Damon Runyon (1884–1946,) fully Alfred Damon Runyon, was an American author and journalist. His short stories about New York’s underworld characters, such as his book Guys and Dolls, are written in a highly individual style with colorful slang.
Born in Manhattan, Kansas, Runyon served in the Spanish-U.S. war (1898.) After the war, he turned to journalism in 1911, focusing on sports reporting and feature writing for the New York American.
Runyon’s first books were volumes of verse, Tents of Trouble (1911) and Rhymes of the Firing Line (1912,) and it was his racy short stories, written with liberal use of slang and angst, and depicting life in underworld New York and on Broadway, which won him popularity. His collection Guys and Dolls (1932) was adopted as a musical revue (1950.)
In the 1930s, Runyon was one of the most productive and highly paid writers in New York. His other books include Take it Easy (1939) and the play, with Howard Lindsay, A Slight Case of Murder (1935.) From 1941, he worked as a film producer.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Damon Runyon
I came to the conclusion long ago that all life is six to five against.
—Damon Runyon
Topics: Gambling
You can become a winner only if you are willing to walk over the edge.
—Damon Runyon
One of these days in your travels, a guy is going to come up to you and show you a nice brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is not yet broken, and this guy is going to offer to bet you that he can make the Jack of Spades jump out of the deck and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not bet this man, for as sure as you are standing there, you are going to end up with an earful of cider.
—Damon Runyon
Topics: Tourism, Travel
The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that is the way to bet.
—Damon Runyon
Topics: Gambling
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