You Can't Win

This autobiographical account by Jack Black, a vagabond and petty criminal born in 1872, offers a vivid and straightforward depiction of early 20th-century hobo life, including experiences with train hopping, burglaries, and prison. Written by Black himself, the memoir provides a colorful and honest perspective on the life of a traveling petty thief and opium addict, capturing a once-lost slice of underground society.