Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Mom's. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own. Nelson Algren badlycallcard Change image and share on social
I don't think the isolation of the American writer is a tradition; it's more that, geographically, he just is isolated, unless he happens to live in New York City. But I don't suppose there's a small town around the country that doesn't have a writer. Nelson Algren americancitycountry share on social
I'd put the ninety-nine billion dollars - whatever it is - that's being appropriated for the Air Force and the Navy, and I'd put it into schools. I'd put it into traveling scholarships. Nelson Algren airappropriatebillion Change image and share on social
The American middle class's faith in personal comfort as an end in itself is, in essence, a denial of life. And it has been imposed upon American writers and playwrights strongly enough to cut them off from their deeper sources. Nelson Algren americanclasscomfort share on social
I am against censorship. I don't think there is anything more stupid than censorship. Nelson Algren censorshipstupid Change image and share on social
Since I'm essentially optimistic, I can't imagine a world in which man is totally decimated or degraded. Nelson Algren decimatedegradeessentially Change image and share on social
The hard necessity of bringing the judge on the bench down into the dock has been the peculiar responsibility of the writer in all ages of man. Nelson Algren agebenchbring Change image and share on social
I've always figured the only way I could finish a book and get a plot was just to keep making it longer and longer until something happens - you know, until it finds its own plot - because you can't outline and then fit the thing into it. I suppose it's a slow way of working. Nelson Algren bookfigurefind share on social
Loving Chicago is like loving a woman with a broken nose. Nelson Algren breakchicagolove Change image and share on social
The struggle to write with profundity of emotion and at the same time to live like a millionaire so exhausted F. Scott Fitzgerald that he was at last brought down to the point where he could no longer be both a good writer and a decent person. Nelson Algren bringdecentemotion share on social
