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Thursday November 12th, 2009

“It’s just my kind of town, that’s all.”

Via Vol. 1 Brooklyn, video of a conversation between Studs Terkel and Nelson Algren at a Chicago party in 1975. At the time of the chat, Algren has recently moved to Paterson, New Jersey, a town he fell for while working on an article about boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. Algren also published, posthumously, a novel based on the life of Carter called The Devil’s Stocking.

When you’re done watching, read Terkel’s tender tribute to Algren. It includes a terrific scene in which Algren and Terkel meet Billie Holiday backstage. The piece is a loving, rich description of a friend: “His appearance was that of a horse player, who, this moment, got the news: he had bet her across the board and she came in a strong fourth. Yet, strangely, his was not a mournful mien. He was chuckling to himself.”