The hidden lives of taxi drivers
To the taxi drivers, and all those other immigrants, who have enriched our knowledge and our culture and day by day continue to do so …
Book Description:
DEDICATION
To the taxi drivers, and all those other immigrants, who have enriched our knowledge and our culture and day by day continue to do so …
Discover what the The Ten Commandments of St Fiacre and the 10 Commandments of Road Safety are all about. Discover the lives of taxi drivers: hidden in plain sight, here, there, and everywhere – sometimes, invisible! Learn the history that created taxis, Hackney carriages and all. Consider their urban setting with case studies and interviews from Milton Keynes. And, taxi drivers: who are they, where are they from, how did they get here? Trials, traumas and triumphs. What is ‘The job’ what is ‘The Knowledge’. What’s new? All this, only on Uber! Earnings… and much more.
This book uncovers the hidden depths below simply urban living and then leads the reader into further inspiring knowledge about the ‘real me’ behind the taxi driver. Who would believe that an accurate, meticulous account of a down-to-earth subject like taxi drivers in Milton Keynes would lead into the deeper fathoms of the human soul and of what lies beyond. Your view of the familiar streets will be transformed!
A book from Ruth’s Trilogy: Tales of the City, The Hidden Musicians and The Hidden Lives of Taxi Drivers – with their focus on the City of Milton Keynes
Reviews for the Book
Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite, 5 STARS The Hidden Lives of Taxi Drivers: A Question of Knowledge (Ethnographic Trilogy) by Ruth H Finnegan is a fascinating study concerning taxi drivers. In some ways, it is a love letter to them, complete with the history of taxis and other forms of transportation down through the ages, from the litter in China to modern-day Ubers. We get an inside view, with pictures, anecdotes, and illustrations, a thorough and entertaining immersion in the lives and culture of taxi drivers. Finnegan takes a personable yet knowledgeable approach to the subject, with character studies of the people who may often appear invisible to us, like the taxi driver, but whose lives are intriguing, with struggles, hopes, and dreams just as we all have. For example, an immigrant comes to a new country to make a new or fresh start, to live the dream, having no idea that they too can offer so much to us by way of conversation, sharing life stories, and lending a listening and interested ear. One of my favorite parts is The Ten Commandments of Road Safety. Whether you've ridden in taxis on occasion or use them regularly, this book will help you gain a new appreciation for the men and women who sit behind the wheel and take you where you want to go. On a personal note, as a legally blind person, I depend on professional drivers to get me here and there, so I relate to the concept of this book on that level. You can learn so much from talking to your drivers, and your day can be fuller as a result of these conversations. Conversely, you may find that you can brighten the driver's day. If you enjoy slice-of-life books on specific groups of people, do yourself a favor and look into The Hidden Lives of Taxi Drivers by Ruth H Finnegan.
About the Author: Ruth Finnegan
Hullo and thank you for taking an interest in me and my works, you are so welcome.
You can see some information about me below including about my life beyond books – like you I’m a person as well a writer and reader you know!
I have published well over twenty (lost count) academic books with leading publishers (university presses et al.), primarily in literary and linguistic anthropology, music ethnography, and cultural history, and have a continuing interest in modes of communication (multi-sensory) and their practical role in the human worlds of the past, present and future.
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