Signed Christmas Card.
Chicago novelist whose gritty realism is best encompassed in his bestselling "The Man With the Golden Arm" (1949, winner of the first National Book Award) and other novels such as "Never Come Morning" (1942), "Walk on the Wild Side" (1956) and the short story collection "Neon Wilderness" (1947). Item #51803
Signed Christmas card, heavy stock 7" X 5", n.p., n.y. Near fine. Printed in 1980 by Recycled Paper Products of Chicago, the front panel reproduces a color photograph showing a Santa Claus figure jogging in red shorts and suspenders on a city street looking back at a tall and presumably naked brunette in high heels he has just passed, who is holding open her trench coat. Inside lower panel bears the printed sentiment "May all your Christmas dreams come true." Below this Algren has applied Wite-Out to a small message he'd apparently penned in green and atop this penned a huge "Nelson" in green marker. On the blank upper panel, he writes "Happy Holidays at upper left and penned his trademark back side of a seated cat in yellow, black and green markers. Given the card's year of publication and Algren's death on May 9, 1981, this would have been sent to a friend on the author's very last Christmas. Funny, off-color, poignant.
Price: $150.00