminals who in one moment plan to mame each other, then the next join ranks to riot against prison staff, before finally engaging in a treacherous escape bid that only Machiavelli could script. McVicar alone made it: the only prisoner ever to escape from a British security wing. He lasted two years as Public Enemy No 1 with a "Dead or Alive" reward put on his head by Security Express. "McVicar by Himself" is one of those books that you do put down...because you want it to last. It reads like a comedic thriller that between the beats of your racing pulse makes you grin in delight. Yet it can also touch your soul.

At the height of his criminal antics, McVicar took stock of his life and as a result, decided that if he went back to prison, he would never escape again, nor, when he was released, live by crime again. He honoured his deal.

Customer Reviews

A true classic
A classic of the highest order!
Those of you who own an old copy, trade it in immediately.
This is a much improved version of a well-loved story that has everything in it - violence, prison escape, redemption, a study of the human condition...
A vintage McVicar and quite unforgettable.
The 30 anniversary edition is refined and a must have - both for those who have read it and those who have yet to do so.

SORRY, YOU CAN'T WRITE ABOUT YOURSELF IN THIS GENRE
I am happy to read of the exploits of Biggs and Co, so long as another party is involved in the writing of it, thus we know it to be a factual piece. This is why I never go for the pieces written by the subject matter of such genres of books.