What do readers think of The Long Haul by Finn Murphy? Write your own review.

What an eye-opener this is! This is an intriguing book for anyone to read, but especially for those who are planning a move be it locally or long-distance. You'll find out what really happens once the movers cross your doorstep--and it's not all good.

The author is Finn Murphy, a man who is now in his mid-60s but started in the business at age 17. He's seen and experienced it all, and now he's sharing it with us. Murphy is not your typical mover. He grew up in a large middle-class Irish Catholic family in Cos Cob, Connecticut, attending parochial schools as well as a three-year stint at Colby College in Maine. He …more dropped out one year before graduation to become a full-time mover, much to his parents' chagrin. (Well, so much chagrin that son and parents didn't speak for two years.)

Murphy is a rare breed. He truly loves being a mover. Always has. OK, there were a few years when he walked off the job in anger, but he came back to it. A typical day is 12 hours long and involves much physical work, including packing boxes, hauling heavy furniture up and down stairs, loading a van with precision so everything fits and doesn't roll around in transit, and after all that, driving hundreds or even thousands of miles. Then rinse and repeat on the other end. Don't forget the lousy food, sleeping in the truck, and showering at truck stops.

This well-written book, which is peppered with SAT-worthy vocabulary words (such as "hegemony," "sanguine," "impecunious," and "mendacious") is a memoir of Murphy's professional life as a mover, but is packed with tidbits, warnings, and inside secrets that anyone who hires a mover will be happy to learn.

Among many other things, find out:
• Why movers know more about you in 30 minutes than your best friends will ever know about you in 30 years.
• Why do people dislike and distrust movers? (Even the movers want to know the answer to this question!)
• Some of the retaliatory measures movers may take if you don't show them a bare modicum of respect.
• How much money top movers can make in a year. (Hint: The answer will surprise you!)

The best parts of the book are the many stories about the homeowners and renters Murphy is paid to move. Some are hilarious, some are zany, and some are truly surprising.

This book is humorous, shocking, and filled with mind-boggling revelations about the moving industry. (less)