A Thousand and One Afternoons in Chicago (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Jazz Age City Portraits and Literary Journalism Essays from 1920s ChicagoBy Ben Hecht
Length9h 46m
About this audiobook
A Thousand and One Afternoons in Chicago gathers Ben Hecht's celebrated newspaper sketches into a vivid mosaic of urban modernity. Written in compressed, ironic, often lyrical prose, these pieces transform police courts, boardinghouses, streets, offices, theaters, and tenements into scenes of comic pathos and existential drama. Situated within the Chicago Literary Renaissance and the rise of twentieth-century metropolitan journalism, the book bridges reportage, prose poem, and short fiction, finding mythic resonance in ordinary afternoons. Hecht was uniquely equipped to produce such a work. Born in New York and raised in the Midwest, he came to Chicago as a young reporter and absorbed the city's energy, corruption, spectacle, and democratic variety. Before becoming a major playwright and Hollywood screenwriter, he learned to convert deadlines into art, developing the sharp dialogue, cinematic pacing, and skeptical humanism that would define his later career. This book is recommended to readers interested in American urban literature, literary journalism, and the imaginative life of cities. It rewards those who value precision of observation and stylistic daring, offering not a conventional narrative but a gallery of fleeting lives rendered with wit, tenderness, and unsentimental intelligence.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
Audiobook details
GenreLiterary Classics
Length9 hrs 46 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateApr 9, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
26NOTES FOR A TRAGEDY
2Introduction
27CORAL, AMBER AND JADE
3Author Biography
28MEDITATION IN E MINOR
4Historical Context
29TEN-CENT WEDDING RINGS
5Synopsis (Selection)
30WHERE THE "BLUES" SOUND
Show all chaptersShow less
6FANNY
31VAGABONDIA
7THE AUCTIONEER'S WIFE
32NIRVANA
8FOG PATTERNS
33THE INDESTRUCTIBLE MASTERPIECE
9DON QUIXOTE AND HIS LAST WINDMILL
34MRS. SARDOTOPOLIS' EVENING OFF
10THE MAN HUNT
35THE GREAT TRAVELER
11MR. WINKELBERG
36THUMBS UP AND DOWN
12A SELF-MADE MAN
37ORNAMENTS
13TO BERT WILLIAMS
38THE WATCH FIXER
14MICHIGAN AVENUE
39SCHOPENHAUER'S SON
15COEUR DE LION AND THE SOUP AND FISH
40WORLD CONQUERORS
16THE SYBARITE
41THE MAN FROM YESTERDAY
17DAPPER PETE AND THE SUCKER PLAY
42THUMBNAIL LOTHARIOS
18WATERFRONT FANCIES
43THE SOUL OF SING LEE
19THE SNOB
44MRS. RODJEZKE'S LAST JOB
20THE WAY HOME
45QUEEN BESS' FEAST
21THE PIG
46LETTERS
22THE LITTLE FOP
47THE MOTHER
23MOTTKA
48CLOCKS AND OWL CARS
24"FA'N TA MIG!"
49CONFESSIONS
25FANTASTIC LOLLYPOPS
50AN IOWA HUMORESQUE
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