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
36THUMBS UP AND DOWN
2Introduction
37ORNAMENTS
3Author Biography
38THE WATCH FIXER
4Historical Context
39SCHOPENHAUER'S SON
5Synopsis (Selection)
40WORLD CONQUERORS
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6FANNY
41THE MAN FROM YESTERDAY
7THE AUCTIONEER'S WIFE
42THUMBNAIL LOTHARIOS
8FOG PATTERNS
43THE SOUL OF SING LEE
9DON QUIXOTE AND HIS LAST WINDMILL
44MRS. RODJEZKE'S LAST JOB
10THE MAN HUNT
45QUEEN BESS' FEAST
11MR. WINKELBERG
46LETTERS
12A SELF-MADE MAN
47THE MOTHER
13TO BERT WILLIAMS
48CLOCKS AND OWL CARS
14MICHIGAN AVENUE
49CONFESSIONS
15COEUR DE LION AND THE SOUP AND FISH
50AN IOWA HUMORESQUE
16THE SYBARITE
51THE EXILE
17DAPPER PETE AND THE SUCKER PLAY
52ON A DAY LIKE THIS
18WATERFRONT FANCIES
53NIGHT DIARY
19THE SNOB
54THE LAKE
20THE WAY HOME
55SERGT. KUZICK'S WATERLOO
21THE PIG
56DEAD WARRIOR
22THE LITTLE FOP
57THE TATTOOER
23MOTTKA
58THE THING IN THE DARK
24"FA'N TA MIG!"
59AN OLD AUDIENCE SPEAKS
25FANTASTIC LOLLYPOPS
60MISHKIN'S MINYON
26NOTES FOR A TRAGEDY
61SOCIABLE GAMBLERS
27CORAL, AMBER AND JADE
62RIPPLES
28MEDITATION IN E MINOR
63PITZELA'S SON
29TEN-CENT WEDDING RINGS
64PANDORA'S BOX
30WHERE THE "BLUES" SOUND
65ILL-HUMORESQUE
31VAGABONDIA
66THE MAN WITH A QUESTION
32NIRVANA
67GRASS FIGURES
33THE INDESTRUCTIBLE MASTERPIECE
68Analysis
34MRS. SARDOTOPOLIS' EVENING OFF
69Reflection
35THE GREAT TRAVELER
70Memorable Quotes
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