Intractable Hell Has A Name Katingal Life Inside Australia's

Biography & Memoir Australiana True Crime

Intractable: Hell Has a Name – Katingal by Bernie Matthews lays bare the brutal reality of life inside Australia’s most feared prison unit. In this raw 2006 Pan Macmillan paperback, the author recounts his own time behind the razor wire, turning criminology statistics into a visceral true-crime memoir.

Readers of Australian true stories and prison autobiography will find Matthews’ voice unflinching yet deeply human as he exposes the systemic violence that earned Katingal its notorious reputation. The 432-page narrative moves at break-neck pace, balancing personal reflection with wider commentary on incarceration policy.

This second-hand copy remains in good, gently-read condition: pages are clean and binding tight, with only a handful of dog-eared corners hinting at previous engrossed readers. No writing, tears, or smoke odours—just a solid volume ready for its next journey.

Perfect for collectors of Pan Macmillan true-crime paperbacks or anyone seeking an unfiltered look at Australia’s penal history, Intractable delivers an unforgettable glimpse into a chapter many would prefer to forget.