On the Fly!: Hobo Literature and Songs, 1879–1941

by Iain McIntyre (Editor)

The first anthology of its kind, On the Fly! brings forth the lost voices of Hobohemia. Dozens of stories, poems, songs, stories, and articles produced by hoboes are brought together to create an insider history of the subculture’s rise and fall. Adrenaline-charged tales of train hopping, scams, and political agitation are combined with humorous and satirical songs, razor sharp reportage and unique insights into the lives of the women and men who crisscrossed America in search of survival and adventure. From iconic figures such as labor martyr Joe Hill and socialist novelist Jack London through to pioneering blues and country musicians, and little-known correspondents for the likes of the Hobo News , the authors and songwriters contained in On the Fly! run the full gamut of Hobohemia’s wide cultural and geographical embrace. With little of the original memoirs, literature, and verse remaining in print, this collection, aided by a glossary of hobo vernacular and numerous illustrations and photos, provides a comprehensive and entertaining guide to the life and times of a uniquely American icon. Read on to enter a world where hoboes, tramps, radicals, and bums gather in jungles, flop houses, and boxcars; where gandy dancers, bindlestiffs, and timber beasts roam the rails once more.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

544 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2018

Reviews

[Philip Girvan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Editor Ian McIntyre and his team have done a great job curating and assembling a wide range of stories and songs that capture the knockabout, as well as the grim, aspects of itinerant travellers’ lives in late 19th and early 20th century.

[James R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very long, covering a little bit of everything. I good start for people looking to dive deeper.

[Andrew Nette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent work. Recommended.