U. S. GRANT IN THE CITY

by David Freeman ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 29, 1971

From New York magazine, assorted pieces about beyond the fringe, if not the pale, characters who walk some of the meaner streets in this city: Elsie, rummaging on 14th Street for trash to take back to the hole she calls home; or Lamont R., a Harlem pimp who in just taking ""care of business"" (12 girls) takes in $48,000 per annum; or the title character, a residual from the '50's, living off handouts crooning, ""I'm in the wind and I need my wine""; or a juggler who lives at the Chelsea hotel and learned his trade via eggs and burning torches; or fat Bernie who sells gossip items to the columnists and got in trouble (or did he?) with Dustin Hoffman's psychiatrist for raising Hoffman's 'anxiety level.' Nine in all, and while one of them makes the referral to Runyon's other lovable Guys and Dolls, they're not -- nor do they have the charm of the vagrants of Subways are for Sleeping. But then many of our contemporaries don't -- they're just freakier.

Pub Date: June 29, 1971

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1971

Categories: NONFICTION