A Walk on the Wild Side by Nelson Algren - 1956

First Edition, Octavo, spine in yellow with blue and black print, blue cover with title in gold and author name in black lettering, slight foxing to inside of front and back boards, light pencil marks on first free page, slight foxing to page ends.

Author winner of the first National Book Award. From the front flap, "Mr. Algren says:  This story that tries to tell something about the natural toughness of women and men, in that order. Although it is for the most part about New Orleans in the 1930's, I like to think it is really about any street of any big town in the country. The book asks why lost people sometimes develop into greater human beings than those who have never been lost in their whole lives. Why men who have suffered most a the hands of men are the natural believers in humanity, while those whose part has been simply to acquire, to take all and give nothing , are the most contemptuous of mankind Why the laughter of old survivors rings more true than those whose laughs have been bought. " In 1962, this book was adapted to film.