The Cadillac Man
Encyclopedia
The Cadillac Man is the pen name
of a homeless White American
writer
who lives under the railroad viaduct
in Astoria, Queens
, New York City
. His book, Land of the Lost Souls: My Life on the Streets describes his experiences living on the streets. His notebooks have been excerpted in Esquire Magazine, and his writings on street life have appeared in The New York Times
. A 2006 documentary about him has appeared in 14 film festivals. His work was part of the recommended readings for University of Pennsylvania
urban studies students.
cars on six different occasions in 1994.
twice, and has three children. After he lost his job
at a meat market in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
, he began drinking
.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of a homeless White American
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
who lives under the railroad viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
in Astoria, Queens
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. His book, Land of the Lost Souls: My Life on the Streets describes his experiences living on the streets. His notebooks have been excerpted in Esquire Magazine, and his writings on street life have appeared in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. A 2006 documentary about him has appeared in 14 film festivals. His work was part of the recommended readings for University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
urban studies students.
Name and nickname
Cadillac Man would not give his name, but did say his nickname comes from being run-over by CadillacCadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
cars on six different occasions in 1994.
Personal life
Cadillac Man has been marriedMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
twice, and has three children. After he lost his job
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
at a meat market in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
, he began drinking
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
Published works
- Cadillac Man (2009). Land of the Lost Souls: My life on the Streets. Bloomsbury USA. 17 March 2009. ISBN 978-1-59691-406-3
External links
- Cadillac's Website
- Neighborhood Report New York Times, February 2005.
- Homeless Man Pens New Role as Film Star NY Daily News, July 2005.
- Judson Memorial Church Sermon New York, NY. 2005.