The Adventures of a Woman Hobo

by Ethel Lynn

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

308 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1917

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an entertaining book! Note that the author is Ethel Lynn, MD, and NOT Ethel Lynn Beers, who is a different person.

[Trenton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is pleasing for a light read and interesting for what it reveals of turn-of-the-century culture.
Just don't expect great writing. A female doctor and her engineer husband are caught up in the financial upheaval following the 1907 financial panic. They have lost their jobs and are getting desperate. In addition, she is diagnosed with incipient stage of tuberculosis. This situation is the impetus for a bold plan to travel back to her home state of California initially on a tandem bicycle. A series of travel adventures ensues often involving railway workers, other itinerants and both helpful and hostile farmers.

Characters other than the narrator are mostly one-dimensional and with only sketch personas.
Certain themes suggest themselves including her premonitions (usually of storms), the plight of laborers, injustice of the economic system and lack of opportunities for women.

Here are some quotes to illustrate my points:

"Yet a still voice whispers in my heart, “It is true.”",
"I was seized with foreboding of a coming storm.",
"I believe in that kind of instinct— intuition— fate— call it what you will.",

"They should have a definite understanding as to how the money is to be spent after marriage, and the girl should see to it that she never drifts into a position where she must plead with some man",

"So long as they are led to consider marriage the whole end and aim of life,",

“If financial independence for women means breaking up the home, then let it be broken. Poverty and the economic dependence of woman on man is the curse of the whole sex relation.",

"the only proper basis for marriage is love. If we are to have free men, we must have free women who refuse to sell themselves for a home, social position, or material gain in any form whatsoever. We must adopt a single standard of morals, and abolish prostitution, both within and without the marriage relation.",

"The truth is often considered indecent, I believe, especially the naked truth. Like the human body, it needs to be concealed by a peek-a-boo waist of prudery and licentiousness.",

"thought it best to sleep in some barn on account of the intense cold. After seeking permission at four or five houses and meeting with curt refusals and even threats,",

At conclusion of the novel and their journey a positive sort of philosophy is expressed, and she feels healed:

"My belief in the inherent kindliness and unselfishness of the human heart has been strengthened.",

"In cases of cruelty I recognize an outside influence or pressure that warps natural instincts.",

"Never again will I think it necessary to change human nature before we can improve social conditions. I am conscious of a deeper human sympathy; a wider vision; a greater understanding of the problems of the under dog and a closer sense of fellowship with him. I feel that I am learning the divine lesson of human unity, which is rooted in the Fatherhood of God and manifests itself as the Brotherhood of Man.",

I would compare this novel to "Keeper of the Bees" by Gene Stratton-Porter as another travel-adventure novel of this time period concluding with healing.

The author writes in the first person and uses her real name, but I seriously doubt the story is real.

At one point they ride in a rail car with heavy machinery. One of the machines displaces and hits her hard in the back. She coughs up blood. Is that plausible from such an injury, and wouldn't it be very serious? Yet she is supposed to be a doctor.

In another scene she "tied the artery" of a boy's arm to stanch the bleeding. That doesn't make sense. You can't just tie off an artery.

In the beginning of the story it is stated, "Just two years ago to-day San Francisco went down in earthquake and flames, scattering my growing practice to the winds. And of course Dan’s position went too. But we celebrated with an earthquake wedding,"
The earthquake was the 1906 earthquake, but 1930 census indicates she was married at 19 which puts her wedding in 1900 given she was born in 1881.

Also in the beginning we have, "Doctor Lynn, you are in the incipient stage of tuberculosis." Yet she lived a long life dying in 1960.

I found no record of her marriage or her husband's patent. The novel indicated he had an invention.

As they set out from Chicago they find a scale which they use to weigh their loaded tandem bicycle with them on it. She says the weight is 500 lbs which would be too heavy to pedal up even a slight incline or lift into rail cars as they do many times. It would hardly be possible for a man and woman to right such a heavy bike if it fell over.

Many events and personalities seem highly contrived.

At one point in the journey she says there are three cyclones which is unlikely.

I have done much research on Dr. Lynn which I intend to post elsewhere.

[Squeaky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the Project Gutenberg e-book edition.
I am too lazy to create an e-book edition entry on goodreads. Even though that sort of thing used to be part of my job!
I believe the author is Ethel Lynn, not Ethel Lynn Beers (a poet), as Ethel Lynn Beers died in 1879 at the age of 62. It seems very unlikely that she was riding a tandem bicycle across the country in the early 20th century. Especially since the first patents for tandem bicycles were issued around the end of 18th century.
I enjoyed this travel log very much, and would recommend it to others. The stereotypes and what we would call racist language is at an extreme minimum in this book, unlike several other books from this era I have read recently. Sexism is dealt with in the narrative.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to a Libravox audiobook book to find this unusual account. This seemed a pretty cleaned up version of the plight of those who fled the poverty and soul crushing slums of the city to find work in that land of perpetual sunshine.,, California. Although difficulty was certainly present I think this journey would have been a more harrowing and bleak journey than what is presented. Female novelists of that time period were often encouraged not to embrace the true degradation and squalor and frankly the sexual realities of their scope of knowledge. It made me want to find the author and more about her actual life and experiences.

[Inderdaad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. Gives a good insight into humans and why they do what they do. Besides that it tells me that the world is full of adventures, and even if things don't go according to plan, they will turn out alright. Keep positive, keep going :)

[Lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely fun travel narrative with some period-typical racism in some parts. I liked it for the relationship between Dan and Ethel, which seemed loving and equal, and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) leftist political thought throughout. If the Hobo Way was a book, this would be it!

[Audiobook Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4Xz9...