Sign-In
Cart
The Hobos Hornbook
Hardcover
Mythology & FolkloreFiction AnthologiesCountry & Folk
ISBN13: 9781025474687
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 304
Weight: 1.33
Height: 0.69 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Hobos Hornbook is a landmark collection of American folklore that captures the vibrant and often gritty voices of the itinerant men who traversed the United States by rail during the early 20th century. Compiled by George Milburn, this anthology serves as a comprehensive record of hobo songs, ballads, and poems, offering an unfiltered look into a distinct subculture shaped by wanderlust, hardship, and a fierce spirit of independence.
Within these pages, readers will find the rhythmic expressions born in the jungle camps and boxcars of a bygone era. The verses reflect the diverse experiences of the hobo-ranging from lighthearted tall tales and satirical jabber to poignant laments regarding poverty, law enforcement, and the railroad life. As a significant work of cultural preservation, The Hobos Hornbook documents the unique vernacular and social codes of the American wanderer, preserving a rich tradition of oral history and musical expression.
This volume is an essential resource for those interested in Americana, folk music, and the social history of the American worker. It stands as a testament to the resilience and creativity of the wandering class, providing both literary and historical value through its authentic portrayal of life on the margins of society.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
1 different editions
Also available
Also from
Milburn, George
Also in
Mythology & Folklore
Witches, Druids, and Sin Eaters: The Common Magic of the Cunning Folk of the Welsh Marches
Hughes, Jon G.
Paperback
Princes, Frogs & Ugly Sisters: The Healing Power of the Grimm Brothers' Tales
Hunter, Allan G.
Paperback
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
Estés, Clarissa Pinkola
Paperback
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
Estés, Clarissa Pinkola
Paperback
Mythology (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition): Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes
Hamilton, Edith
Hardcover
Freaky Folklore: Terrifying Tales of the World's Most Elusive Monsters and Enigmatic Cryptids
Darkness Prevails
Hardcover
Women of the Fairy Tale Resistance: The Forgotten Founding Mothers of the Fairy Tale and the Stories That They Spun
Harrington, Jane
Hardcover
The Odyssey: An Illustrated Guide: A Character-By-Character Guide to the Story of Odysseus
Metzger, Doug
Hardcover
Appalachian Folklore Unveiled: Mysterious Happenings of Folk Spirits and Mystic Shades from the Ancient Foothills
Darkness Prevails
Hardcover
In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial
Chollet, Mona
Paperback
Classical Mythology of the Constellations: Timeless Tales of the Starry Night Sky
Giesecke, Annette
Hardcover
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
Estés, Clarissa Pinkola
Hardcover
Tony Stark, Odysseus, and the Myths Behind Marvel: Ancient Heroes in the Modern World
Meineck, Peter
Hardcover
Seasonal Folktales: Myths, Magic & Folklore of the North, from Scotland to Scandinavia
Graham, Morvern
Hardcover
The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology That Inspired 50 Yoga Postures
Balkaran, Raj
Hardcover
The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts
Belanger, Jeff
Hardcover
Classical Mythology A to Z: An Encyclopedia of Gods & Goddesses, Heroes & Heroines, Nymphs, Spirits, Monsters, and Places
Giesecke, Annette
Hardcover
Mill Dust and Dreaming Bread: Exploring Scottish Folk Belief and Folk Magic
Richardson-Read, Scott
Hardcover
Briggs's Dictionary of Fairies: Banshees, Boggarts and Other Folklore Creatures
Briggs, Katharine
Hardcover
Cat Gods, Goddesses, Deities, and Demons: A Guide to Feline Folklore and Mythology
Bovis, Natalie
Hardcover
Mill Dust and Dreaming Bread: Exploring Scottish Folk Belief and Folk Magic
Richardson-Read, Scott
Paperback
Fairy Tales & Folklore Coloring Book: A Magical Journey Inspired by Scandinavian Fables
Öberg, Emelie Lidehäll
Hardcover
Myths, Gods, and Rituals of Aztec Mythology: Before the First Sun (Aztec Gods, Creation Mythology)
Torres, Matthew
Paperback
Chasing North American Monsters: A Guide to Over 250 Creatures from Greenland to Guatemala
Offutt, Jason
Paperback
Norse Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook: From Vikings to Valkyries, an Epic Who's Who in Old Norse Mythology
Fuller-Shafer, Kelsey A.
Hardcover
The Book of Yokai, Expanded Second Edition: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore
Foster, Michael Dylan
Paperback
Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition of the Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life and the Glories of
Tedlock, Dennis
Paperback
Serpent, Siren, Maelstrom, and Myth: Sea Stories and Folktales from Around the World
Smyth, Gerry
Paperback
This Haunted Land: Reckoning with Ghosts and the Stories That Shape America
Quammen, Betsy Gaines
Hardcover
The Soul Would Have No Rainbow If the Eyes Had No Tears and Other Native American Proverbs
Zona, Guy
Paperback
Rebel Folklore: Empowering Tales of Spirits, Witches, and Other Misfits from Anansi to Baba Yaga
Sedgwick, Icy
Hardcover
Beneath the Moon: Fairy Tales, Myths, and Divine Stories from Around the World
Yoshitani, Yoshi
Hardcover
Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Other Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault
Carter, Angela
Paperback
Enuma Elish: The Babylonian Creation Epic: also includes 'Atrahasis', the first Great Flood myth
Stephany, Timothy J.
Paperback
Women of Myth: From Deer Woman and Mami Wata to Amaterasu and Athena, Your Guide to the Amazing and Diverse Women from World Mythology
Williamson, Jenny
McMenemy, Genn
Hardcover
Postcolonial Astrology: Reading the Planets Through Capital, Power, and Labor
Sparkly Kat, Alice
Paperback
Mujeres Que Corren Con los Lobos: Mitos y Cuentos del Arquetipo de la Mujer Salvaje = Women Who Run with the Wolves
Estés, Clarissa Pinkola
Paperback
The Cunning Folk's Book of Cottage Witchcraft: Spells, Charms & Traditions of Wild Folk Magic
Forest, Danu
Paperback
Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt
Pinch, Geraldine
Paperback
Cryptids, Creatures & Critters: A Manual of Monsters & Mythos from Around the World
Quinney, Rachel
Paperback
The World of Italian Folk Magic: Magical and Herbal Cures from the Wise Women of Italy
Inserra, Rose
Hardcover
Spooky Michigan: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore
Schlosser, S. E.
Paperback
Yoruba Mythology: Stories of the Orisa from West Africa and the Diaspora
Ogunnaike, Ayodeji
Hardcover
Spooky Washington: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore
Schlosser, S. E.
Paperback
Curious Cats and Fantastical Felines: The Cat in Folklore, Myth, and Legend
Winsham, Willow
Hardcover
Conjuring the Calabash: Empowering Women with Hoodoo Spells & Magick
Bomani, Mawiyah Kai El-Jamah
Paperback
Mothman: Sightings and Investigations of the Iconic Flying Cryptid
Wayland, Tobias
Estep, Richard
Paperback
God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible
Hamori, Esther J.
Hardcover
Spirits of the Earth: A Guide to Native American Nature Symbols, Stories, and Ceremonies
Lake-Thom, Bobby
Paperback
Hawaii's Night Marchers: A History of the Huaka'i Pō
Kapanui, Tanya
Kapanui, Robert Lopaka
Paperback
The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice
Edwards, Carolyn
Paperback
Sage Warrior: Wake to Oneness, Practice Pleasure, Choose Courage, Become Victory
Kaur, Valarie
Paperback
Improving Your Storytelling: Beyond the Basics for All Who Tell Stories in Work or Play
Lipman, Doug
Paperback
A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake: Unlocking James Joyce's Masterwork
Campbell, Joseph
Robinson, Henry Morton
Paperback
Phantom Phenomena: Tales of the World's Most Terrifying and Supernatural Events
Darkness Prevails
Hardcover
Hamlet's Mill: An Essay Investigating the Origins of Human Knowledge and Its Transmissions Through Myth
de Santillana, Giorgio
Von Dechend, Hertha
Paperback