SOLVED: Fictional memoir of a turn-of-the-century petty criminal. [s]

[Nik]

Several years ago one of my friends lent me a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I have since forgotten the title and lost contact with the friend. The book may be written by an "Anonymous" author, but I'm not sure about that. It was a novel (though clearly autobiographically based) which I believe took place around the turn of the century (1800s to 1900s), but could have been as late as the 1930s. It recounted the narrator's experiences with various petty crimes like house-breaking, gambling, vagrancy, etc. as well as a couple of short stints in local jails and I remember at least one escape from custody. There might have been a prostitute who was a character. I think it also included accounts of freight train hopping. I seem to remember the cover being mono-chromatic earth-tones, but could be wrong about that.

Help me with this and I'll buy you a beer if we ever meet.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

What country was it set in?

[Nik]

America

[Nik]

When I say fictional memoir or autobiographically based novel I mean something like Kerouac's On The Road where he's describing something that happened to him, but minor elements like names of people, order of events, exact dialogue, etc. have been changed/fictionalized. And when I say it took place around 1900-1930, that's also when it would have been written, but I'm not absolutely positive that it was published at that time... might have been forgotten for a while then rediscovered and published more recently. And it was most definitely an adult novel (meaning not geared for young readers rather than pornographic). The trade paperback cover might have been an old sepia-toned photograph?

[Ayshe]

Beggars of Life maybe?

[Nik]

Thank you so much, Ayshe. That's not it, but when I went to buy Beggars of Life on Amazon (because it sounded good too), under the "Frequently Bought With This Item" section I found it. It's You Can't Win by Jack Black (not that Jack Black).

[Edited to add links]

[Ayshe]

Glad for you :) Don't forget to mark the topic as solved and move it to the proper folder.

[Tim]

I knew what this book was but couldn't remember the name! It's on my to read list now.