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debonairsaltydog's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
designwise's review against another edition
5.0
The life of a burglar and a bum, supposedly this was William Burroughs' favorite book.
paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting piece of social history following the story of someone living life on the road, living as a hobo, traveling the boxcars, and being drawn into the life of the petty criminal, slipping in and out of jail. Once you get over the social history part, the way hobos folded the clothes and placed their shoes when they slept, the meetings and information exchanges between different people on the road, the actual stories are pretty dull, and Jack Black does nothing to evoke tension or emotion. He tells everything, almost deadpan, as it happened, and as it happened it didn’t make unputdownable reading.
janellerad's review against another edition
4.0
A really good glimpse at a part of history that is usually not exposed. Black does a great job detailing his many robberies and burglaries, as well as his life on the rails. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to gain an insight into the life of beggars from the 1880s to the early 20th century.
ambersnowpants's review against another edition
5.0
I sort of wish that Goodreads had a star beyond five sometimes. If they did, I would put this one there. I read this book a little over ten years ago now and I couldn't forget it. I think about this fella and his incredible balance of bad-assery and compassion all the time. This book is a cult classic and if you don't read it, you'll be super sad. His writing style is simple. So simple that the most complex of emotional, heartbreaking situations are reduced to a concentrate that socks you in the gut page after page. A real stand-up guy that took the hard road; riding the rails, friend to cultural lepers, a brilliant and honest thief. He makes no excuses for himself. He lays his tale for good or bad toward the reader with complete grace. Jack has a cynicism and wit that would resonate with most anyone but it is really his mercy and kindness that turn the book into something remarkable. So, if you would, anyone...just get this book. You won't regret it and then get a copy for someone you love.
grassandrogers's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
oedipa_maas's review against another edition
5.0
If you have even the slightest interest in the life of a turn-of-the-century criminal (mostly burglary), you should pick up this book. It's a curious and surprisingly quite articulate autobiography by a career thief and professional bum in the Old West from the 1880s through the 1910s, and he spends about half that time in various prisons and jails from California up to British Columbia. I had such a good time reading it and it never verged on sentimentality or preachiness. It was just a very interesting and detailed account of a man's choice to live in the underbelly of society. I often found myself checking on his stories in indexed old newspapers online, and he was indeed telling the truth.