2026 Reading Challenge
Nelson Algren

Nelson Algren’s Followers (289)

member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo

Add New
Videos

Nelson Algren: The End is Nothing The Road is All
Add a comment

More videos…

Nelson Algren


Born
in Detroit, Michigan, The United States
March 28, 1909

Died
May 09, 1981

Genre
Literary Fiction, Fiction


People note American writer Nelson Algren for his novels, including The Man with the Golden Arm (1949), about the pride and longings of impoverished people.

Born of Swedish-immigrant parents, Nelson Ahlgren Abraham moved at an early age to Chicago. At University of Illinois, he studied journalism. His experiences as a migrant worker during the Depression provided the material for his first Somebody in Boots (1935). Throughout life, Algren identified with the underdog. From 1936 to 1940, the high-point of left-wing ideas on the literary scene of the United States, he served as editor of the project in Illinois. After putting the finishing touches to his second, he in 1942 joined and enlisted for the war. Never Come Morning recei ...more

Combine Editions

Average rating: 3.97 · 8,939 ratings · 958 reviews · 65 distinct works • Similar authors
The Man with the Golden Arm
by
3.86 avg rating — 3,266 ratings — published 1949 — 123 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
A Walk on the Wild Side
by
3.92 avg rating — 1,615 ratings — published 1956
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Chicago: City on the Make
by
4.15 avg rating — 1,135 ratings — published 1951 — 20 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Neon Wilderness
by
4.18 avg rating — 734 ratings — published 1946 — 37 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Never Come Morning
by
4.09 avg rating — 652 ratings — published 2002 — 46 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Nonconformity: Writing on W...
by
4.07 avg rating — 269 ratings — published 1996 — 15 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
Somebody in Boots
3.97 avg rating — 151 ratings — published 1935 — 22 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Last Carousel: Fiction ...
4.02 avg rating — 109 ratings — published 1973 — 18 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Devil's Stocking
by
3.64 avg rating — 80 ratings — published 1983
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Texas Stories of Nelson...
by
3.79 avg rating — 75 ratings — published 1995 — 8 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
More books by Nelson Algren…
Quotes by Nelson Algren  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Never sleep with someone whose troubles are worse than your own.”
― Nelson Algren, A Walk on the Wild Side
tags: sex, troubles
134 likes
Like

“Chicago is an October sort of city even in spring.”
― Nelson Algren, Chicago: City on the Make
tags: chicago, city, october, spring
99 likes
Like

“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.”
― Nelson Algren, Chicago: City on the Make
tags: chicago, cities, love, lovely
88 likes
Like

Polls

What book would you like to read for our February 2026 Group Read? The theme is Gold.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Literary Fiction, Contemporary
 
  13 votes 25.5%

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Classics, Childrens
 
  8 votes 15.7%

 
  8 votes 15.7%

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
Historical Fiction
 
  6 votes 11.8%

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Coming of Age, Fiction
 
  6 votes 11.8%

The Gold Bug by Edgar Allan Poe
Horror, Classics,
 
  6 votes 11.8%

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Fantasy, Young Adult
 
  2 votes 3.9%

Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery
Romance, Contemporary
 
  1 vote 2.0%

 
  1 vote 2.0%

51 total votes
More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
The Mystery, Crim...: Books like The Sting 8 41 Oct 04, 2010 06:11PM  
100+ Books in 2026: Leslie's 2011 100+ Books Challenge 92 126 Jan 02, 2012 11:34AM  
Reading with Style: This topic has been closed to new comments. Winter 2012/13 Rws Completed Tasks - Winter 12/13 841 152 Feb 28, 2013 09:01PM  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Winter Challenge 2012-2013: Completed Tasks - DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC 2485 866 Feb 28, 2013 09:01PM  
The Next Best Boo...: This topic has been closed to new comments. The Title Game 20218 14601 May 30, 2013 12:53PM  
The Next Best Boo...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Last Letter Game (Writers/Authors) 1686 1310 May 30, 2013 12:55PM