The collected nonfiction of the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Ironweed: "A great pleasure to read no matter what the subject" (Library Journal). When William Kennedy arrives in Barcelona, his guidebook recommends taking the trolley around town-but the trolleys haven't run in the city for years. He's on his way to interview the novelist Gabriel García Márquez when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees something impossible: a yellow trolley running down the street. Márquez, however, is not surprised; like all great writers of both fiction and nonfiction, he knows that impossible things happen every day. A remarkable collection from one of America's greatest authors, Riding the Yellow Trolley Car features work from all stages of Kennedy's career. Through each piece runs the thread that ties together his greatest works: a love and deep understanding of his hometown, the city of Albany, New York, and the good and evil men who have made it what it is. Featuring interviews and essays on some of the most prominent authors of the twentieth century, from Saul Bellow and E. L. Doctorow to Norman Mailer and the legendary García Márquez-as well as insightful reflections on topics from baseball to the death of a prominent cat to Kennedy's wife's hiccups-Riding the Yellow Trolley Car is an essential book for all those who love to read, or live to write.
"Graced with an emotionally satisfying arrangement and a deep appreciation for life's variety." -The Washington Post "As quirky and satisfying a literary journal as its title implies."
GQ
"There is a spirit of grace and generosity here as Kennedy delights in each of his subjects. He continues to ride his yellow trolley with wonder and delight, and the reader is just as delighted to take the journey with him."
San Francisco Chronicle
"The writer who emerges here sounds not merely interesting but delightfully genuine.. . . This eclectic collection both entertains and enriches."
