Somebody in Boots cover art

Somebody in Boots

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for £0.00
£8.99/mo thereafter. Renews automatically. Terms apply. Offer ends 31 July 2025 at 23:59 GMT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

Somebody in Boots

By: Nelson Algren
Narrated by: Ramiz Monsef
Try for £0.00

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends 31 July 2025 23:59 GMT. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Nelson Algren was a renowned writer, known for his penetrating and influential social novels such as The Man with the Golden Arm and A Walk on the Wild Side. Originally published in 1935, Somebody in Boots was Algren’s first novel, based on his experiences living in Texas during the Great Depression. A wonderful companion to Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, this new edition of Somebody in Boots features an introduction by Colin Asher, the author of a biography of Algren.

©1935, 1962 by the Estate of Nelson Algren. (P)2019 by Blackstone Publishing Biographical Fiction Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Political Biography
All stars
Most relevant  
Good story, similar to Steinbeck and Sinclair in a good way recommend to fans of depression based novels 👍

Good stuff

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This was apparently his first novel which didn't sell well and which he didn't rate himself in later life. Interesting in parts but more a collection of events and experiences than a story. What might be described as gritty realism isn't always easy to listen to nor is the occasional moralising which he drifts into. I expect his other books are better as the talent is obvious

Not a bad first attempt

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is Nelson Algren’s first novel which was not a success when originally published in the mid ‘30s. However, there is some fine writing here which chronicles the indignity of poverty during the Great Depression. There is a Steinbeck majesty to Algren’s masterly depictions of hobos, bums and simple down and outs made all the more realistic by some excellent narration. A superb introduction to Algren before moving on to his later, greater works.

Early Algren

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.