Richard Price on Cynicism, The Wire and his Lush Life

So you’ve dodged the muggings. What other kinds of tight spots have you been in?

Being in a crack house when I wasn’t supposed to be, when the person who was supposed to be with me, watching my back, went AWOL. Being with a couple drunk cops when they decided to make a raid on a drug spot and having to run after them while they were running after the guys they were running after, and getting lost, and being by myself in what looked like the Tet Offensive. That was not fun. But by and large, I’m fairly interested in surviving, you know? Making it to the publishing party.

Ralph Gibson

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More About

• Richard Price
• The Bronx
• Jersey City
• Ralph Gibson
• William S. Burroughs

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Richard Price reads at ALOUD at Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., L.A., on Tues., March 25, at 7 p.m. Free, reservations recommended www.aloudla.org or (213) 228-7025.