You Can't Win

Rating:
Summary: Thief of Hearts
Review: One of the fascinating aspects of Blacks's account of his adventures as a career hobo/thief is how naturally he slips into the life without conpunction or remorse. It is a matter-of-fact, unapolegetic point of view that seduces the reader into being an accomplice on Jack's escapades across a rough and tumble, turn of the century American West. It is a country that is huge and wild and there is room for an untamed soul that defies authority and moral convention. Like Sam P.'s WILD BUNCH, this is the saga of a disappearing breed who lived by their own laws. Black connects with the outlaw in us who yeans to steal life on his own, uncompromising terms and suffers the consequences of his mistakes without whining. Jack Black is a natural storyteller who knows how to spin a yarn and, in the end, he is the master thief who makes off with our hearts.

Rating:
Summary: I Couldn't Put It Down
Review: This book was unknown to me - I received it as a gift from a friend, and it's a great read, not just for its insights into the prison system near the turn of the 20th century, but also for its vivid picture of the vast differences between the Canadian and American systems at that time - which is itself an eye-opener that accounts for the vast differences we see today between the Canadian justice/penal system and its American counterpart, or for that matter, the differences between American and Canadian society. As a Canadian, it was refreshing to see an American criminal's viewpoint about this. And it re-affirmed my faith in the superiority of the Canadian system, thanks to Jack Black's vivid and entertaining commentary.

Rating:
Summary: A nostalgic glimpse unto the Depression era crime world.
Review: Written in a frank style where the action progresses rapidly, this book provides a fast and pleasant glimpse into the hobo-slash-criminal world. The author portrays himself as a good-hearted criminal and is honest enough to convince us. We wish him well in his burglaries and enjoy the insight he gives us to the time and lifestyle.