You Can't Win

You Can't Win by Jack Black is a seminal, raw autobiography of a 20th-century hobo and professional safecracker, detailing his life of crime, addiction, and prison, ultimately arguing that a life outside the law is futile. Black offers a 'virtual instruction manual' on the technical aspects of the thief's trade, including casing targets and the social networks of the criminal fringe. A 'lost classic' of American literature that chronicles the author's adventures as a burglar, this gripping memoir recounts Black's adventures in the hobo underworld-from freight-hopping across the United States and Canada to his eventual descent into opium addiction and brutal prison stints. This work remains a cornerstone of true crime and hobo literature, the memoir offers a candid, firsthand look at the American underworld and inspired the Beat Generation.