Items related to Knock on Any Door
Synopsis
Motley was an African-American writer, related to the artist Archibald Motley. The two were raised as brothers, altho in actuality Archibald was Willard's uncle. Born into an affluent family in either 1909 or 1912, he grew up in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, in one of the only African-American families residing there. The Chicago Defender published some of his fiction when he was only 13, launching him on his career. He was soon writing a weekly column for young readers called "Bud Says" under the pseudonym "Bud Billikin".
In 1947 his 1st novel, Knock on Any Door appeared to critical acclaim. A work of gritty naturalism, it concerns the life of Nick Romano, an Italian American altar boy who turns to crime because of poverty & the difficulties of the immigrant experience. It was an immediate hit, selling 47,000 copies during its 1st three weeks in print. In 1949 it became a movie starring Humphrey Bogart. In response to critics who charged Motley with avoiding issues of race by writing about white characters, he replied "My race is the human race." His 2nd novel, We Fished All Night, was unsuccessful. His 3rd, Let No Man Write My Epitaph, picks up the story of Knock on Any Door. Columbia Pictures made it into a movie in 1960.
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Review
"Motley wrote of [Chicago] and its people with brutal honesty and with exquisite sympathy. There are sections of Knock on Any Door that might move you to tears and other parts that will move you to anger."—Bill Granger, Chicago Tribune Magazine
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherSignet Books
- Publication date1950
- ISBN 10 0451008022
- ISBN 13 9780451008022
- BindingMass Market Paperback
- LanguageEnglish
- Edition number1
- Number of pages607
- Rating
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