William Henry Davies was born in a pub and learnt early in life to rely on his wits and his fists - and to drink. Around the turn of the century, when he was twenty-two, his restless spirit of adventure led him to set off for America, and he worked around the country taking casual jobs where he could, thieving and begging where he couldn't. His experiences were richly coloured by the bullies, tricksters, and fellow-adventurers he encountered - New Haven Baldy, Wee Shorty, The Indian Kid, and English Harry, to name but a few ...
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William Henry Davies was born in a pub and learnt early in life to rely on his wits and his fists - and to drink. Around the turn of the century, when he was twenty-two, his restless spirit of adventure led him to set off for America, and he worked around the country taking casual jobs where he could, thieving and begging where he couldn't. His experiences were richly coloured by the bullies, tricksters, and fellow-adventurers he encountered - New Haven Baldy, Wee Shorty, The Indian Kid, and English Harry, to name but a few. He was thrown into prison in Michigan, beaten up in New Orleans, witnessed a lynching in Tennessee, and got drunk pretty well everywhere. A harrowing accident forced him to return to England and the seedy world of doss-houses and down-and-outs like Boozy Bob and Irish Tim. When George Bernard Shaw first read the Autobiography in manuscript, he was stunned by the raw power of its unvarnished narrative. It was his enthusiasm, expressed in the Preface, that ensured the initial success of a book now regarded as a classic.
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This book provides a fascinating insight into early 20th century life at the lowest tier of society in the USA as seen through the eyes of an intelligent articulate welshman who dropped out of mainstream British education and society as a young man then lived through his adventures across both sides of the Atlantic to eventually become a successful writer and poet. His recollection of this time on the road is written in an easily digestible style painting pictures of America as a land full of plenty ready to share with those willing to ask for help which contrasts completely with a UK that considers abject poverty in the lowest level of a class driven system in full swing as the norm. The incidents and stories in this book are recalled in an informative,thought provoking and often amusing way and is a perfect pick up and put down volume.
