Beggars of Life: A Hobo Autobiography

Synopsis

A bestseller in 1924, this vivid piece of outlaw history has inexplicably faded from the public consciousness. Jim Tully takes us across the seamy underbelly of pre-WWI America on freight trains, and inside hobo jungles and brothels while narrowly averting railroad bulls (cops) and wardens of order. Written with unflinching honesty and insight,Beggars of Life follows Tully from his first ride at age thirteen, choosing life on the road over a bdeadening job, through his teenage years of learning the ropes of the rails and -living one meal to the next. Tully’s direct, confrontational approach helped shape the hard-boiled school of writing, and later immeasurably influenced the noir genre. Beggars of Life was the first in Tully’s five-volume memoir, dubbed the "Underworld Edition," recalling his transformation from road-kid to novelist, journalist, Hollywood columnist, chain maker, boxer, circus handyman, and tree surgeon. Jim Tully(1891-1947) was a best-selling novelist and popular Hollywood journalist in the 1920s and ’30s. Known as "Cincinnati Red" during his years as a road-kid, he counted prizefighter and publicist of Charlie Chaplin among his many jobs. He is considered (with Dashiel Hammett) one of the inventors of the hard-boiled style of American writing. In Oakland, California on March 24, 2015 a fire destroyed the AK Press warehouse along with several other businesses. Please consider visiting the AK Press website to learn more about the fundraiser to help them and their neighbors.

Copyright:

2004

Book Details

Book Quality:

Excellent

Book Size:

177 Pages

ISBN-13:

9781902593784

Publisher:

AK Press

Date of Addition:

01/03/17

Copyrighted By:

Nabat/AK Press

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

History, Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs, Sociology

Submitted By:

Richard James

Proofread By:

Debra L

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.