"There is no feeling in the world like sitting in a side-door Pullman and watching the world go by, listening to the clickety-clack of the wheels, hearing that old steam whistle blowing for crossings and towns." -George Phillips in Riding the Rails
At the height of the Great Depression, 250,000 teenage hoboes were riding the rails and roaming America. Some left home out of desperation and went looking for work and a better life, sometimes traveling hundreds of miles on the rumor of a job waiting farther down the line. Others left out of boredom; still others with a wanderlust and romantic idea of life on the road.
The restless youth of these boxcar boys and girls, many who went from "middle-class gentility to scrabble-ass poor" overnight, is recaptured in Riding the Rails. Based on the award-winning documentary, this book dispels the myths of a hobo existence and reveals the hard stories of a daring generation of American teenagers-forgotten heroes-who survived some of the hardest times in our nations' history. Whether you're a "gaycat" (novice rider) or a "dingbat" (seasoned hobo), Riding the Rails is entertaining and inspiring, recapturing a time when the country was "dying by inches."
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Errol Lincoln Uys is a renowned writer and editor. He was the editor-in-chief of Reader's Digest in South Africa and collaborated with James A. Michener on his South African novel The Covenant. Uys is also the author of the well-received novel, Brazil. He lives in Cambridge, Massachussetts.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. During the Great Depression, more than 250,000 children left their homes and hopped freight trains crisscrossing the United States. They were looking for work and adventure; some wanted to leave their homes, and some had to. They grew up in speeding boxcars, living in hobo jungles, begging on the streets, and running from the police and club-wielding railroad guards. The restless youth of these boxcar boys and girls, many who went from 'middle-class gentility to dirt poor' overnight, is recaptured in Riding the Rails: Teenagers on the Move During the Great Depression.This unforgettable narrative dispels the myths of a hobo existence and reveals the hard stories of a daring generation of American teenagers - forgotten heroes - who survived some of the hardest times in our nation's history. Drawn from 3,000 oral histories and illustrated with over fifty black and white photos from the National Archives and Library of Congress. Seller Inventory # CIN0415945755G
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. During the Great Depression, more than 250,000 children left their homes and hopped freight trains crisscrossing the United States. They were looking for work and adventure; some wanted to leave their homes, and some had to. They grew up in speeding boxcars, living in hobo jungles, begging on the streets, and running from the police and club-wielding railroad guards. The restless youth of these boxcar boys and girls, many who went from 'middle-class gentility to dirt poor' overnight, is recaptured in Riding the Rails: Teenagers on the Move During the Great Depression.This unforgettable narrative dispels the myths of a hobo existence and reveals the hard stories of a daring generation of American teenagers - forgotten heroes - who survived some of the hardest times in our nation's history. Drawn from 3,000 oral histories and illustrated with over fifty black and white photos from the National Archives and Library of Congress. Seller Inventory # CIN0415945755G
Seller: HPB Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_456109898
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0415945755I3N10
Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0415945755I3N00
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0415945755I3N00
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0415945755I3N00
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0415945755I5N00
Seller: HPB-Emerald, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_486424766
Seller: Joes Books, Lombard, IL, U.S.A.
Soft cover. Condition: Near Fine. No Jacket. 2 Page Preface, 34 Page Introduction, B/W Illustrations, light shelf rubbings to the edges. Seller Inventory # 001120