Book 1: Hard Travelin' Summary and Analysis

Hard Travelin' is concerned with the itinerant lifestyle that developed among laborers and hobos in the Depression. It begins with an interview with Ed Paulson, who takes to the road at 14. When he is in his early twenties, he becomes a supporter of Upton Sinclair's campaign for governor, a campaign that will figure prominently in the book. During this time, he educates himself at the library. Paulson travels to Kansas City, where he is fired upon by railway cops. Soon thereafter, he is taken to one of the newly formed Transient Camps, where he is given food and a decent shelter. From there, he becomes a social worker with the National Youth Association. He considers this his salvation, keeping him out of prison.

In this chapter, Terkel also interviews Frank Czerwonka, whose mother ran a speakeasy during...