TAXI - Grace, Grunge & Gravity

DO YOU like the idea of a job that comes with freedom, flexibility and a lot of travel? Perhaps taxi driving is for you. But it’s not an easy ride. 

In this collection of stories about the taxi industry, first-time author and part-time taxi driver Joe Giarratano reveals all his experiences as a nightshift driver in Sydney. 

  It’s a mixture of personal anecdotes, news reports and industry know-how. 

  The short yarns about passengers, experiences and colleagues are where the book shines and they make up a good part of it. Some are light hearted, others are sentimental and a few are just a bit creepy. 

The dangers of being a cab driver and in some cases, the dangers of being a passenger are also detailed and are quite confronting. 

  At times the dialogue is slightly overwritten but Giarratano notes that small liberties were taken to fill in the blanks. 

   Stories that focus on violence, rape and crime are backed-up with local and international news reports on similar situations and offer further insight. 

   Also detailed are safety measures, standards and processes within the taxi industry. 

        Taxi is an informative read that shows the lifestyle of cabbies and the people who ride with them – the creeps, the ‘‘runners’’ and the couples who mistake backseats for beds.


VERDICT: DETAILED AND ENGAGING. 

A book Review: by James Weir (THE COURIER MAIL).