- Paperback: 189 pages
- Publisher: Birlinn Ltd; New edition edition (22 Sep 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1841580376
- ISBN-13: 978-1841580371
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.6 x 1.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 361,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Moleskin Joe is one of the most memorable characters to appear in Patrick MacGill's first two books, 'Children of the Dead End' and 'The Rat-Pit'. This sequel, first published in 1923, recalls the tramps and navvies MacGill encountered during his time on the road in Scotland and the north of England in the early years of the twentieth century. It centres around the adventures of Moleskin Joe, with his philosophy of 'there s a good time comin', although we may never live to see it', who in this book falls in love with a young Irish woman he meets on his travels. Filled with superb characterisation, humour, poignancy and eloquence, 'Moleskin Joe' is a vivid portrayal of the hardships of the immigrant experience, which MacGill not only experienced himself, but also successfully exposed to a huge audience through his writing.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Dating from 1923, this is the hard and gritty story of Moleskin Joe, a buck navvy who tramped the roads of Britain, looking for work.
A big, rough man, he fell for a woman, and ended up looking for her for most of his tough life.
"There's a good time coming, though we may never live to see it." That was Joe's motto, and that of many of his peers.
This is an uncompromising tale of the hard labour that men were often forced into.
While not as relentlessly grim as McGill's other works, "Children of the Dead End"(which is a minor classic) and "The Rat Pit", "Moleskin Joe" stands as yet another record of Britain in the early twentieth century.
An excellent book, and a pleasure to read.
A big, rough man, he fell for a woman, and ended up looking for her for most of his tough life.
"There's a good time coming, though we may never live to see it." That was Joe's motto, and that of many of his peers.
This is an uncompromising tale of the hard labour that men were often forced into.
While not as relentlessly grim as McGill's other works, "Children of the Dead End"(which is a minor classic) and "The Rat Pit", "Moleskin Joe" stands as yet another record of Britain in the early twentieth century.
An excellent book, and a pleasure to read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A love story in hard times
15 Aug 2006
Format:Paperback
This is a lovely story of a big, strong and apparently simple (but in reality, an intelligent and honest) navvy in England around the time of the First World War. Moleskin Joe saves the life of a young girl by pulling her to safety after a dam on a construction site bursts, after which she kissed him and told him he's 'the best'. This encounter leaves an indelible imprint on Moleskin's mind but the girl soon leaves the area with her father and disappears from Moleskin's life. But he never forgets her. The book traces his life through the war in France and back to navvydom in England and Scotland after his return. We meet the other navvies and we see the lawlessness, the illegal distilling, the heavy drinking and fighting that was the life of so many men (and some women) at the time. All through it, Moleskin Joe hopes he will see the girl again.
MacGill is a gifted writer and a beautiful wordsmith. The book sees through the rough and bohemian life of the navvy to the pure and gentle morality of Moleskin Joe. It is a simple story of real love.
MacGill is a gifted writer and a beautiful wordsmith. The book sees through the rough and bohemian life of the navvy to the pure and gentle morality of Moleskin Joe. It is a simple story of real love.
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
