The Other Side of Midnight: Taxi Cab Stories

by Mike Heffernan

The first St. John's taxi stand started up in the early-20th Century and greatly expanded prior to the Second World War. There are now almost four hundred taxis operating within the city limits. The Other Side of Midnight: Taxi Cab Stories is not a traditional history of taxi cabs in St. John's. It describes the commonly shared experiences of an underwritten portion of Newfoundland's working class while presenting St. John's from the front seat of a taxi cab. It will explore the working lives of its subjects, as well as their thoughts and feelings about their choice of career and their clients. Every segment of our society utilizes their services, from the social elite to the social obsolete: businessmen, drug pushers, prostitutes and forlorn lovers. They are witnesses to the best and worst in all of us. They are trained listeners to troubled people, as well as cheerleaders and goodwill ambassadors. Individuals will emerge, as well as equally unique understandings of their working lives. Comical, absurd and often dramatic, many of their reminiscences will be of long hours and years on the job, their hopes and decayed dreams.

275 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2012

About the author

Born in the historic harbour city of St. John's, Newfoundland, Mike Heffernan was trained as a historical researcher at Memorial University. He now edits fiction in a variety of genres. Rig: An Oral History of the Ocean Ranger Disaster is his first non-fiction book.

Reviews

[Elina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a work of non-fiction which is comprised of interviews that the author conducted with taxicab drivers in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Some of the interviewees are new to the job, some have been at it for more than 20 years. This book was compelling all the way through, and gave me a different perspective on the taxiing industry which I never had before. Very well put together, the stories are grouped by subject and are easy to read. If this peaks your interest, I strongly recommend you give it a read!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in short stories from live accounts of taxi drivers, these stories were easy to read, fun and intriguing, leaving me glued to the pages. Changing my perspectives on the city that I live and the life of a taxi cab driver. I highly recommend this book!