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History Social History

Other Side of Midnight, The

Taxi Cab Stories

by (author) Mike Heffernan

Publisher
Breakwater Books Ltd.
Initial publish date
Oct 2012
Category
Social History
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781897174968
    Publish Date
    Sep 2012
    List Price
    $19.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781771030120
    Publish Date
    Oct 2012
    List Price
    $17.99

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Description

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.

About the author

Mike Heffernan was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland. He is the author of the national bestseller Rig: An Oral History of the Ocean Ranger Disaster, which was adapted to the stage by Rising Tide Theatre and the Arts and Culture Center, and The Other Side of Midnight: Taxicab Stories. His work has appeared in Riddle Fence, This Magazine, Our Times and been performed on CBC Radio. Let It All Fall: Underground Music and the Culture of Rebellion in Newfoundland, 1977-95 is his latest book.

Mike Heffernan's profile page

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