Eastern State Penitentiary: A History

Eastern State Penitentiary: A History documents the stories of the men and the method that shaped one of Philadelphia s most recognizable landmarks. In this superbly balanced and thoroughly researched volume,
Paul Kahan presents the history of this revolutionary penitentiary, from its inception as a model of the revolutionary Pennsylvania System of incarceration in 1829 to the demands for its closure in the wake of ever-increasing violence in 1971. Through tales of spectacular escapes, official corruption, reformation and retribution, Kahan chronicles the tensions that plagued Eastern State since the arrival of its first prisoners."

Paul Kahan is an adjunct professor of history and sociology at Philadelphia University. Dr. Kahan graduated with a BA from Alfred University in 2001, an MA in modern history and literature from Drew University in 2004 and, most recently, a PhD in American history from Temple University. He has also worked as an interpreter at the Eastern State Penitentiary, and a site administrator for the Fonthill Museum and the Bucks County Historical Society. He lives in suburban Philadelphia with his son, Alec. This is his first book.