Nelson Algren Quotes

A collection of quotes by Nelson Algren.

Nelson Algren (1909-1981) was an American writer known for his gritty depictions of urban life and social inequality. His most famous novel, "The Man with the Golden Arm" (1949), explored the struggles of a drug-addicted card dealer in Chicago and won the National Book Award. Algren's other notable works include "Never Come Morning" (1942) and "A Walk on the Wild Side" (1956). He often focused on marginalized characters and delved into themes of poverty, corruption, and alienation. Algren's writing captured the harsh realities of post-war America and continues to be celebrated for its raw authenticity.

Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place

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.

Yet once you've come to be part of this particular patch, yo

Yet once you've come to be part of this particular patch, you'll never love another. Like loving a woman with a broken nose, you may well find lovelier lovelies. But never a lovely so real.

Love Cities Chicago Lovely

The hard necessity of bringing the judge on the bench down i

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.

Authors & Writing

The avocation of assessing the failures of better men can be

The avocation of assessing the failures of better men can be turned into a comfortable livelihood, providing you back it up with a Ph.D.

The Impossible Generalized Man today is the critic who belie

The Impossible Generalized Man today is the critic who believes in loving those unworthy of love as well as those worthy --yet believes this only insofar as no personal risk is entailed. Meaning he loves no one, worthy or no. This is what makes him impossible.

I went out there for a thousand a week, and I worked Monday,

I went out there for a thousand a week, and I worked Monday, and I got fired Wednesday. The guy that hired me was out of town Tuesday.

Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place

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.

Literature is made upon any occasion that a challenge is put

Literature is made upon any occasion that a challenge is put to the legal apparatus by conscience in touch with humanity.