This work investigates the historical reality and cultural mythology surrounding the American hobo, seeking to distinguish the itinerant laborer from the vagrant. Kenneth Allsop, a British journalist and broadcaster, utilizes a combination of historical research, personal observation, and archival documentation to trace the evolution of the hobo from the post-Civil War era through the Great Depression. He argues that the hobo represents a unique, often misunderstood, manifestation of the American frontier spirit and economic instability.

Critics and historians recognize this text as a significant, early effort to document the sociological nuances of the American hobo experience. Readers frequently note the descriptive, journalistic prose style that balances historical rigor with a narrative focus on the individual lives of the migrants.