The Nelson Algren Collection

Dates: 1933-2005
Size: 21 linear feet in 13 boxes and 182 books
Repository: Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60605
Collection Number: Archives_NAC
Immediate Source of Acquisition: Purchased in 1985 from Paul and Beth Garon of Beasley Books in Chicago who had developed the collection over a period of 20 years. Special Collections has continued to add material to the initial purchase.
Conditions Governing Access: Materials are open without restrictions.
Physical Location: Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please request materials at least 24-hours prior to your research visit to coordinate access.
Conditions Governing Use: Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.
Citation: When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Nelson Algren Collection [Book # OR Box #, Folder #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library.
Finding Aid Author: Re-Processed by Joanna Primus, 2005. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Johanna Russ, 2025.

Abstract

This collection includes copies, often multiple editions/printings, of Nelson Algren’s works, from his first short story entitled “So Help Me,” published in Story in 1933 to The Devil’s Stocking, published posthumously in 1983. The collection contains an array of newspaper articles, interviews, bookdealer catalogs, reviews and photographs. The collection also includes articles and reviews of Algren’s work by other writers and critics.

Biographical/Historical

Nelson Algren, born in 1909 in Detroit, spent the majority of his adult life in Chicago. His love/hate relationship with the city and his affinity with the disenfranchised of society are reflected in such works as Neon Wilderness, The Man with the Golden Arm, for which he won the National Book Award in 1950, and Chicago: City on the Make.

Nelson Algren rarely strayed from the naturalistic, tough-talking style of writing that won the praises of writers such as Ernest Hemingway. The caustic tone, and cynical nature of Algren did not often make him a favorite of the critics or “literary establishment” of Chicago. The antagonism between Algren and the city establishment eventually turned him bitter toward Chicago and led to his departure for New Jersey in 1975. It is particularly bittersweet that Algren died in Sag Harbor, N.Y., in 1981 on the eve of his induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters – a time when his career could have enjoyed renewed interest on the part of readers and publishers alike.

Scope and Contents

This collection includes the entire range of Algren’s works, from his first short story entitled “So Help Me,” published in Story in 1933 to The Devil’s Stocking, published posthumously in 1983. The collection contains an array of newspaper articles, interviews, bookdealer catalogs, reviews and photographs. The collection also includes articles and reviews of Algren’s work by other writers and critics. These additional materials provide insight not only into his talent as a writer but also into his interest in the social and cultural issues of the time. Algren’s unique personality is shown in numerous presentation copies, many of which include drawings by the author.

Arrangement

The arrangement of the Collection follows the organization laid out in Nelson Algren: A Descriptive Bibliography by Matthew J. Bruccoli, published in 1985. It begins with the first edition of Algren’s first book, Somebody in Boots, and then moves to subsequent editions of this work. It continues chronologically through various editions of each of Algren’s books, before shifting to short stories and other pieces published in anthologies, magazines and newspapers. The alphanumeric identifiers match those assigned in Bruccoli’s Bibliography. Items that were not assigned alphanumeric identifiers in Bruccoli’s Bibliography were assigned numeric identifiers by the archivist.

The collection is divided into 14 series:

  • Series 1: Separate Publications, 1935-2002
  • Series 2: First Appearances in Books, 1937-1972
  • Series 3: Other Appearances in Books, 1942-1966
  • Series 4: First Appearances in Magazines and Newspapers, 1933-1983
  • Series 5: Other Appearances in Magazines and Newspapers, 1954-1983
  • Series 6: First Appearances of Reviews by Algren in Magazines and Newspapers, 1939-1980
  • Series 7: Blurbs, 1973-1974
  • Series 8: Reviews and Notices of Algren’s Work, 1935-1992
  • Series 9: Motion Picture and Theater Promotional Materials, 1956-1984
  • Series 10: Catalogs of Algren’s Works, 1966-2005
  • Series 11: Interviews and Articles about Algren, 1957-1991
  • Series 12: Correspondence by Algren, 1939-1974
  • Series 13: “Nelson Algren Award” Materials, 1981-1992
  • Series 14: Photographs, 1984, undated

Related Materials

  • Chicago Theater Videotape Collection, Videotapes 3.2 (. "Studs Terkel Reads Nelson Algren." March 21, 1988) and 3.3 (Chicago: City on the Make. A musical adaptation of Nelson Algren’s work. Northlight Theatre Company, April 4, 1988)
  • Writing in the First Person: Nelson Algren, 1909-1981, Grand Army of the Republic Museum, the Chicago Public Library Cultural Center, February 20-May 21, 1988. PS3501.L4625Z88 1988
  • Ohio State University Library holds the largest archive of Algren material.

Subject Headings

  • Algren, Nelson, 1909-1981 — Archives.
  • Algren, Nelson, 1909-1981 — Criticism and interpretation — Sources

Collection Inventory

Series 1: Separate Publications, 1935-2002

Scope and Contents

This series contains different editions of books written by Nelson Algren. Versions in languages other than English are included.

Arrangement

Books are arranged sequentially by alphanumeric code as assigned by Bruccoli’s bibliography. Overall, these are assigned chronologically by the first printing of a title, then chronologically within by subsequent printings. English language versions appear first, followed by languages other than English. The versions in languages other than English are chronological within.

Book A1.1 Somebody in Boots. New York: Vanguard Press, 1935. First edition, only printing. Presentation copy: “For W.F. Reinbold with Best wishes from Nelson Algren 4/20/35” 1935
Book A1.1 Somebody in Boots. New York: Vanguard Press, 1935. First edition, only printing, second binding. SPE copy lacks dust jacket 1935
Book A1.3.a The Jungle. New York: Avon Publications, Inc., [1957]. Third edition, first printing. “T-185.” “An adaptation of Somebody in Boots”. Copy 1 [1957]
Book A1.3.a The Jungle. New York: Avon Publications, Inc., [1957]. Third edition, first printing. “T-185.” “An adaptation of Somebody in Boots”. Copy 2 [1957]
Book A1.3.b The Jungle. New York: Avon Publications, Inc., [1959]. Third edition, second printing. “T-324.” “Original title: Somebody in Boots (Abridged)”. Copy 1 [1959]
Book A1.3.b The Jungle. New York: Avon Publications, Inc., [1959]. Third edition, second printing. “T-324.” “Original title: Somebody in Boots (Abridged)”. Copy 2 [1959]
Book A1.5 Somebody in Boots. New York: Berkley Publishing Corp., 1965. Fifth edition, only printing. "S1125." New "Preface" by Algren. Copy 1 1965
Book A1.5 Somebody in Boots. New York: Berkley Publishing Corp., 1965. Fifth edition, only printing. "S1125." New "Preface" by Algren. Copy 2 1965
Book 2 Somebody in Boots. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press, 1987. "Reprint. Originally published: New York: Berkley Pub. Corp., 1965" 1987
Book 3 Never Come Morning. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1942. Galleys 1942
Book A2.1.a Never Come Morning. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1942. First edition, first printing. This edition includes an introduction by Richard Wright. Presentation copy: "Thanks to Margaret Phelan, a true book-lover, for making room on her shelves for one more book. With best wishes from Nelson Algren 4/25/42". Copy 1 1942
Book A2.1.a Never Come Morning. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1942. First edition, first printing. This edition includes an introduction by Richard Wright. Copy 2 1942
Book A2.1.a Never Come Morning. New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1942. First edition, first printing. This edition includes an introduction by Richard Wright. SPE copy lacks dust jacket. Copy 3 1942
Book A2.1.c Never Come Morning. London: Neville Spearman, 1958. First edition, first English printing 1958
Book A2.1.e Never Come Morning. New York, Evanston and London: Harper & Row Publishers, 1963. First edition, fifth printing. "CN 15." "complete and unabridged with a new preface by the author, dated November 1962." Omits introduction by Richard Wright. Copy 1 1963
Book A2.1.e Never Come Morning. New York, Evanston and London: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1963. First edition, fifth printing. "CN 15." "complete and unabridged with a new preface by the author, dated November 1962." Omits introduction by Richard Wright. Copy 2 1963
Book A2.2.a Never Come Morning. New York: Avon Publishing Co. Inc., 1948. Second edition, fifth printing. "185." "Specially revised by the author for Avon Books." Omits introduction by Richard Wright. Copy 1 1948
Book A2.2.a Never Come Morning. New York: Avon Publishing Co. Inc., 1948. Second edition, fifth printing. "185." "Specially revised by the author for Avon Books." Omits introduction by Richard Wright. SPE copy: top edge of cover trimmed by binder. Copy 2 1948
Book A2.2.e Never Come Morning. New York: Avon Publishing Co. Inc., 1952. Second edition, fifth printing. "419." "Specially revised by the author for Avon Books" 1952
Book A2.2.g Never Come Morning. New York: Avon Publications Inc., [1955]. Second edition, seventh printing. "T-108" [1955]
Book A2.2.h Never Come Morning. New York: Avon Publications Inc., [1958]. Second edition, eighth printing. "T-223" [1958]
Book A2.3.a Never Come Morning. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1965. Third edition, first printing. "P 4006 B." With Algren’s preface dated November 1962 1965
Book A2.3.b Never Come Morning. New York: Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1968. Third edition, second printing. "N1583." "Complete & Unexpurgated." With Algren’s preface dated November 1962 1968
Book 4 [Never Come Morning] - Le Matin Se Fait Attendre. [Paris:] Gallimard, 1950. French translation by René Guyonnet. Preface by Richard Wright. In colophon: "14 Novembre 1950." On title page: "5 e édition." Wove paper wrappers. Presentation copy "For Judith from Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren 1950
Book 5 [Never Come Morning] - Le Matin Se Fait Attendre. [Paris:] Gallimard, 1950. French translation by René Guyonnet. In colophon: "14 Novembre 1950." Laid paper wrappers. On copyright page: "Exemplaire 29," limited edition 1950
Book 6 [Never Come Morning] - Nacht ohne morgen. Hamburg: Rowohlt Verlag, 1956. German translation by Werner Von Grünau. Includes "Nachtwort" (Afterword) by Richard Wright. On copyright page: "1. Aufluge 1956..." 1956
Book 21 [Never Come Morning] - Mai Venga il Mattino! Verona: Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 1956. Italian translation by Luisa Opiperi Linari. On copyright page: "1 EDIZIONE: DICEMBRE 1956." Published without dust jacket? Presentation copy: "For my paisan Helen Malone from Nelson Algren" 1956
Book 7 [Never Come Morning] - Nunca Llega la Mañana. Barcelona: Luis de Caralt, editor, 1963. Spanish translation by Jesús López Pacheco. On copyright page: "Primera edición: Marzo 1963." Includes introduction by Richard Wright. Presentation copy: "Spanish cat by Nelson Algren," with a drawing of a cat by Algren 1963
Book 8 [Never Come Morning] - Jutra Ne Bo Nikoli. Ljubljani: Cankarjeva založba, 1966. Slovenian translation by Dušen Voglar. Presentation copy "With best wishes for Roz and Bill fr[om] Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren 1966
Book A3.1.a The Neon Wilderness. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Co. Inc., 1947. First edition, first printing. Signed copy: "Nelson Algren". Copy 1 1947
Book A3.1.a The Neon Wilderness. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Co. Inc., 1947. First edition, first printing. Copy 2 1947
Book A3.1.b The Neon Wilderness. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Co. Inc., 1948. First edition, second printing. On front free endpaper: "Larry McMurtry Sacramento 1961" 1948
Book A3.1.c The Neon Wilderness. Gloucester, Mass.: Peter Smith, 1968. First edition, third printing. No dust jacket 1968
Book A3.2.a The Neon Wilderness. New York: Avon Publishing Co. Inc., 1949. Second edition, first printing. "222." 18 stories. Omits "A Bottle of Milk for Mother," "He Couldn’t Boogie-Woogie Worth a Damn," "That’s the Way It’s Always Been," "Million-Dollar Brainstorm," "Katz," and "The Heroes." Presentation copy: "With best wishes to Paul Garon from Nelson Algren 8 March 1975 Chicago Ill." 1949
Book A3.2.c The Neon Wilderness. New York: Avon Publishing Co. Inc., 1952. Second edition, third printing. "424". Copy 1 1952
Book A3.2.c The Neon Wilderness. New York: Avon Publishing Co. Inc., 1952. Second edition, third printing. "424". Copy 2 1952
Book A3.2.d The Neon Wilderness. New York: Avon Publications Inc., [1956]. Second edition, fourth printing. "T-125" [1956]
Book A3.3.a The Neon Wilderness. New York: Hill and Wang, Inc., 1960. Third edition, first printing. "AC 27." "With an Introduction by the author." 24 stories 1960
Book A3.3.b The Neon Wilderness. New York: Hill and Wang, Inc., 1962. Third edition, second printing. "AC 27." Dedication altered "for ruth reihardt of jazz, ltd., chicago." Presentation copy: "For George Pasley with best wishes from Nelson Algren" 1962
Book A3.3.c The Neon Wilderness. London: Andre Deutsch, 1965. Third edition, first English printing 1965
Book A3.3.d The Neon Wilderness. New York: Hill and Wang, Inc., 1966. Third edition, fourth printing. "AC 27" 1966
Book A3.3.e The Neon Wilderness. New York: Hill and Wang, Inc., 1975. Third edition, fifth printing. "0027" 1975
Book A3.4 The Neon Wilderness. New York: Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1965. Fourth edition, only printing. "S1103." 24 stories, with an introduction by Algren 1965
Book 9 [The Neon Wilderness] - Le Notti di Chicago. Turin: Giulio Einaudi editore, 1954. Italian translation by Gilberto Forti. Colophon: "Finito di stampare dalla Stamperia Artistica Nazionale in Torino, il 20 luglio 1954." Excludes "Is Your Name Joe?" "A Bottle of Milk for Mother," "He Couldn’t Boogie-Woogie Worth a Damn," "A Lot You got to Holler," "Please Don’t Talk about Me when I’m Gone," "That’s the Way It’s Always Been," and "Katz" 1954
Book 10 [The Neon Wilderness] - Le Notti di Chicago. [Verona?:] Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 1957. Italian translation by Gilberto Forti. "124." Copyright page: "I EDIZONE I LIBRA DEL PAVONE: LUGLIO 1957." Excludes "Is Your Name Joe?" "A Bottle of Milk for Mother," "He Couldn’t Boogie-Woogie Worth a Damn," "A Lot You got to Holler," "Please Don’t Talk about Me when I’m Gone," "That’s the Way It’s Always Been," and "Katz" 1957
Book 22 [The Neon Wilderness] - La Selva de Neon. Barcelona: Luis de Caralt, 1963. Spanish translation by Jesús López Pacheco. "2." "Primera edición: marzo 1963." Presentation copy: "For Bill and Roz from Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren. Excludes "The Captain Has Bad Dreams," "Is Your Name Joe," "A Bottle of Milk for Mother," "He Couldn’t Boogie-Woogie Worth a Damn," "Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone," "Kingdom City to Cairo," "That’s the Way It’s Always Been," "The Children," "Million Dollar Brainstorm," "Pero Venceremos," "No Man’s Laughter," "Katz," "Design For Departure," "The Heroes," "and "So Help Me" 1963
Book 11 [The Neon Wilderness] - Neónová Divocina. Praha: Odeon, 1969. Czech translation by František Jungwith and Jan Zábrana. Presentation copy: "Czechoslovakian Cat by Nelson Algren," with drawing of a cat by Algren. Excludes "How the Devil Came Down Division Street," "Is Your Name Joe?" "Depend on Aunt Elly," "Stickman’s Laughter," "A Bottle of Milk for Mother," "He Couldn’t boogie-Woogie worth a damn," "A Lot You got to Holler," "The Brothers’ House," "Please Don’t Talk about Me when I’m Gone," "He Swung and He Missed," "El Presidente de Mejico," "Kingdom City to Cairo," "The Children," "Pero Venceremos," "No Man’s Laughter," "Design for Departure," and "So Help Me" 1969
Book A4.1.a¹ The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First edition, first printing, trade issue. SPE copy 39 lines per page. Presentation copy: "For Paul Garon with best wishes from Nelson Algren Chicago 8 March 1975". Copy 1 1949
Book A4.1.a¹ The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. First edition, first printing, trade issue. SPE copy 39 lines per page. Copy 2 1949
Book A4.1.a² The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First edition, first printing, signed issue. Unprinted leaf signed "Nelson Algren," tipped in at beginning of first signature 1949
Book A4.1.b The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First edition, second printing. Top edge stained gray. Presentation copy: "For Regina Paulson with best wishes for the first Chicago ______ ____ and ______ _______ and Nelson Algren Jan 26 1956." Possibly a Book Club printing. Copy 1 1949
Book A4.1.b The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First edition, second printing. Top edge not stained. Possibly a Book Club printing. Copy 2 1949
Book A4.1.b The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First edition, second printing. Top edge not stained. Possibly a Book Club printing. Copy 3 1949
Book A4.1.b The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First edition, second printing. Bound in brown cloth, top edge not stained, SPE copy lacks dust jacket. Possibly a Book Club printing. Copy 4 1949
Book A4.1.e The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1949. First edition, fifth printing. Presentation copy: "For John R Wolff A very merry xmas and a Happy New Year from Nelson Algren," with a drawing of a vase with a star by Algren 1949
Book A4.1.g The Man With the Golden Arm. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1955. First edition, seventh printing. SPE copy lacks dust jacket 1955
Book A4.1.i The Man With the Golden Arm. London: Neville Spearman, 1959. First edition, first English printing 1959
Book A4.1.j The Man With the Golden Arm. Cambridge, Mass: Robert Bentley Inc., 1978. First edition, tenth printing. "With an appreciation of Nelson Algren by Studs Terkel." Copyright page: "Reprint of the ed. published by Doubleday, Garden City, N.Y." 1978
Book A4.2.a The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1951. Second edition, first printing. "757". Copy 1 1951
Book A4.2.a The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1951. Second edition, first printing. "757". Copy 2 1951
Book A4.2.a The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1951. Second edition, first printing. "757." Dust jacket included. Copy 3 1951
Book A4.2.b The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1956. Second edition, second printing. "C31" 1956
Book A4.2.c The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1956. Second edition, third printing 1956
Book A4.2.e The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1956. Second edition, fifth printing. "C31" 1956
Book A4.2.g The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Pocket Books, Inc., 1956. Second edition, seventh printing. "C31" 1956
Book A4.5.a The Man With the Golden Arm. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1964. Fifth edition, first printing. "T727" 1964
Book A4.5.c The Man With the Golden Arm. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1970. Fifth edition, third printing. "M511." Presentation copy: "Best wishes to Mrs. Alice Flowers from Nelson Algren Cal Pk [?] High April 23, 1974". Copy 1 1970
Book A4.5.c The Man With the Golden Arm. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1970. Fifth edition, third printing. "M511". Copy 2 1970
Book A4.5.d The Man With the Golden Arm. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., undated. Fifth edition, fourth printing. "m956" undated
Book A4.5.e The Man With the Golden Arm. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., undated. Fifth edition, fifth printing. "M1189" undated
Book A4.7.a The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Penguin Books, 1977. Seventh edition, first printing 1977
Book 12 The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Seven Stories Press, 1990. Introduction by James R. Giles 1990
Book 13 The Man With the Golden Arm. New York: Seven Stories Press, 1999. First edition. "50th Anniversary Critical Edition" 1999
Book 14 [The Man With the Golden Arm]. Japan: Hayakawa Shobo & Co. Ltd., [1956]. Japanese translation by Yutaka Takahashi. Presentation copy: "For Roz, Bill ________ from Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren [1956]
Book 15 [The Man With the Golden Arm] - Cerca del Infierno. Barcelona: Luis de Caralt, 1957. Spanish translation by J.M.a C. y D.M. Copyright page: "Primera edición: FEBRERO 1957." Presentation copy: "Very Best to Roz & Bill de ____--Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren 1957
Book 16 [The Man With the Golden Arm] - O Homem do Braço de Ouro. Lisboa: Editorial Minerva, 1962. Portuguese translation by Daniel Augusto Gonçalves and Fernanda Pinto Rodrigues. Copyright page: "1.a edição 1962." Presentation copy." Presentation copy: "Portuguese cat Nelson Algren," with a drawing of a cat by Algren 1962
Book 17 [The Man With the Golden Arm] - El Hombre Del Brazo De Oro. Barcelona: 1964. Spanish translation 1964
Book 18 [The Man With the Golden Arm] - L’uomo Dal Braccio D’Oro. Milano: Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 1967. Italian translation by Giorgio Monicelli. Copyright page: "III EDIZIONE MEDUSA FEBBRAIO 1967." Colophon: "QUESTO VOLUME E STATO IMPRESSO NEL MESE DI FEBBRAIO DELL’ANNO 1967 NELLE OFFICINE GRAFICHE DI VERONA DELLA ARNOLDO MONDADORI EDITORE STAMADO IN ITALIA-PRINTED IN ITALY." Presentation copy: "Italian cat by Nelson Algren," with a drawing of a cat by Algren 1967
Book 19 [The Man With the Golden Arm] - De Man Met De Gouden Arm. Hoovn, Netherlands: Witte Raven Goliath Pocket, undated. Dutch translation by J.F. Kliphuis. "G15." Presentation copy: "Dear Bill- If it seems that a little too much of Sinatra’s blood got on the cover, it’s only because I spilled a can of mahogany stain while painting. Sorry, --Nelson" undated
Book A5.1.a Chicago: City on the Make. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company Inc., 1951. First edition, first printing. Signed copy: "Nelson Algren." Laid-in copy of Algren’s bookplate. Copy 1 1951
Book A5.1.a Chicago: City on the Make. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company Inc., 1951. First edition, first printing. Copy 2 1951
Book A5.1.b Chicago: City on the Make. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company Inc., 1951. First edition, second printing 1951
Book A5.2.a Chicago: City on the Make. Sausalito, California: Contact Editions, 1961. Second edition, first printing. "R1." This edition includes an introduction by Algren: "The People of These Parts: A Survey of Modern Mid-American Letters." Dedication altered "For Herman and Marilou Kogan". Copy 1 1961
Book A5.2.a Chicago: City on the Make. Sausalito, California: Contact Editions, 1961. Second edition, first printing. "R1." This edition includes an introduction by Algren: "The People of These Parts: A Survey of Modern Mid-American Letters." Dedication altered "For Herman and Marilou Kogan". Copy 2 1961
Book A5.2.a Chicago: City on the Make. Sausalito, California: Contact Editions, 1961. Second edition, first printing. "R1." This edition includes an introduction by Algren: "The People of These Parts: A Survey of Modern Mid-American Letters." Dedication altered "For Herman and Marilou Kogan". Copy 3 1961
Book A5.2.b Chicago: City on the Make. Oakland, California: Angel Island Publications, Inc., [1968]. Second edition, second printing, first issue. 100 copies given to Algren with the epilogue: "Ode to Kissassville or: Gone on the Arfy-Darfy." Dedication altered "For Joan Baez A conscience in touch with humanity." Presentation copy: "This book is a minor literary curiosity. The original edition had an epilogue called ‘Ode to Lower Sbobovia.’ However, as it went to press I decided to change the epilogues’ title to Kissassville—The publisher refused to publish a book with an epilogue he felt was obscene. I was adamant, He was adamant. Finally a compromise was reached: he would print 100 copies under my title, but would not distribute them. This is one of the 100 un-distributed copies—Nelson Algren.""For Roger Ridous [?] with best wishes from Nelson Algren 3/20/78." Also includes a drawing of a cat ("Kat") by Algren. Boxed. Copy 1 [1968]
Book A5.2.b Chicago: City on the Make. Oakland, California: Angel Island Publications, Inc., [1968]. Second edition, second printing, first issue. 100 copies given to Algren with the epilogue: "Ode to Kissassville or: Gone on the Arfy-Darfy." Dedication altered "For Joan Baez A conscience in touch with humanity". Copy 2 [1968]
Book A5.2.b2 Chicago: City on the Make. Oakland, California: Angel Island Publications, Inc., [1968]. Second edition, second printing, second issue. Epilogue entitled "Ode to Lower Finksville". Copy 1 [1968]
Book A5.2.b2 Chicago: City on the Make. Oakland, California: Angel Island Publications, Inc., [1968]. Second edition, second printing, second issue. Epilogue entitled "Ode to Lower Finksville". Copy 2 [1968]
Book A5.3.a Chicago: City on the Make. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1983. This edition has an introduction by Studs Terkel; omits the epilogue; and Algren’s introduction is now an afterword. Dedication altered: "This is for Nelson Algren" 1983
Book 20 Chicago: City on the Make. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001. Includes Algren’s afterword, but not the epilogue; an introduction by Studs Terkel; and extensive annotations by David Schmittgens and Bill Savage. "Fiftieth Anniversary Edition" 2001
Book A6.1.a A Walk on the Wild Side. New York: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, 1956. First edition, first printing. Presentation copy: "For Bedonnia [?] Fagel from Nelson Algren with best wishes May 21, 56." This copy top edge unstained. Copy 1 1956
Book A6.1.a A Walk on the Wild Side. New York: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, 1956. First edition, first printing. Top edge stained reddish brown. Copy 2 1956
Book A6.1.a A Walk on the Wild Side. New York: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, 1956. First edition, first printing. Top edge stained reddish brown. Copy 3 1956
Book A6.1.b A Walk on the Wild Side. New York: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, 1956. First edition, second printing. On front dust jacket flap: "Second large printing". Copy 1 1956
Book A6.1.b A Walk on the Wild Side. New York: Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, 1956. First edition, second printing. On front dust jacket flap: "Second large printing". Copy 2 1956
Book A6.1.d A Walk on the Wild Side. London: Neville Spearman Ltd., 1957. First edition, first English printing 1957
Book A6.2.a A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1957. Second edition, first printing. "d157". Copy 1 1957
Book A6.2.a A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1957. Second edition, first printing. "d157". Copy 2 1957
Book A6.2.a A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1957. Second edition, first printing. "d157". Copy 3 1957
Book A6.2.b A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1957. Second edition, second printing. "d157" 1957
Book A6.2.c A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1957. Second edition, third printing. "d377" 1957
Book A6.3.a A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1962. Third edition, fourth printing. "d496" 1962
Book A6.3.c A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1962. Third edition, third printing. "d496" 1962
Book A6.3.d A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1962. Third edition, fourth printing. "d496". Copy 1 1962
Book A6.3.d A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1962. Third edition, fourth printing. "d496". Copy 2 1962
Book A6.3.e A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1963. Third edition, fifth printing. "d496" 1963
Book A6.3.f A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., undated. Third edition, unidentified printing. "t890" undated
Book A6.3.g A Walk on the Wild Side. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., undated. Third edition, unidentified printing. "M1238" undated
Book A6.6.a A Walk on the Wild Side. [New York]: Penguin Books, 1977. Sixth edition, first printing 1977
Book A6.7.a A Walk on the Wild Side. [New York]: Penguin Books, 1984. Seventh edition, first printing 1984
Book 23 [A Walk on the Wild Side] - La Rue Chaude. [Paris]: Gallimard, 1960. French translation by Roger Giroux. Colophon: "ACHEVÉ D’IMPRIMER LE 5 JANVIER 1960 PAR FIRMIN-DIDPT ET Cie LE MESNIL-SUR-L’ESTRÉE (EURE)." "Imprimé en France N° d’édition: 7257 Dépôt Légal : 1er trimestre 1960 – 6581". Copy 1 1960
Book 24 [A Walk on the Wild Side] - La Rue Chaude. [Paris:] Gallimard, 1960. French translation by Roger Giroux. Colophon: "ACHEVÉ D’IMPRIMER le 30 Avril 1962 SUR LES PRESSES DE L’IMPRIMERIE OFFSET JEAN GROU-RADENEZ 27-29, RUE DE LA SABLIÉRE, A PARIS Dépôt Légal : 1er trimestre 1960 N° D’ ÉDITION: 8807." Presentation copy: "For Roz and Bill Best wishes from Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren. Copy 2 1960
Book 25 [A Walk on the Wild Side] - La Rue Chaude. [Paris:] Gallimard, 1960. French translation by Roger Giroux. Colophon: "ACHEVÉ D’IMPRIMER LR 5 JANVIER 1960 PAR FIRMIN-DIDOT ET CIE LE MESNIL-SUR-L’ESTRÉE (EURE)." "Imprimé en France N° d’ édition : 7257 Dépôt Légal : 1er trimestre 1960. - 6581". Copy 3 1960
Book 26 [A Walk on the Wild Side] -Passeggiata Selvaggia. [Verona:] Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 1961. Italian translation by Giorgio Monicelli. Copyright page: "I EDIZIONE OTTOBRE 1961." Colophon: "QUESTO VOLUME É STATO IMPRESSO NEL MESE DI OTTOBRE DELL’ANNO MCMLXI NELLE OFFICINE GRAFICHE VERONESI DELL’EDITORE ARNOLDO MONDADORI. STAMPADO IN ITALIA – PRINTED IN ITALY 7656 – MED." Presentation copy: "Best to Roz and Bill As Always—Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren 1961
Book 27 [A Walk on the Wild Side] -La Ciudad Queda Lejos. Barcelona: Luis de Caralt, 1964. Spanish translation by Francisco Ecias. Colophon: "Este libro se terminó de imprimir en Gráficas Diamante, en el mes de Marzo de 1964" 1964
Book 28 [A Walk on the Wild Side] -Passeggiata Selvaggia. [Verona:] Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 1968. Italian translation. Copyright page: "I edizione Gli Oscar gennaio 1968." Colophon: "Questo volume é stato impresso nel mese de gennaio 1968 nelle Officine Grafiche di Verona della Arnoldo Mondadori Editore Stampato in Italia – Printed in Italy." SPE copy lacks front cover. Presentation copy: "For _______ Schwartz from Nelson Algren with best wishes Aug 4 1974" 1968
Book A8.1.a Nelson Algren’s Own Book of Lonesome Monsters. New York: Lancer Books, Inc., 1962. First edition, first printing. "73-409." Opposite title page: "A LANCER ORIGINAL NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED." SPE copy: 39 lines per page. Copy 1 1962
Book A8.1.a Nelson Algren’s Own Book of Lonesome Monsters. New York: Lancer Books, Inc., 1962. First edition, first printing. "73-409." Opposite title page: "A LANCER ORIGINAL NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED." SPE copy: 39 lines per page. Copy 2 1962
Book A8.1.b Nelson Algren’s Own Book of Lonesome Monsters. New York: Lancer Books, Inc., [1972]. First edition, second printing. "33016-125" [1972]
Book A8.2 Nelson Algren’s Own Book of Lonesome Monsters. [New York]: Bernard Geis Associates, [1963]. Second edition, only printing. This edition includes two additional stories: "South’s Summer Idyll," by Terry Southern and "The Sleep of Baby Filbertson," by James Leo Herlihy. Presentation copy: "For Judith from Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren. Copy 1 [1963]
Book A8.2 Nelson Algren’s Own Book of Lonesome Monsters. [New York]: Bernard Geis Associates, [1963]. Second edition, only printing. 15 stories total, including "South’s Summer Idyll," by Terry Southern and "The Sleep of Baby Filbertson," by James Leo Herlihy. Copy 2 [1963]
Book A8.3.a Nelson Algren’s Book of Lonesome Monsters. London: Hamilton and Co. (Stafford) Ltd., 1964. First edition, first English printing. Thirteen stories, as in first edition. Title omits "Own" 1964
Book A9.1.a Who Lost an American? New York: The Macmillan Company, 1963. First edition, first printing. SPE copy: 34 lines per page. Signed copy: "Nelson Algren". Copy 1 1963
Book A9.1.a Who Lost an American? New York: The Macmillan Company, 1963. First edition, first printing. SPE copy: 34 lines per page. Signed copy: "Nelson Algren". Copy 2 1963
Book A9.1.a Who Lost an American? New York: The Macmillan Company, 1963. First edition, first printing. SPE copy: 34 lines per page. Copy 3 1963
Book A9.1.b Who Lost an American? New York: The Macmillan Company, 1963. First edition, second printing 1963
Book A9.1.c Who Lost an American? London: Andre Deutsch, 1963. First edition, only English printing 1963
Book A9.2.a Who Lost an American? London: Mayflower-Dell Books, 1965. Second edition, first printing. "9535" 1965
Book A11.1 Donohue, H.E.F. Conversations with Nelson Algren. New York: Hill and Wang, 1964. First edition, only printing. Presentation copy: "For Ruth Lebow with best wishes—Nelson Algren Dec. 21, 1964." Pasted to front free endpaper is a menu from a luncheon honoring the publication of the book; Louis Szathmary, Chef de Cuisine, Studs Terkel, Master of Ceremonies 1964
Book A11.2 Donohue, H.E.F. Conversations with Nelson Algren. New York: Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1965. Second edition, only printing. "S1134". Copy 1 1965
Book A11.2 Donohue, H.E.F. Conversations with Nelson Algren. New York: Berkley Publishing Corp., 1965. Second edition, only printing. "S1134." Copyright page: "BERKELY MEDALLION EDITION, SEPTEMBER 1965. Copy 2 1965
Book 29 Notes from a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965. Galleys 1965
Book A12.1.a Notes from a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965. First edition, first printing. Copy 1 1965
Book A12.1.a Notes from a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965. First edition, first printing. Copy 2 1965
Book A12.1.a Notes from a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1965. First edition, first printing. Copy 3 1965
Book A12.1.b Notes from a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. London: Andre Deutsch, 1966. First edition, first English printing. Presentation copy "For Judith from Nelson," with a drawing of a cat by Algren 1966
Book A12.2 Notes from a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1966. Second edition, only printing. "R973". Copy 1 1966
Book A12.2 Notes from a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Publications, Inc., 1966. Second edition, only printing. "R973". Copy 2 1966
Box 11 Book 30 The Last Carousel. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1973. Advance Review Copy 1973
Book 31 The Last Carousel. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1973. Proofs 1973
Book A13.1 The Last Carousel. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1973. First edition, only printing. Signed copy: "Nelson Algren." Laid-in copy of Algren’s bookplate. Copy 1 1973
Book A13.1 The Last Carousel. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1973. First edition, only printing. Copy 2 1973
Book A13.1 The Last Carousel. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1973. First edition, only printing. SPE copy bound in white cloth. Copy 3 1973
Book A13.2 The Last Carousel. New York: Warner, 1975. Second edition, only printing. "79-727." Presentation copy: "For Paul Henderson with best wishes from Nelson Algren 8 March 1975," with a drawing of a cat by
Algren. Copy 1
1975
Book A13.2 The Last Carousel. New York: Warner, 1975. Second edition, only printing. "79-727". Copy 2 1975
Box 10 Book 32 Chinatown: A Novel of Suspense. Photocopy of manuscript published with major textual changes as The Devil’s Stocking undated
Book A14.1.a Calhoun. Frankfurt, Germany: Zweitausendeins, 1981. First edition, first printing. German translation 1981
Book A14.2.b The Devil’s Stocking. New York: The Arbor House Library of Contemporary Americana, 1983. First English language edition, first printing. Bound in cloth. Copy 1 1983
Book A14.2.b The Devil’s Stocking. New York: The Arbor House Library of Contemporary Americana, 1983. First English language edition, first printing. Bound in cloth. Copy 2 1983
Book A14.2.b The Devil’s Stocking. New York: The Arbor House Library of Contemporary Americana, 1983. First English language edition, first printing. Bound in wrapper. Copy 3 1983
Book A14.2.b The Devil’s Stocking. New York: The Arbor House Library of Contemporary Americana, 1983. Second printing, proof copy 1983
Book Aoa1 He Swung and He Missed. Mankato, Minnesota: Creative Education Inc. 1993
Book Aoa2 Nonconformity: Writing on Writing. New York: Seven Stories Press 1996
Book Aoa3 Ballet for Opening Day: The Swede Was a Hard Guy. Chicago: Sherwin Beach Press, 2002. SPE copy is the 24th of 50. Designed by Robert McCamant, illustrations by Tony Fitzpatrick, printed by Martha Chiplis, and bound by Trisha Hammer 2002

Series 2: First Appearances in Books, 1937-1972

Scope and Contents

This series included first publication of short stories by Nelson Algren in anthologies.

Arrangement

Items are arranged sequentially by numbers assigned by Bruccoli’s bibliography, which are assigned chronologically by publication date.

Book B2 Galena. (1937). An American Guide Series publication written as part of the Federal writer’s project (Illinois) Works Progress Administration. Copy 1 1937
Book B2 Galena. (1937). An American Guide Series publication written as part of the Federal writer’s project (Illinois) Works Progress Administration. Copy 2 1937
Book B6 "How the Devil Came Down Division Street." In The Best American Short Stories 1945, edited by Martha Foley. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1945. SPE copy published by Houghton Mifflin Company in 1945 which appears to be the first appearance of this story in a book 1945
Book B7 “Single Exit." In Cross Section: A Collection of New American Writing, edited by Edwin Seaver. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1947. Signed copy: "Edwin Seaver" 1947
Book B8 "The Captain is Impaled." In Prize Stories of 1950: The O. Henry Awards, edited by Herschel Brickell. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc. 1950
Book B13 "Beasts of the Wild." In New World Writing. New York: The New American Library, 1956. "MD 170" 1956
Book B14 "Ain’t Nobody on My Side?," in The Race for Space, edited by Paul Niemark. Chicago: Camerarts 1957
Book B16 "All Through the Night." In The Permanent Playboy, edited by Ray Russell. New York: Crown Publishers Inc. 1959
Book B20 [Introduction] F.S.C., by Con Sellers. Chicago: Novel Books, Inc., 1963. "6081" 1963
Book B21 [Introduction] "Erik Dorn A Thousand and One Afternoons in Nada." In Erik Dorn, by Ben Hecht. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press 1963
Book B22 "The Daddy of Them All." In Taboo: Seven Short Stories Which No Publisher Would Touch from Seven Leading Writers. Chicago: New Classics House 1964
Book B24 "Nelson Algren." In Authors Take Sides on Vietnam, edited by Cecil Woolf and John Bagguley. New York: Simon and Schuster 1967
Book B25 "A Place to Lie Down." In Years of Protest: A Collection of American Writings of the 1930’s, edited by Jack Salzman and Barry Wallenstein. New York: Pegasus 1967
Book B27 "Airy Persiflage on the Heaving Deep." In Works in Progress, edited by William Ewald. New York: The Literary Guild of America, Inc. 1970
Book B28 "Otto Preminger’s Strange Suspenjers [sic]," in Focus Media, (1972). Includes envelope from Algren addressed to Mr. Robert Cromie 1972

Series 3: Other Appearances in Books, 1942-1966

Scope and Contents

This series contains second publications of short stories in anthologies.

Arrangement

Items are arranged sequentially by numbers assigned by Bruccoli’s bibliography, which are assigned chronologically by publication date.

Book Boa1 "Biceps." In The Best American Short Stories 1942, edited by Martha Foley. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company 1942
Book Boa2 "The Children." In The Penguin New Writing, edited by John Lehmann, no. 34. London and New York: Penguin Books, 1948. Contents page: "First publication in Great Britain of this story" 1948
Book Boa3 "The Heroes." In The Penguin New Writing, edited by John Lehmann, no. 35. London and New York: Penguin Books 1948
Book Boa4 "A Bottle of Milk for Mother." In The Avon All-American Fiction Reader. New York: Avon Publishing, Inc., 1951. "1002" 1951
Book Boa5 "He Swung and He Missed." In The World’s Greatest Boxing Stories, edited by Harold U. Ribalow. New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1952. Renew slip laid in 1952
Book Boa6 "The Face on the Barroom Floor." In Tales of Love and Fury. New York: Avon Publications, Inc., 1953. "A549" 1953
Book Boa7 "Katz." In The Stakes are High, edited by Brent Ashabranner. New York: Bantam Books Inc., 1954. "P64". Copy 1 1954
Book Boa7 "Katz." In The Stakes are High, edited by Brent Ashabranner. New York: Bantam Books Inc., 1954. "P64". Copy 2 1954
Book Boa8 "So Help Me." In The American Century, edited by Maxim Lieber. Leipzig, Germany: Paul List Verlag 1955
Book Boa9 "Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone." In Stories of Scarlet Women. New York: Avon Publications, Inc., 1955. "T-113" 1955
Book Boa10 "Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone." In Stories of Scarlet Women. New York: Avon Publications, Inc., [undated]. "G-1112" undated
Book Boa11 "How the Devil Came Down Division Street." In Great Tales of City Dwellers, edited by Alex Austin. New York: Manvis Publications Inc., 1955. "LL 53" 1955
Book Boa12 "The Heroes." In War, edited by Alex Austin. New York: The New American Library of World Literature, Inc., 1957. "S1478" 1957
Book Boa13 "The Face on the Barroom Floor." In Tales of Midsummer Passion. New York: Avon Publications, Inc., [1957]. "778" 1957
Book Boa14 "So Help Me." In Firsts of the Famous, edited by Whit Burnett. New York, Ballantine Books, 1962. "F 598" 1962
Book Boa15 "A Lot You Got to Holler." In National Book Award Reader, edited by Robert J. Clements. New York: Popular Library, Inc., 1966. "50-443" 1966

Series 4: First Appearances in Magazines and Newspapers, 1933-1983

Scope and Contents

This series compiles first publications of articles and stories by Nelson Algren in magazines and newspapers.

Arrangement

Items are arranged sequentially by numbers assigned by Bruccoli’s bibliography, which are assigned chronologically by publication date.

Box 1 Folder 1 Item C1 "So Help Me," in Story, vol. 3, #14 (August 1933). Story. Nelson Algren’s first published work 1933
Box 1 Folder 2 Item C2 "Forgive Them, Lord," in A Year Magazine, Section 2 (1933). Story 1933
Box 1 Folder 3 Item C6 "A Holiday in Texas," in The Anvil, #6 (May/June 1934). Story 1934
Box 1 Folder 4 Item C11 "The Brothers’ House," in Story, vol. 5, #27 (October 1934). Story 1934
Box 1 Folder 5 Item C13 "A Place to Lie Down," in The Partisan Review, vol. 2, #6 (January/February 1935). Story 1935
Box 1 Folder 6 Item C14 "Winter in Chicago," in The Anvil, vol. 2, #11 (May/June 1935). Story 1935
Box 1 Folder 7 Item C16 "American Obituary," in The Partisan Review, vol. 2, #9 (October/November 1935). Article 1935
Box 1 Folder 8 Item C17 "Within the City," in The Anvil, vol. 3, #13 (October/November 1935). Article 1935
Box 1 Folder 9 Item C20 "Makers of Music," in The New Anvil, vol. 1, #1 (March 1939). Verse 1939
Box 1 Folder 10 Item C22 "Program for Appeasement," in The New Anvil, vol. 1, #3 (June/July 1939). Verse 1939
Box 1 Folder 11 Item C23 "Home and Goodnight," in Poetry, vol. 55, #2 (November 1939). Verse 1939
Box 1 Folder 11 Item C24 "Travelog," in Poetry, vol. 55, #2 (November 1939). Verse 1939
Box 1 Folder 12 Item C26 "Biceps," in The Southern Review, vol. 6, #4 (Spring 1941). Story 1941
Box 1 Folder 13 Item C27 "Local South," in Poetry, vol. 58, #6 (September 1941). Verse 1941
Box 1 Folder 13 Item C28 "How Long Blues," in Poetry, vol. 58, #6 (September 1941). Verse 1941
Box 2 Folder 1 Item C29 "Stickman’s Laughter," in The Southern Review, vol. 7, #4 (Spring 1942). Story 1942
Box 12 Folder 1 Item C31 "The Captain is a Card," in Esquire, vol. 17, #6 (June 1942). Story 1942
Box 2 Folder 2 Item C32 "He Swung and He Missed," in The American Mercury, vol. 55, #223 (July 1942). Story 1942
Box 2 Folder 3 Item C34 "The Children," in The American Mercury, vol. 57, #237 (September 1943). Story 1943
Box 2 Folder 4 Item C36 "The Face on the Barroom Floor," in The American Mercury, vol. 64, #277 (January 1947). Story 1947
Box 2 Folder 5 Item C38 "Epitaph: The Man With the Golden Arm," in Poetry, vol. 70, #6 (September 1947). Verse 1947
Box 2 Folder 6 Item C41 "The Captain is Impaled," in Harper’s Magazine, vol. 199, #1191 (August 1949). Story 1949
Box 2 Folder 7 Item C47 "What is America Reading?" in The Northwestern University Reviewing Stand, vol. 13, (January 29, 1950). Radio Transcription 1950
Box 12 Folder 2 Item C51 "One Man’s Chicago," in Holiday, vol. 10, #4 (October 1956). Article 1956
Box 2 Folder 8 Item C55 "American Christmas, 1952," in The Nation, vol. 175, #26 (December 27, 1952). Article. Originally published as "Great Writing Bogged Down in Fear, Says Novelist Nelson Algren," Chicago Daily News (3 December 1952), 44 1952
Box 2 Folder 9 Item C58 "Eggheads are Rolling: The Rush to Conform," in The Nation, vol. 177, #16 (October 17, 1953). Article 1953
Box 2 Folder 10 Item C59 "The Art of Fiction – Nelson Algren," in The Paris Review, #11 (Winter 1955). Interview by Alston Anderson and Terry Southern 1955
Box 2 Folder 11 Item C63 "Mr. Goodbuddy and the Mighty Dripolator," in Nugget, vol. 1, #4 (July 1956). Story 1956
Box 2 Folder 12 Item C66 "All Through the Night," in Playboy, vol. 4, #4 (April 1957). Story 1957
Box 2 Folder 13 Item C67 "G-String Gomorrah," in Esquire, vol. 48, (August 1957). Article. Tear Sheets 1957
Box 2 Folder 14 Item C73 "Chicago is a Wose," in The Nation, vol. 188, #9 (February 28, 1959). Article 1959
Box 2 Folder 15 Item C75 "Ding-Ding Tinkle Hinkle, the Finkified Lasagna and the Footnote King," in The Dial, vol. 1, #1 (Fall 1959). Article 1959
Box 2 Folder 16 Item C81 "3 Tapes," in Writer’s Yearbook, #31 (1960). Interviews with Erskine Caldwell, Meyer Levin and Algren 1960
Box 3 Folder 1 Item C84 "The Unacknowledged Champion of Everything," in The Noble Savage, vol. 2, (September 1960). Article 1960
Box 3 Folder 2 Item C85 "The Mafia of the Heart," in Contact, vol. 2, #6 (October 1960). Article 1960
Box 3 Folder 3 Item C86 "Down with All Hands," in The Atlantic, vol. 206, #6 (December 1960). Article 1960
Box 3 Folder 4 Item C87 "Remembering Richard Wright," in The Nation, vol. 192, #4 (January 28, 1961). Article 1961
Box 3 Folder 5 Item C90 "Contact!" in The Nation, vol. 192, #16 (April 22, 1961). Letter 1961
Box 3 Folder 6 Item C92 "The Bride Below the Black Coiffure," in Rogue, vol. 6, (July 1961). Verse. Tear sheets 1961
Box 3 Folder 7 Item C93 "He’s Upsy-Downsy," in Rogue vol. 6, (July 1961). Letter. Clipping (photocopy reproduction) 1961
Box 3 Folder 8 Item C95 "Moon of the Back Stretch, Still and White," in Rogue, (August 1961). Article. Tear sheets 1961
Box 3 Folder 9 Item C97 "The Peseta With the Hole in the Middle Part 1," in The Kenyon Review, 23 (Autumn 1961). Article 1961
Box 3 Folder 10 Item C98 "They’re Hiding the Ham on the Pinball King, or Some Came Stumbling," in Contact, 3 (September 1961). Article 1961
Box 3 Folder 11 Item C100 "You Have Your People and I Have Mine," in Rogue [(November 1961)]. Article. Tear sheets 1961
Box 3 Folder 12 Item C101 "Hemingway: The Dye That Did Not Run," in The Nation, vol. 193, (November 18, 1961). Article. Clipping 1961
Box 3 Folder 13 Item C103 "God Bless the Lonesome Gas Man," in The Dude (March 1962). Story. Tear sheets 1962
Box 3 Folder 14 Item C104 "The Role of the Writer in America," in Michigan’s Voices, vol. 2, #3 (Spring 1962). Speech 1962
Box 3 Folder 15 Item C106 "Fabulous Istanbul Isn’t the Town for Me," in Nugget, vol. 7, #3 (June 1962). Article 1962
Box 3 Folder 16 Item C107 "Afternoon in the Land of the Strange Sleep," in Cavalier (September 1962). Article. Tear sheets 1962
Box 3 Folder 17 Item C108 "Tricks Out of Times Long Gone," in The Nation, vol. 195, #8 (September 22, 1962). Verse 1962
Box 3 Folder 18 Item C109 "Dad Among the Troglodytes, or, Show Me a Gypsy and I’ll Show You a Nut," in The Noble Savage, vol. 5, (October 1962). Article 1962
Box 3 Folder 19 Item C110 "The Father and Son Cigar," in Playboy, vol. 9, #12 (December 1962). Article 1962
Box 3 Folder 20 Item C111 "The Peseta With the Hole in the Middle," in The Kenyon Review, vol. 24, (Winter 1962). Article 1962
Box 3 Folder 21 Item C112 "A Walk on the Wild Side With Nelson Algren," by Bob Ellison in Fling, (January 1963). Quotes Algren 1963
Box 4 Folder 1 Item C113 "Shlepker: White Goddess Say You Not Go That Part of Forest," in Cavalier, (February 1963). Story. Tear sheets 1963
Box 4 Folder 2 Item C114 "Whobody Knows my Name. . .or, How to be a Freedom Rider without Leaving Town," in Harlequin, (April 1963). Article. Tear sheets 1963
Box 4 Folder 3 Item C116 "Nelson Algren: Writer on the Wild Side," by Paul Romney in Caper, vol. 9, #4 (July 1963). Article about Algren by Paul Romney 1963
Box 4 Folder 4 Item C117 "Nelson Algren Interviewed: The Writer as a Child, Youth and Army Privateer," in The Carleton Miscellany, vol. 4, (Fall 1963). Prepublication excerpts 1963
Box 9 Folder 1 Item C122 "Stanley Upside Down Or: Why Trail Bullfighters When You Can Teach Iambic Pentameter," in New York Herald Tribune Book Week (December 8, 1963). Article. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1963
Box 12 Folder 3 Item C125 "The Moon of the Arfy Darfy," in The Saturday Evening Post, vol. 237, #33 (September 26, 1964). Story 1964
Box 4 Folder 5 Item C130 "Hemingway All the Way," in Cavalier, vol. 15, #140 (February 1965). Article 1965
Box 12 Folder 4 Item C131 "Down with Cops," in The Saturday Evening Post, vol. 238, #21 (October 23, 1965). Article 1965
Box 4 Folder 6 Item C132 "A Letter," in The Carleton Miscellany, vol. 6, (Winter 1965). Letter to Erling Larsen 1965
Box 4 Folder 7 Item C134 "Nobody Knows," in Saturday Review, vol. 49, #36 (September 3, 1966). Verse 1966
Box 12 Folder 5 Item C135 "A Ticket for Skoronski," in The Saturday Evening Post, vol. 239, #23 (November 5, 1966). Story 1966
Box 4 Folder 8 Item C137 "The Emblems and Proofs of Power," The Critic, vol. 25, #4 (February/March 1967). Letter to Joel Wells 1967
Box 4 Folder 9 Item C139 "Home to Shawneetown," in The Atlantic, vol. 222, #2 (August 1968). Story 1968
Box 4 Folder 10 Item C143 "The Decline and Fall of Dingdong Daddyland," in Commentary, vol. 48, #3 (September 1969). Story 1969
Box 4 Folder 11 Item C149 "Get All the Money," in Playboy, vol. 17, #6 (June 1970). Story 1970
Box 4 Folder 12 Item C150 "Upside-Down Emil," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #1 (September 28, 1970). Story 1970
Box 4 Folder 13 Item C151 "Nelson Algren in Vietnam: The Rest of the Way Is by the Stars," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #2 (October 5, 1970). Article 1970
Box 4 Folder 13 Item C152 "A Ticket to Biro-Bidjan," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #2 (October 5, 1970). Article 1970
Box 4 Folder 14 Item C153 "Early Chicago Journalism," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #3 (October 12, 1970). Article 1970
Box 4 Folder 15 Item C154 "Previous Days," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #4 (October 19, 1970). Article 1970
Box 4 Folder 16 Item C155 "Pottawattomie Ghosts," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #5 (October 26, 1970). Article 1970
Box 4 Folder 17 Item C156 "Let’s See Your Hands," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #6 (November 2, 1970). Article 1970
Box 4 Folder 18 Item C157 "The Cop Mentality," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #7 (November 9, 1970). Article 1970
Box 9 Folder 2 Item C158 "Swan Lake Re-Swum," in Audience, vol. 1, #1 (January 1971). Article 1971
Box 4 Folder 19 Item C160 "No Cumshaw, No Rickshaw: Well, What Did You Expect? Pat Suzuki? [Part I]," in Holiday, vol. 49, #6 (July/August 1971). Article 1971
Box 4 Folder 20 Item C162 "No Cumshaw, No Rickshaw [Part II]," in Holiday, vol. 50, #2 (November 1971). Article 1971
Box 9 Folder 3 Item C163 "Ipso Facto," in Audience, vol. 1, #6 (November/December 1971). Story 1971
Box 5 Folder 1 Item C164 "The Last Carousel," in Playboy, vol. 19, #2 (February 1972). Story 1972
Box 5 Folder 2 Item C168 "I Never Hollered Cheezit the Cops," in The Atlantic, vol. 230, #4 (October 1972). Story 1972
Box 5 Folder 3 Item C174 "A Way to Médenine," in Playboy, vol. 19, #12 (December 1972). Article 1972
Box 5 Folder 4 Item C175 "The Best Novels of World War II," in The Critic, vol. 31, #3 (January/February 1973). Article 1973
Box 9 Folder 4 Item C184 "A Day at the Races With Nelson Algren," in Chicago Tribune Magazine, (June 30, 1974). Quotes Algren. Clipping 1974
Box 5 Folder 5 Item C193 "Requiem," in Chicago, vol. 24, #9 (September 1975). Article 1975
Box 5 Folder 6 Item C197 "Topless in Gaza," in New York (October 30, 1978). Article. Tear sheets 1978
Box 9 Folder 5 Item C200 "Boycott TABA," in New York Review of Books, vol. 26, (October 11, 1979). Open letter signed by Algren and others. Clipping 1979
Box 5 Folder 7 Item C201 "There Will Be No More Christmases," in Chicago, vol. 29, #7 (July 1980). Story. Copy 1 1980
Box 5 Folder 8 Item C201 "There Will Be No More Christmases," in Chicago, vol. 29, #7 (July 1980). Story. Copy 2 1980
Box 12 Folder 7 Item C203 "Impression of Studs as Bogus Frenchman and Urban Thoreau," in "Arts and Books," The Chicago Tribune (September 14, 1980). Article 1980
Box 5 Folder 9 Item C204 "Last Rounds in Small Cafes: Remembrances of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvior," in Chicago, vol. 29, #12 (December 1980). Article 1980
Box 5 Folder 10 Item C211 "Walk Pretty All the Way," in Chicago, vol. 30, #6 (June 1981). Story 1981
Box 5 Folder 11 Item C213 "So Long, Swede Risberg," in Chicago, vol. 30, #7 (July 1981). Article 1981
Box 6 Folder 1 Item C217 "Searching for the Real Chicago: A Few Imperishable Words from Frank Lloyd Wright, with Rudolph Ganzi, Nelson Algren, and Archibald MacLeish," in Chicago, vol. 32, #1 (January 1983). Transcription of a symposium 1983

Series 5: Other Appearances in Magazines and Newspapers, 1954-1983

Scope and Contents

This series includes articles, stories, and excerpts written by Nelson Algren, appearing in magazines and newspapers.

Arrangement

Items are arranged sequentially by numbers assigned by Bruccoli’s bibliography, which are assigned chronologically by publication date.

Box 6 Folder 2 Item Coa1 "L’homme au bras d’or," in Les Temps Modernes, vol. 10, #108 (decembre 1954). (I) Excerpt. French translation of The Man with the Golden Arm by Boris Vian 1954
Box 6 Folder 3 Item Coa2 "L’homme au bras d’or," in Les Temps Modernes, vol. 10, #109 (janvier/fevrier 1955). (II) Excerpt. French translation by Boris Vian 1955
Box 6 Folder 4 Item Coa3 "L’homme au bras d’or," in Les Temps Modernes, vol. 10, #110 (mars 1955). (III) Excerpt. French translation by Boris Vian 1955
Box 6 Folder 5 Item Coa4 "L’homme au bras d’or," in Les Temps Modernes, vol. 10, #111 (avril 1955). (IV) Excerpt. French translation by Boris Vian 1955
Box 6 Folder 6 Item Coa5 "The Swede Was a Hard Guy," in Chicago, (June 1956). Story. Tear sheets 1956
Box 6 Folder 7 Item Coa6 ["The Emblems and the Proofs of Power,"] in Vagabond, #5 (1967). Article 1967
Box 6 Folder 8 Item Coa7 "City on the Make," in Law and Disorder, 1968. Article 1968
Box 12 Folder 6 Item Coa8 "An Absconding Bookie and Four Other Poems," in The Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine (October 8, 1972). Verse 1972
Box 6 Folder 9 Item Coa9 "Chicago: City on the Make," in Chicago, vol. 32, #5 (May 1983). Excerpt. Introduction by Studs Terkel 1983
Box 6 Folder 10 Item Coa10 "Cawfee Man," in Climax, undated. Story. Tear sheets undated

Series 6: First Appearances of Reviews by Algren in Magazines and Newspapers, 1939-1980

Scope and Contents

This series contains reviews written by Algren of other writers’ works. The reviews are published in magazines and newspapers.

Arrangement

Items are arranged sequentially by numbers assigned by Bruccoli’s bibliography, which are assigned chronologically by publication date.

Box 6 Folder 11 Item D4 "Sentiment with Terror," in Poetry, vol. 55, #3 (December 1939). Nelson Algren reviews Collected Poems by Robert Graves. Presentation copy: "With best wishes from Nelson Algren" 1939
Box 6 Folder 12 Item D5 "Lloyd Frankenberg’s Poems," in Poetry, vol. 56, #1 (April 1940). Nelson Algren reviews The Red Kite by Lloyd Frankenberg 1940
Box 6 Folder 13 Item D6 "Fragmentary, Intense," in Poetry, vol. 57, #4 (January 1941). Nelson Algren reviews Poems by William Pillin 1941
Box 6 Folder 14 Item D7 "We Thank You with Reservations," in Poetry, vol. 59, #4 (January 1942). Nelson Algren reviews I Went into the Country by Harry Roskolenko, Man on the Queue by Sidney Alexander, and We Thank You All the Time by Norman Macleod 1942
Box 6 Folder 15 Item D13 "A Social Poet," in Poetry, vol. 61, #5 (February 1943). Nelson Algren reviews For My People by Margaret Walker 1943
Box 6 Folder 16 Item D16 "Varying Viewpoints," in Poetry, vol. 62, #1 (April 1943). Nelson Algren reviews Blind Dawn by Stanley Kidder Wilson, Fence of Fire by Reitza Dine Wirtschafter, and Rind of Earth by August Derleth 1943
Box 6 Folder 17 Item D21 "Magic and Melancholy," in Poetry, vol. 63, #1 (October 1943). Nelson Algren reviews Lines for the Canonization of Pedro Domecq by George Smedley Smith, The Masculine Dead and Ten War Elegies by William Everson 1943
Box 7 Folder 1 Item D22 "Miner Minstrels," in Poetry, vol. 63, #11 (November 1943). Nelson Algren reviews Coal Dust on the Fiddle by George Korson 1943
Box 7 Folder 2 Item D25 "Three Against the World," in Poetry, vol. 65, #1 (October 1944). Nelson Algren reviews Flight Above Cloud by John Pudney, Sailing or Drowning by Alan Curnow, and The Second Man by Julian Symons 1944
Box 7 Folder 3 Item D66 "Success Measured in Distance from 12th St. to Wilson Ave.," in Chicago Sun-Times Book Week, (April 11, 1948). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews Someday, Boy by Sam Ross 1948
Box 7 Folder 4 Item D124 "8 ‘Angry Ones’ Declare a British Existentialism," in Chicago Sun-Times Book Week, (April 13, 1958). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews Declarations, essays by Colin Wilson, John Osborne, John Wain, Kenneth Tynan, Bill Hopkins, Lindsay Anderson, Stuart Holroyd, and Doris Lessing 1958
Box 7 Folder 5 Item D125 "Author Bites Critic," in [The Nation, vol. 187], (August 2, 1958). Nelson Algren reviews Man in Modern Fiction by Edmund Fuller 1958
Box 7 Folder 6 Item D126 "Motley Novel Tackles the Dope Problem," in Chicago Sunday Tribune Magazine of Books, (August 17, 1958). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews Let No Man Write My Epitaph by Willard Motley 1958
Box 7 Folder 7 Item D132 "Dreiser Hedged Out," in [The Nation, vol. 188], (May 16, 1959). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews Letters of Theodore Dreiser edited by Robert H. Elias 1959
Box 7 Folder 8 Item D135 "Making It Hot," in The Nation, [vol. 192, (March 20, 1961)]. Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews The Magic Christian by Terry Southern 1961
Box 7 Folder 9 Item D139 "Junkie Beware," in The Nation, [vol. 194], (February 3, 1962). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews The Drug Experience edited by David Ebin 1962
Box 7 Folder 10 Item D143 "When That Town Really Toddled," in New York Herald Tribune: Books, (August 18, 1963). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews Gaily, Gaily by Ben
Hecht
1963
Box 7 Folder 11 Item D145 "The Ginger Man Who Couldn’t," in The Nation, vol. 198, (April 6, 1964). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews Jubb by Keith Waterhouse 1964
Box 7 Folder 12 Item D147 "The Donkeyman by Twilight," in The Nation, vol. 198, #21 (May 18, 1964). Nelson Algren reviews works by Terry Southern 1964
Box 7 Folder 13 Item D150 "The Radical Innocent," in The Nation, vol. 199, #7 (September 21, 1964). Nelson Algren reviews works by Bruce Jay Friedman 1964
Box 7 Folder 14 Item D151 "The Question of Simone de Beauvoir," in Harper’s Magazine, vol. 230, #1380 (May 1965). Nelson Algren reviews Force of Circumstance by Simone de Beauvior 1965
Box 7 Folder 15 Item D152 "His Ice Cream Cone Runneth Over," in New York Herald Tribune Book Week, (May 16, 1965). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews Desolation Angel s by Jack Kerouac 1965
Box 12 Folder 8 Item D154 "Raising Cain in the Cornfield," in Bookweek," The Sunday Herald Tribune (October 31, 1965). Nelson Algren reviews With the Procession by Henry Fuller, Windy McPherson’s Son by Sherwood Anderson, and Gullible’s Travels by Ring Lardner 1965
Box 7 Folder 16 Item D155 "Tear ‘em Up, Friskybits," in [New York Herald Tribune Book Week, (January 16, 1966)]. Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews I Jan Cremer by Jan Cremer 1966
Box 12 Folder 9 Item D157 "The Trouble at Gringo Gulch," in "Bookweek," The Sunday Herald Tribune (March 6, 1966). Nelson Algren reviews Let Noon be Fair by Willard Motley 1966
Box 7 Folder 17 Item D171 "A Guy Who Got Wiped," in Chicago Free Press, vol. 1, #8 (November 16, 1970). Nelson Algren reviews Blue Movie by Terry Southern 1970
Box 7 Folder 18 Item D196 ["Uptown’s Underside: A Grim Novel]," in Chicago Daily News Panorama, (January 10-11, 1976). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews City Dogs by William Brashler. Included in this folder is Brashler’s reply to Algren’s review 1976
Box 7 Folder 19 Item D205 "Of Wine, Women, and Writing," in Washington Post Book Week, (September 16, 1979). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews The Intricate Music: A Biography of John Steinbeck by Thomas Kiernan and Steinbeck and Covici: The Story of Friendship by Thomas Fensch 1979
Box 7 Folder 20 Item D207 "The Liberating Vision of Richard Wright," in Chicago Tribune Book World, (June 8, 1980). Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren reviews Richard Wright:
Ordeal of a Native Son
by Addison Gayle, Jr.
1980

Series 7: Blurbs, 1973-1974

Scope and Contents

This series includes blurbs Nelson Algren provided for other authors’ works.

Arrangement

Items are arranged sequentially by numbers assigned by Bruccoli’s bibliography, which are assigned chronologically by publication date.

Box 7 folder 21 Item E1 DeLillo, Don. Americana. New York: Pocket Books, 1973. Blurb on first page 1973
Box 7 folder 22 Item Eoa1 Sellers, Con. Mr. Tomorrow. [United States]: Aware Press, Inc., 1974. Blurb on back cover 1974

Series 8: Reviews and Notices of Algren’s Work, 1935-1992

Scope and Contents

This series includes reviews by other writers of Nelson Algren’s work. Also included are ephemeral items related to events promoting Nelson Algren’s work.

Arrangement

Items are arranged mostly chronologically.

Box 8 folder 1 Somebody in Boots "The Lower Depths," in Partisan Review, vol. 2, #8 (July/August 1935). Review of Somebody in Boots by Philip Rahv 1935
Box 8 folder 2 The Man With the Golden Arm Book Find News (#85, undated). Publisher’s promotional pamphlet with review by Emmett Dedmon undated
Box 8 folder 3 Chicago: City on the Make Publisher’s Weekly, vol. 223, #12 (March 1983). Capsule review of reprint of Chicago: City on the Make 1983
Box 9 folder 6 Flyers. "A Celebration in Honor of Nelson Algren," at Guild Books, 2456 N. Lincoln Ave. undated
Box 8 folder 4 A Walk on the Wild Side "The Man with the Golden Beef," by Norman Poderhoretz in The New Yorker, vol. 32, #15 (June 1956). Review of A Walk on the Wild Side 1956
Box 9 folder 14 "Plumbing the Depths," (no source, undated). Review of A Walk on the Wild Side. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 folder 15 Nelson Algren’s Own Book of Lonesome Monsters "Algren Looks at Human Monsters," by Lester Goran (no source, undated). Review of Nelson Algren’s Own Book of Lonesome Monsters. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 folder 16 Who Lost an American? [No Title, Playboy (April 1963)]. Review of Who Lost an American? Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1963
Box 9 folder 17 "Omnium-Gatherum," by Hans Koningsberger in SR (May 11, 1963). Review of Who Lost an American? Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1963
Box 9 folder 18 "Algren Stuffs a Book Like a Barracks Bag," by Robert Lowry in Book Wee k [(May 12, 1963)]. Review of Who Lost an American? Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1963
Box 9 folder 19 "Life’s Imperfections Seen in a Narrow Perspective," by Charles Purvis in [The Chicago Tribune (May 12, 1963)]. Review of Who Lost an American? Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1963
Box 9 folder 20 "Baedeker With a Bite," in [Newsweek (May 13, 1963)]. Review of Who Lost an American? Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1963
Box 9 folder 21 "After All, Who Is the Enemy," by Herbert Gold in The New York Times (June 2, 1963). Review of Who Lost an American. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1963
Box 9 Folder 44 Conversations With Nelson Algren. Prepublication brochure for Conversations With Nelson Algren by H.E.F. Donahue, 1964. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.2 1964
Box 13 folder 1 Taboo Literary Times, vol. 3, #5 (June/July 1964). Advertisement for Taboo (NAC #B22) on last page 1964
Box 13 folder 2 Literary Times, vol. 3, #6 (July/August 1964). Advertisement for Taboo (NAC #B22) on last page 1964
Box 9 folder 22 Notes From a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way
"Lost Touch," in Time (August 13, 1965). Review of Notes From a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. Clippings (photocopy reproduction)
1965
Box 9 folder 23 "Nelson Algren on Hemingway, Or Adrift in the Horse Latitudes," by Van Allen Bradley in The Chicago Daily News (August 14, 1965). Review of Notes From a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1965
Box 9 folder 24 "Nelson Algren’s Seaborne Defense of Hemingway," by Charles Poore in [The New York Times (August 24, 1965)]. Review of Notes From a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1965
Box 9 folder 25 "Correspondent to the Underworld," in The Nation (October 25, 1965). Review of Notes From a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1965
Box 13 folder 4 "Sad Sack," by Jay Nash in Literary Times, vol. 4, #4 (September/October 1965). Review of Notes From a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way 1965
Box 9 folder 26 "The Wildest Side," (no source, undated). Review of Notes From a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 folder 27 "Algren: Afire and Afloat," in [The Atlantic Monthly] (undated). Review of Notes From a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 folder 28 The Last Carousel "Algren Shows Us How Good American Fiction Can Be...," by Maxwell Geismer in The Chicago Sun-Times (November 25, 1973). Review of The Last Carousel. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1973
Box 9 folder 29 "Algren Resurrected: A Little Something For Everyone," by Cyrus Colter, (no source) [(November 27, 1973)]. Review of The Last Carousel. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1973
Box 9 folder 30 The Devil’s Stocking "In This Corner, Algren," by Herbert Mitgang in The New York Times Book Review (August 17, 1980). Review of The Devil’s Stocking. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1980
Box 9 folder 31 "American Publishers," by Donald I. Fine in The New York Times Book Review (December 26, 1982). Letter to the editor about publication of The Devil’s Stocking. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1982
Box 9 folder 32 "Second City’s Del Close moves to Cross Currents," by Jan Herman in The Chicago Sun-Times (February 13, 1983). Notice of publication of The Devil’s Stocking. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1983
Box 9 folder 33 "About Books and Authors," by Edwin McDowell in The New York Times Book Review (February 27, 1983). Blurb about publication of The Devil’s Stocking and re-issue of Chicago: City on the Make. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1983
Box 13 folder 5 "Show," The Sunday Sun Times (August 14, 1983). Review of The Devil’s Stocking by Richard Rhodes and "And Everything Remains the Same" by Jan Herman 1983
Box 13 folder 6 "Arts & Books," The Chicago Tribune (August 21, 1983). Review of The Devil’s Stocking by Budd Schulberg and "The Novel Nelson Algren Didn’t Want to Write," by John Blades 1983
Box 13 folder 7 "Two Realists from Chicago," in The New York Times Book Review (October 9, 1983). Review of The Devil’s Stocking by John Aldridge 1983
Box 8 folder 5 Publisher’s Weekly, vol. 223, #19 (May 1983). Advertisement for The Devil’s Stocking 1983
Box 9 folder 34 "Nelson Algren’s Legacy," no publisher, undated. Article about The Devil’s Stocking. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 folder 35 "Now That Algren Gone, Do We Really Need New Book?" by Clarus Backes in The Denver Post (undated). Review of The Devil’s Stocking. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 folder 36 America Eats "Slice of Life," by John Blades in The Chicago Tribune (May 13, 1992). Review of America Eats. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1992

Series 9: Motion Picture and Theater Promotional Materials, 1956-1984

Scope and Contents

This series holds promotional materials for film and theatrical versions of Nelson Algren’s work.

Arrangement

Items are arranged chronologically.

Box 9 folder 7 The Man with the Golden Arm Motion Picture Sheet music, publicity and promotional materials for The Man with the Golden Arm, screenplay by Walter Newman and Lewis Meltzer from the novel by Nelson Algren. Produced and directed by Otto Preminger (United Artists, 1956). 1956
Box 13 folder 8 Press book: The Man with the Golden Arm. (United Artists, 1956). 1956
Oversize folder 6   Posters. The Man with the Golden Arm (United Artists, 1956). 1956
Box 9 folder 37 "Film Review: The Man With the Golden Arm," no source, undated. Film review. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 folder 38 "The Man With the Golden Arm," no source, undated. Film review. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 folder 39 "The Man With the Golden Arm: Case History of a Drug Addict, Mercilessly and Expertly Detailed," by Gene, no source, undated. Film review. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) undated
Box 9 Folder 43 The Man With the Golden Arm Theater Production Theatre program for The Man With the Golden Arm produced by Cherry Lane Theatre, [1956]. Signed on cover: "For Harry...Nelson, March 31, ’56." Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.1 1956
Box 13 folder 9 Walk on the Wild Side Motion Picture Publicity posters. Walk on the Wild Side. (Columbia Pictures, 1962). 7 posters 1962
Oversize folder 6   Posters. Walk on the Wild Side (Columbia Pictures, 1962) 1962
Box 9 folder 8 City on the Make Theater Production Press pack for City on the Make: adapted from stories by Nelson Algren. Northlight Theatre, September 19-October 28, 1984. See also The Northlight Theatre Collection in the Chicago Public Library’s Special Collections for more information about this adaptation of Algren’s work 1984
Box 13 folder 10 "Show," The Sunday Sun Times (September 9, 1984). "Algren’s Chicago Set to Music" (Northlight Theatre’s City on the Make) by Glenna Syse 1984
Box 9 folder 40 "Stage Strikes: Nelson Algren Speaks Again," by Michael Miner in The Reader [(September 14, 1984)]. Notice of City on the Make theater production. Clippings (photocopy reproduction) 1984

Series 10: Catalogs, 1966-2005

Scope and Contents

This series contains catalogs of exhibitions of Nelson Algrens work, as well as bibliographies of Algren’s work and a finding aid for his papers at Ohio State University.

Arrangement

Items are arranged chronologically.

Box 8 folder 6 Copy 1, Exhibition catalog for Nelson Algren - Samuel Becket, Exhibition of Books & Manuscripts, 7th Annual Conference on the Humanities, Ohio State University 1966 November 11-12
Box 8 folder 6 Copy 2, Exhibition catalog for Nelson Algren - Samuel Becket, Exhibition of Books & Manuscripts, 7th Annual Conference on the Humanities, Ohio State University 1966 November 11-12
Box 9 folder 9 Trunkline Catalog, March 9-10, 1975. "Ex Libris Nelson Algren." Catalog of Algren’s own library, on sale when Algren moved from Chicago to New Jersey in 1975. 1975 March 9-10
Box 8 folder 7 "Nelson Algren in Paperback: A Checklist," in Paperback Quarterly vol. 5, #4, (Winter 1982). Compiled by Paul Garon. 1982
Box 8 folder 8 "Algren Archives Expanded," in AB Bookman’s Weekly (February 28, 1983). 1983 February 28
Box 8 folder 9 Exhibition Catalog, February 20-May 21, 1988. "Writing in the First Person: Nelson Algren 1909-1981," Chicago Public Library Cultural Center. 1988 February 20-May 21
Box 8 folder 10 "The Moderns: World Literature," in Leekley Rare and Scholarly Books (Catalog #102) undated
Box 8 folder 11 Ohio State University houses Nelson Algren’s archives including typescripts and drafts of his work. SPE has print copy of online finding aid for collection at Ohio State University, also available at https://library.osu.edu/finding-aids/rarebooks/cms60.php. 2005

Series 11: Interviews and Articles About Algren, 1957-1991

Scope and Contents

This series includes interviews and articles about Nelson Algren and his work. These are not reviews of individual titles.

Arrangement

Items are arranged chronologically.

Box 8 folder 12 "A Voyeur’s View of the Wild Side: Nelson Algren and his Reviewers," by Lawrence Lipton in Chicago Review, vol. 10, #4 (Winter 1957). 1957
Box 8 folder 13 [No Title], by Hedda Hopper, no source, [(February 15, 1962)]. Hedda Hopper discusses movie Walk On the Wild Side 1962
Box 8 folder 14 "No Room, No Time, No Breath for the Bessamer Process of the Heart of Nelson Algren," in Phoenix (Spring 1962). An interview with Michael Edelstein. Tear sheets. 1962
Box 8 folder 15 "Three Best Selling Authors: Conversations - Nelson Algren," an interview by Bob Ellison in Rogue, vol. 8, #12 (December 1963). 1963
Box 8 folder 16 "A Talk on the Wild Side," an interview by David Ray in Cavalcade, vol. 4, #17 (July 1964). 1964
Box 13 folder 3 "Algren on the Stake," by Jay Nash in Literary Times, vol. 4, #1 (November 1964). 1964
Box 13 folder 11 "American Fiction: The Post War Years, 1945-1965," in "Bookweek," The Chicago Sun Times. [1965]
Box 13 folder 12 "Nelson Algren: The Angry Author," by Jan Herman in "Chicago Style," The Chicago Sun Times (January 21, 1979). 1979
Box 13 folder 13 "Nelson Algren: Requiem for a Chicago Writer," essays by Robert Cromie, Anstiss Drake and Harry Mark Petrakis in "Arts and Books," The Chicago Tribune (May 17, 1981). 1981
Box 13 folder 14 "In at Last: Nelson Algren’s Final Happy Days," in "Show," The Chicago Sun Times (May 17, 1981). 1981
Box 9 folder 41 "Nelson Algren, 72, Novelist and Short Story Writer, Dead," by John L. Hess in The New York Times (May 10, 1981). Obituary. Clippings (photocopy reproduction). 1981
Oversize folder 1   "Chicago Author Nelson Algren Dies," in The Chicago Tribune (Sunday) 1981 May 10
Oversize folder 2   "Algren is Remembered as Tough, Tender," by Janet Cawley in The Chicago Tribune 1981 May 11
Oversize folder 3   "Nelson Algren," in The Chicago Tribune (May 12, 1981).
Brief description of Algren’s writing style.
1981
Oversize folder 4   "The Nelson Algren I Knew," by Studs Terkel in The Chicago Tribune 1981 May 13
Box 13 folder 15 "How I Bushwacked Nelson Algren" by J. Robert Nash in The Reader, vol. 11, #18 1982 February 12
Box 9 folder 42 "North Light Stars Eva Marie Saint," by Jan Herman in The Chicago Sun-Times 1982 November 7
Box 13 folder 16 "El Stop Isaiah," by Andrew Patner in Haymarket 1983 June
Box 8 folder 17 "Algren in Exile," by Joe Pintauro in Chicago, vol. 37, #2 (February 1988). Copy 1. 1988
Box 8 folder 18 "Algren in Exile," by Joe Pintauro in Chicago, vol. 37, #2 (February 1988). Copy 2. 1988
Oversize folder 5   "Nelson Algren: Le Grand Amour Buissonier de Simone de Beauvoir," by Jean-Pierre Saccani in Le Figaro Litteraire (7 mai 1990). 1990 May 7
Box 9 folder 10 Clippings (photocopy reproduction). General. 1958, 1963, undated
Box 9 folder 11 Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren’s move to New Jersey. 1975, undated
Box 9 folder 13 Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren Committee. 1991, undated

Series 12: Correspondence, 1939-1974

Scope and Contents

This small series includes correspondence from Nelson Algren to a variety of recipients.

Arrangement

Items are arranged chronologically.

Box 9 Folder 45 Letter from Algren to Harry Schwartz, dated 1939. Describes a proposed visit from friends in Wisconsin. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.3 1939
Box 9 Folder 46 Letter from Algren to Harry Schwartz, dated May 31, 1956. Discusses new novel, tells where an old copy of Somebody in Boots is, and gives his new address in New York. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.4a-b 1956
Box 9 Folder 47 Postcard from Algren to Harry Schwartz. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.5 1957 September 9
Box 9 Folder 48 Letter, with envelope, from Algren to Harry Schwartz, dated November 30, 1958. Algren hopes the books he sent will arrive and some talk about columnists. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.6a-b 1958
Box 9 Folder 19 Christmas card from Algren to Harry Schwartz. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.7a-b [1958 December 15]
Box 9 Folder 50 Letter, with envelope, from Algren to Judy Saylor, dated August 31, [1971]. Describes his life in Southern Illinois. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.8a-b 1971
Box 9 Folder 51 Letter, with envelope, from Algren to Judy Saylor, dated June 18, [1972]. Discusses classes taught in Boulder. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.9a-b 1972
Box 9 Folder 52 Letter, with envelope, from Algren to Judy Saylor, dated [October 14, 1974]. Discusses classes taught in Gainsville. Manuscript accession number: Ms 86.13.10a-b 1974
Box 8 Folder 19 Christmas Card signed by Nelson Algren, undated undated

Series 13: "Nelson Algren Award" Materials, 1981-1992

Scope and Contents

This series includes information and ephemera related to the Nelson Algren Literary Award, an award for short fiction hosted by the Chicago Tribune.

Arrangement

Items are arranged chronologically.

Box 8 folder 20 Publicity packet (invitations, press releases, proclamation, article) for the Nelson Algren Award 1981
Box 8 folder 21 "The World’s Greatest Fisherman," by Louise Erdich in Chicago, vol. 31, #10 (October 1982). Nelson Algren Award Winner. 1982
Box 8 folder 22 Invitation - Nelson Algren Award 1982
Box 8 folder 23 Invitation - Nelson Algren Award 1983
Box 8 folder 24 Invitation - Nelson Algren Award 1984
Box 13 folder 17 Poster. The Nelson Algren Award undated
Box 9 folder 12 Clippings (photocopy reproduction). Nelson Algren Awards 1992, undated

Series 14: Photographs, 1984, undated

Scope and Contents

This small series contains photographs, including publicity portraits of Nelson Algren, and images of theatrical versions of his work.

Arrangement

Items have no inherent arrangement.

Box 8 folder 25 Publicity photograph. Nelson Algren, by Stephen Deutch. undated
Box 8 folder 26 Publicity photograph. Nelson Algren, by Stephen Deutch. undated
Box 8 folder 27 Publicity photograph. Nelson Algren, by Bob Mccullough. undated
Box 8 folder 28 Publicity photograph. Lee Freeman (endower of the Nelson Algren Award) undated
Box 8 folder 29 Production photograph. City on the Make, based on the works of Nelson Algren. Northlight Theatre, September 19-October 28, 1984 1984
Box 8 folder 30 Production photograph. City on the Make, based on the works of Nelson Algren. Northlight Theatre, September 19-October 28, 1984 1984
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