In the spirit of A. B.
Facey's A Fortunate Life, Jack
Mercer's Hard Times is the true story
of the author's amazing adventures. In 1911, growing up in an Ararat pub, he
faces the terror of a violent stepfather and a mother who barely acknowledges
his existence. But one thing keeps him sane: a plan to run. And once he starts
running a page turning story begins. From early Werribee, Sydney, life aboard a
Norwegian barque, Chile, Patagonia and Buenos Aires, to working as an elevator
boy in New York and riding the trains as a tramp in Virginia, Jack Mercer's
hard times and wonderful times capture our every attention.