Thursday, March 21, 2024

A Walk On The Wild Side, Nelson Algren, c. 1956

1989 foreword by Russell Banks.

Essay, Nelson Algren.

Hunter S Thompson: quotes. Discusses Algren's A Walk on the Wild Side. The Linkhorns.

Begins with Fitz Linkhorn.

From wiki:

Algren: many examples of kennings. Link here.

Very first line of the novella: "wife-left feller." A divorced man.

Linkhorns: Scottish origin, p. 4. Robert Burns was their poet.

First man mention: "Calhoun." John C. Calhoun 7th VP of the United States; first and only of two VPs to resign. The second, Spiro Agnew.

Then Old Dominion, Virginia.

Then pushed deep into the Southern Ozarks.

Then pushed on to the Cookson Hills. 

By the third page of the book: ends up in the Rio Grand Valley. Married; wife left him. 

1930s.

His job in Arroyo, Texas: draining cess pools.

On page 4 (actually page 6 in this edition), he's a preacher and he's referred to as a "widower." In fact, he was a widower, see below; page 22

Kenning: "Kill-Devil." Liquor.

From now, page numbering will the that in this edition.

Saturday: the Lord's Day, for many in south Texas, Arroyo. 

"busthead" -- p. 5. Moonshine.

page 8: 1928 election; Al Smith, first Catholic to run for president of either major party; defeated

page 8: first mention of Byron -- one of Fitz' sons.

Dove Linhorn, page 10 -- introduced; apparently the second of two sons of Fitz.

page 11: weevily-wheat -- early square dance

page 12: bitch lamp; slut lamp; "light the grease"

page 12: "three sheets over"; drunk

page 12: potiguaya bush: "pot"

page 13: bougainvillea -- thorny, ornamental vine

page 14: hoboes introduced; destination, Santa Fe

Dove getting most of the author's attention now

page 14 - 17: jails in America and the ones to avoid

page 16: A & WP -- Atlanta and West Point; Georgia Railroad

 page 20: Davy Crockett -- dance hall / hotel introduced

page 20: flashback -- 1909 -- Fitz a bit older than 30 years; bedded a red-head; Dove was a redhead; the sex scene a full page, page 20 - 21

Fitz married this woman -- c. 1909

So, if Fitz was 30 in 1910, in 1931, some 20 years later, he was well into his 50s

oh, it turns out, that red-headed woman did die; p. 22 -after giving Ftiz two sons

that all happened in the Davy Crockett; now deserted; he visited it for the memories

the sign on Davy Crockett dance hall / hotel: Bien vernidas; todas ustedes -- "well seen, all of you"

p.2 2 -- new hotel (?): La Fe En Dios --  Faith in God

p. 23 -- Terasina Vidavarri: introduced; still lived in the Davy Crockett? Remembers being raped ten years earlier and that ended her desire to ever marry.


 


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