A Thousand and One Afternoons in Chicago

by Ben Hecht

Book Overview

In 1921, Ben Hecht wrote a column for the Chicago Daily News that his editor called "journalism extraordinary; journalism that invaded the realm of literature." Hecht's collection of sixty-four of these pieces, illustrated with striking pen drawings by Herman Rosse, is a timeless caricature of urban American life in the jazz age, updated with a new Introduction for the twenty-first century. From the glittering opulence of Michigan Avenue to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226322742
• ISBN13: 9780226322742
• Release Date: July 2009
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.6" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

One of the best books I've ever read...

Ben Hecht's 1,001 Afternoons in Chicago is easily one of the BEST books that I've ever read. It consists of 64 short journalistic pieces about the city of Chicago, written in the roaring 20's, accompained by beautiful noiresque drawings. He captures the essence of the city, that feels as vital today as it was in 1922 when it was originally published. Some of my favorite stories included a man who just escaped from jail and was hiding from the police, a woman obsessed with what her grave stone would look like after she died, and a chicago cop full of interesting tales on the job. This book is a must for anyone that is interested in journalism or just loves the city of Chicago. READ IT!!!