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About the Author
W. H. Davies (1871-1940) is a renowned Welsh poet, most famous for his poem Leisure (1911). After experiencing many setbacks, he published his first book, The Soul's Destroyer and Other Poems in March 1905. Subsequent volumes included New Poems (1907), Nature Poems (1908), Farwell to Poesy (1910), Songs of Joy (1911), Foliage (1913), and The Bird of Paradise (1914). He wrote few works of prose; Autobiography of a Super-Tramp (1908) is his most famous. He married in 1923 and his last place of residence was Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. In 1926 he was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Wales. In 1938 a plaque in his honour was unveiled in Newport. The famed 70s rock band were, indeed, named after Davies' book.
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I WAS born thirty-five years ago, in a public house called the Church House, in the town of N-, in the county of M-. Read the first page
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I WAS born thirty-five years ago, in a public house called the Church House, in the town of N-, in the county of M-. Read the first page
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Richard Law
Format:Paperback
This book was first published a hundred years ago (1908) and I got it as a set English literature text book at grammar school in about 1964, so lots of people must have read it at about the same time. The author, who really wanted to publish poetry, left Wales in about 1890 to travel around the United States, doing so as a tramp and in doing so meeting many other tramps. He writes about them and their lifestyles, the jobs they undertake or avoid, their ways of begging instead of working and fascinating asides, such as the reasons for spending the winter in prison - how to get in and so forth. He made some eighteen crossings of the Atlantic, many of them looking after cattle in transit and he lost a leg in a train accident whilst trying to hitch a ride to the Klondyke gold strike. By 1907 he was living day to day in a doss house in South London. He'd spent all his money getting a few anthologies of his poems printed and, on spec, he sent one to George Bernard Shaw with a note inviting the famous writer to buy it for half a crown, or bin it and think no more of the matter. Shaw liked it, ordered more copies and persuaded Davies to write this book, to which Shaw contributed the preface. There are vignettes in this book for students of social history - Davies was in the wild west just after the railways were built, so he saw Texas in the raw; he also experienced the degradation of the British Poor Law system of dealing with those who had no means of support in the days before the welfare state was created. His real charm, however, is the beautiful character descriptions of the various eccentrics that populate his pages. I am really pleased to have become re-acquainted with this old school book. I just wish I could remember what else I had to read at school!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A fascinating insight into a tramp's life at the end of the nineteenth century. Davies who went on to be recognised as a popular English poet writes in a leisurely laid-back style, his paragraphs are long but easy to read. He tells how he tramps his way across America, camping outdoors in the summer, how he rides on trains without paying, finds free bed and breakfast in US jails in the winter, compares the generosity of the US housekeeper with the terrible poverty he finds in England. He crosses the Atlantic on cattle boats and meets a great variety of rogues and vagabonds throughout his travels in both countries.
This book, long out of print, has now been reprinted on A4 size paper and in fairly large print. It is therefore particularly attractive for readers whose sight may not be as good as it was.
This book, long out of print, has now been reprinted on A4 size paper and in fairly large print. It is therefore particularly attractive for readers whose sight may not be as good as it was.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By H. Styles
Format:Paperback
I have just finished this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a simple story of his day-to-day life, nothing sensational, no fast-paced action, but a lovely story by a very gentle man.
I would recommend reading the preface, written by G. Bernard Shaw, after finishing the book rather than before as it is a great way to round off the story and would have given too much away about a certain event had I read it before.
I feel the book can be summed up in this extract from the preface: "I have read it through from beginning to end, and would have read more of it had there been more to read. It is a placid narrative, unexciting in matter and unvarnished in manner, of the commonplaces of a tramp's life. It is of a very curious quality."
A lovely book. Highly recommended.
I would recommend reading the preface, written by G. Bernard Shaw, after finishing the book rather than before as it is a great way to round off the story and would have given too much away about a certain event had I read it before.
I feel the book can be summed up in this extract from the preface: "I have read it through from beginning to end, and would have read more of it had there been more to read. It is a placid narrative, unexciting in matter and unvarnished in manner, of the commonplaces of a tramp's life. It is of a very curious quality."
A lovely book. Highly recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good book
I ordered this book for my husband who read it at school 40 years ago and wanted to read it again. He was pleased to be able to get a copy and was not disappointed.
Published 6 months ago by V. Treloar
4.0 out of 5 stars
W H Davies
My book did not arrive by Post Office as promised, but Amazon quickly sorted the problem and the book arrived next day by first class post. Thank you
Published 21 months ago by Bakewell
4.0 out of 5 stars
Before Kerouac and Orwell!
The Autobiography of a Supertramp describes WH Davies' adventurous life as a drifter and how he came to be a published author. Read more
Published on 2 April 2010 by Supportyourlocallibrary
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Autobiography of a Super Tramp
Absultely spell binding book - will read again and again. Highly recommendeed. Great delivery service from vendors.
Jeff G
Jeff G
Published on 7 Mar 2010 by Mr. Jeffrey Gardener
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nomad or Yesmad?
The sheer flagrusiveness of this guy is remarkable. His hurgislation of the written word defies all lophological scrutonomy. Buy it, read it, love it.
Published on 7 Feb 2010 by RC Islander
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Autobiography of a Super Tramp
The Autobiography of a Super Tramp
This book was recommended by a friend and I have not had time to read it yet. Looks interesting. Read more
This book was recommended by a friend and I have not had time to read it yet. Looks interesting. Read more
Published on 13 May 2009 by Nancy Woodman
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