The Autobiography of a Super Tramp - Couverture souple

Davies, W. H.

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0192812939 ISBN 13 : 9780192812933

Editeur : Oxford Paperbacks, 1980

Synopsis

William Henry Davies's working tour of the USA brought him into contact with the harsher side of American life and some of its more remarkable characters. Back in Britain, though resident in various doss-houses, he became the darling of the London literary set. Bernard Shaw was stunned by the power of this unvarnished narrative, that still retains its impact and insight. This book is intended for students of literature between the wars; America in the Depression.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Supertramp who wrote this amazing book. If he is to be encouraged and approved, then British moralityis a mockery, British respectability an imposture, and British industry a vice. Perhaps they are: I have always kept an open mind on the subject; but still one may ask some better ground for pitching them out of window than the caprice of a tramp. I hope these expressions will not excite unreasonable expectations of a thrilling realistic romance, or a scandalous chronicle, to follow. Mr. Davies autobiography is not a bit sensational: it might be the Post Office Directory for the matter of that. A less simple minded supertramp would not have thought it worth writing at all; for it mentions nothing that might not have happened to any of us. As to scandal, I, though a most respectable author, have never written half so proper a book. These pudent pages are unstained with the frightful language, the debased dialect, of the fictitious proletarians of Mr. Rudyard Kipling and other genteel writers.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)

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Présentation de l'éditeur

Get on the road with this predecessor to gonzo journalism as the Welshman Davies heads off for a life of adventure wandering the expanses of 19th century America, hopping trains and generally vagranting his way around. Following an accident which must have been horrific (but which he lightly skips over in the text) Davies returned to the UK, finding plenty of trouble but eventually succeeding with what must have been one of the world's first viral marketing campaigns.

Included are many hints and tips on being a late-1800s super tramp, which are fascinating for both detail of a life far removed from our own and their cleverness. One such cute recommendation is the suggestion to sell showlaces for a living and the many advantages it brings a vagrant. After all these adventures the author eventually settled down with a wife, becoming a successful poet and author, so this is certainly a tale with a happy ending.

W. H. Davies has had a solid effect on modern culture, with the title of this book inspiring the name of the band Supertramp and his famous couplet known to nearly all: "What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?" For fans of Wales, American rail, Davies' poetry or just fascinated by the hobo lifestyle this book is a must read. For the rest it is a great story well told.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Oxford Paperbacks
• Date d'édition: 1980
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0192812939
• ISBN 13: 9780192812933
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 254
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: Ufficio Anagrafiche Messaggerie; ufficio.anagrafiche@meli.it; ; Via Verdi, 8; Assago Milano; 20090; Italie