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He Swung and He Missed
Rocco, an honest young boxer, agrees to throw a fight to earn money for his wife, but his pride makes it difficult for him to lose on purpose.
- GenresFictionShort Stories
30 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1993
About the author
Nelson Algren
69 books296 followersPeople note American writer Nelson Algren for his novels, including
The Man with the Golden Arm
(1949), about the pride and longings of impoverished people.
Born of Swedish-immigrant parents, Nelson Ahlgren Abraham moved at an early age to Chicago. At University of Illinois, he studied journalism. His experiences as a migrant worker during the Depression provided the material for his first Somebody in Boots (1935). Throughout life, Algren identified with the underdog. From 1936 to 1940, the high-point of left-wing ideas on the literary scene of the United States, he served as editor of the project in Illinois. After putting the finishing touches to his second, he in 1942 joined and enlisted for the war. Never Come Morning received universal acclaim and eventually sold more than a million copies.
A dark naturalist style of Algren passionately records the details of trapped urban existence with flashes of melancholy poetry. He characterizes the lowlife drifters, whores, junkies, and barflies of row. He records the bravado of their colloquial language and lays their predicament bare.
Born of Swedish-immigrant parents, Nelson Ahlgren Abraham moved at an early age to Chicago. At University of Illinois, he studied journalism. His experiences as a migrant worker during the Depression provided the material for his first Somebody in Boots (1935). Throughout life, Algren identified with the underdog. From 1936 to 1940, the high-point of left-wing ideas on the literary scene of the United States, he served as editor of the project in Illinois. After putting the finishing touches to his second, he in 1942 joined and enlisted for the war. Never Come Morning received universal acclaim and eventually sold more than a million copies.
A dark naturalist style of Algren passionately records the details of trapped urban existence with flashes of melancholy poetry. He characterizes the lowlife drifters, whores, junkies, and barflies of row. He records the bravado of their colloquial language and lays their predicament bare.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 21, 2025
The Hard Way.
Rocco Young is a strong willed fierce prize fighter, never great sadly, but good enough to stand his ground; in fact, he has never been knocked out. But as years go by and age settles in, he knows his prime has already passed. What is to become of him in the future?
Oh man, this was good, very good. Nelson Algren sure knows how to paint a beautifully grim picture. Never heard of the author before, but now very looking forward to reading more of his short stories. And a truly outstanding work considering its shortness, highly memorable, and an ending line that was pure chef's kiss. Sublimely poetic. Nicely done Algren. Very nicely done. I'm proud of you.
Recommendable!
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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1993] [13p] [Fiction] [3.5] [Recommendable] []
-----------------------------------------------
★★★☆☆ 75 Short Masterpieces [2.5] <--
-----------------------------------------------
De la Manera Difícil.
Rocco Young es un luchador feroz y de voluntad fuerte, nunca un gran ganador lamentablemente, pero lo suficientemente bueno como para defender su lugar; de hecho, nunca ha sido noqueado. Pero a medida que los años pasan y la edad se asienta, sabe bien que su mejor momento ya quedó atrás. ¿Qué será de él en el futuro?
Caray, esto estuvo bueno, muy bueno. Nelson Algren ciertamente sabe cómo pintar un cuadro hermosamente sombrío. Nunca antes había escuchado del autor, pero ahora espero leer mucho más de sus cuentos. Y un trabajo verdaderamente sobresaliente considerando su brevedad, altamente memorable, y con un final que fue puro beso de chef. Sublimemente poético. Bien hecho Algren. Muy bien hecho. Estoy orgulloso de vos.
¡Recomendable!
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1993] [13p] [Ficción] [3.5] [Recomendable] []
-----------------------------------------------
Rocco Young is a strong willed fierce prize fighter, never great sadly, but good enough to stand his ground; in fact, he has never been knocked out. But as years go by and age settles in, he knows his prime has already passed. What is to become of him in the future?
Oh man, this was good, very good. Nelson Algren sure knows how to paint a beautifully grim picture. Never heard of the author before, but now very looking forward to reading more of his short stories. And a truly outstanding work considering its shortness, highly memorable, and an ending line that was pure chef's kiss. Sublimely poetic. Nicely done Algren. Very nicely done. I'm proud of you.
Recommendable!
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1993] [13p] [Fiction] [3.5] [Recommendable] []
-----------------------------------------------
★★★☆☆ 75 Short Masterpieces [2.5] <--
-----------------------------------------------
De la Manera Difícil.
Rocco Young es un luchador feroz y de voluntad fuerte, nunca un gran ganador lamentablemente, pero lo suficientemente bueno como para defender su lugar; de hecho, nunca ha sido noqueado. Pero a medida que los años pasan y la edad se asienta, sabe bien que su mejor momento ya quedó atrás. ¿Qué será de él en el futuro?
Caray, esto estuvo bueno, muy bueno. Nelson Algren ciertamente sabe cómo pintar un cuadro hermosamente sombrío. Nunca antes había escuchado del autor, pero ahora espero leer mucho más de sus cuentos. Y un trabajo verdaderamente sobresaliente considerando su brevedad, altamente memorable, y con un final que fue puro beso de chef. Sublimemente poético. Bien hecho Algren. Muy bien hecho. Estoy orgulloso de vos.
¡Recomendable!
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1993] [13p] [Ficción] [3.5] [Recomendable] []
-----------------------------------------------
August 9, 2016
Oh wow. This story, while short AND about boxing, which is not something I am interested in AT ALL, was really kind of heart crushing. Wow. Just wow. I did not see the little twist at the end coming. Even when the author gave the little clue about Rocco seeing "that wasn't it at all"... my mind went in a totally different direction. I am not going to say where my mind went because I don't want to take away from anyone else's thoughts as they read the story, but yeah, the ending never even crossed my mind.
How horrible... How sad... How... TRUE TO LIFE this story really is. I have never read any Nelson Algren stories before, but I think I am going to have to check some more of them out now. If they are all this good, I may have a new awesome author to read.
How horrible... How sad... How... TRUE TO LIFE this story really is. I have never read any Nelson Algren stories before, but I think I am going to have to check some more of them out now. If they are all this good, I may have a new awesome author to read.
September 15, 2020
Crushing and real. The sport imitating life perhaps. Was a short read and enjoyable. Had to mull it over for a while to understand the theme: The brutality of the sport, the harsh realities of life, perseverance, stubbornness, and the battle for what you feel is right (which can illusive, like a evasive target in boxing).
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews