"I have no money, no wife, no auto. I have no dog. I have neither a radio set or a rubber plant - I have no troubles".



No, it's not the chubby dude from Shallow Hal. An autobiography and bestseller from the '20s by an outlaw with a conscious. After a lifetime of burglaries, socializing with deviants, and stealing to get by - then years served with some escapes from prisons throughout North America, and a decade long 'hop' addiction, this guy has been through it all. It sounds grim, but its the complete opposite, it's more of a story of trying to live outside of the confines of society, but then getting caught and beaten down by the failing legal system - which back then consisted of torture by lashes, straight jackets, and the like. Black, even though labeled a convict, is intelligent, and lives by keen rational and integrity - yea, he even made sure there were no kids in the houses he stole from. After years of stealing and being acquitted by a judge that finally saw the potential in him, he kicked his habit and worked as a librarian for a paper in San Francisco. I'm fascinated with his sincerity and loyalty that he always kept and expressed to those that he felt showed him good throughout his lifetime. He also read the encyclopedia 3x through, plus every book he could get his hands on (with the exception of the bible - ha!) It came to the point that I began to root for him through his bag snatching and jewel heists, so that he could get a decent room and something to eat. He really does break down the discrepancies of the legal system - the pointless brutality of convicts where he advocates for progress. It's all local too.