REPORT FROM NICE: SEARCHING FOR UNKNOWN BOOKS IN « BOOK-
CASES».
Result: The discovery of the unknown American author Nelson Algren
The site for my private research was the City of Nice, France. The year is
still 2023. The book case was found at the Residence Massena where I stayed for
only a week . The English title of the book I found is « The Pain Trap « or in
Danish « Smertefælden». The correct Danish title is: « Smertefælden-Simone de
Beauvoir og Nelson Algren- en kærligheds anatomi « The author of the book is
Anastassi Arnold.
For those of you who do not know the Scandinavian languages,
Norwegians have no problems in understanding the different languages. The book
was written in Danish. The author has studied the works and life of the two
authors: The French author and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir from Paris and
the American author Nelson Algren from Chicago in USA.
THE PAIN TRAP
For about 16 years the love between them was known worldwide. The content of the book is a
love story. Due to the fact that public information about Simone de Beauvoir is
known worldwide, I intend to focus on information about Nelson Algren. I must
admit that I have not read any of his books, so far – but I will make a change in
some days .
NELSON ALGREN-SOME FACTS ABOUT THE CHICAGO WRITER
He has published his rules for life: Three rules of life:
1.NEVER play cards with a man called DOC
2.NEVER eat at a place called MOM’S
3.NEVER sleep with a woman whose troubles are
worse than your own.
The rules mentioned might give the reader some thoughts
about the life and works of the author. Correct.He lived a hard life spending
too much money, playing too much poker, drinking too much Whisky, lived for a
while as a vagabond , in prison for some months for stealing a typewriter ,and
making love to girls without promising a future of happiness. But his
realtionship with Simone de Beauvoir differed from his standard rules. He was
passionate in love with her, and she was in love with him too. The main content
of the book is the story of the love between them – a complicated love story.
Nelson Algren was born March 28, 1909. He died May 9, 1981.
EDUCATION
Nelson Algren was graduated from Hibbard High School. He
went to study at the University of Illinois at Urbana -Champaign where he
graduated with a Bachelor of Science in journalism in 1931.
PRODUCTION
Somebody in Boots (1935), Never Come Morning (1942), The New
Wilderness (1947), The Man with the Golden Arm (1949), Chicago.City on the Make
(1951), A Walk on the Wilde Side (1956), Who Lost an American (1963), Notes
from a Sea Diary: Hemingway All the Way (1965), The Last Carousel (1973), The
Devil’s Stocking (1983), Noncorformity .Writing on writing (1996).
THE NORWEGIAN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND BOOK SHOPS IN OSLO
I made an attempt contacting different book shops in Oslo in order to buy some of his books. The result was negativ. No books written by Nelson Algren were to be found on the shelves of the book shops. But the public library of Oslo found four books written by the author. Besides the dvd of the film:» The Man With the Golden Arm» was also possible to borrow.Splendid service of the local public library! I borrowed all the books and the dvd of the movie too.
SOME FINAL COMMENTS ON THE WRITER
He was posthumously inducted into the Chicago Literary Hall
of Fame in 2010. Nelson Algren did not like to spend time with different
intellectual groups or societies. He was not a member of any political party in
USA. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) kept a dossier on him due to his
support of groups that were disliked by FBI. The authorship of Nelson Algren
was described by these words: drunks, pimps, prostitutes, freaks, drug addicts,
prize fighters, corrupt politicians and hoodlums.
I am looking forward making my private study of the books written by the man who was mentioned as the best known literary writers in America in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Tedd Urnes
05.09.2023
