The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless Man

This book offers a thoughtful portrait of the urban homeless man, drawing on detailed observations of thousands of itinerant workers who populated Chicago’s streets in the early 1920s. By placing these individuals within the very neighborhoods they fashioned, the author reveals how a rapidly expanding city reshapes both its physical layout and the lives of those who live on its margins.

The study compares the restless pioneer spirit with the modern hobo, suggesting that while their innate dispositions may be similar, the social pressures of city life forge a distinct identity. It examines how the built environment influences attitudes, values, and even personal habits, arguing that the city not only reflects human ambition but also molds the people within it. Readers will gain a clear sense of the challenges, relationships, and emerging social patterns that defined the lives of homeless men during a pivotal era of urban transformation.