--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fancy a novel about Chicago or Buffalo…" description: "\"Fancy a novel about Chicago or Buffalo, let us say, or Nashville, Tennessee! There are just three big cities in the United States that are 'story citie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/frank-norris-28716_bay-area_fancy-a-novel-about-chicago-or-buffalo-l_1835564.jpg" --- # Fancy a novel about Chicago or Buffalo, let us say, or… ![“Fancy a novel about Chicago or Buffalo, let us say, or Nashville, Tennessee! There are just three big cities in the United States that are 'story cities'- New York, of course, New Orleans, and, best of the lot, San Francisco.” quote by Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/frank-norris-28716_bay-area_fancy-a-novel-about-chicago-or-buffalo-l_1835564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/frank-norris-28716_bay-area_fancy-a-novel-about-chicago-or-buffalo-l_1835564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/601/frank-norris-28716_bay-area_fancy-a-novel-about-chicago-or-buffalo-l_1835564.jpg) > “Fancy a novel about Chicago or Buffalo, let us say, or Nashville, Tennessee! There are just three big cities in the United States that are 'story cities'- New York, of course, New Orleans, and, best of the lot, San Francisco.” [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identifies three iconic U.S. cities as emblematic of narrative richness, highlighting cultural storytelling hubs. **In simple terms:** New York, New Orleans, San Francisco are prime storytelling cities. Key Takeaway Explore narratives in these cultural centers. Themes culture urban life storytelling Mood curious reflective Type literary analytical When to use this quote - travel writing - tourism marketing - creative workshops - film location scouting Key Concepts city identity literary geography regional character Questions to Reflect On - Which lesser‑known city holds untold stories? - How does a city’s history shape its narratives? A Different Perspective Other cities also have rich stories; this list is subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bay area](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bay-area/) [Big cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-cities/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [New orleans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-orleans/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [San francisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-francisco/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Tennessee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennessee/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [I wrote my first novel and my second novel in Chicago. It was the place where I became a writer. It's my favorite city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-wrote-my-first-novel-and-my-second-novel-in-chicago-it-was-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Fortunately, I had cousins who lived in Buffalo and would often go to visit them, which I loved to do because I liked Buffalo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/fortunately-i-had-cousins-who-lived-in-buffalo-and-would-often-go-to/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [San Francisco has only one drawback—‘tis hard to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/san-francisco-has-only-one-drawback-tis-hard-to-leave/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“McDonald's, meanwhile, continues busily to harass small shopkeepers and restaurateurs of Scottish descent for that nationality's uncompetitive predisposition toward the Mc prefix on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/mcdonald-s-meanwhile-continues-busily-to-harass-small-shopkeepers-and/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I was at Stanford University up in the West Coast Bay Area, so the biggest song of my freshman year was 'I Got 5…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-was-at-stanford-university-up-in-the-west-coast-bay-area-so-the/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [Caen's San Francisco may not be the city we remember, but it is the city we want to remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-brown/caen-s-san-francisco-may-not-be-the-city-we-remember-but-it-is-the/) [Willie Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-brown/) > [From the small town in Iowa where I grew up, to Chapel Hill where I went to college, to the Bay Area and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/from-the-small-town-in-iowa-where-i-grew-up-to-chapel-hill-where-i/) [Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/) > [I love the Bay Area and I'm excited to play there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bosa/i-love-the-bay-area-and-i-m-excited-to-play-there/) [Nick Bosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bosa/) > [I'm going to go back to the Bay Area, this is my thing, and I'm just going to open my own school of baseball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bonds/i-m-going-to-go-back-to-the-bay-area-this-is-my-thing-and-i-m-just/) [Barry Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bonds/) > [I have been interested in the dialogue of abstraction and modernist painting - and the rich history of the grid. I also think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-beal/i-have-been-interested-in-the-dialogue-of-abstraction-and-modernist/) [Stephen Beal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-beal/) > [The teams in the Bay Area have created a culture of winning, but the Cubs and Metsneed to learn how to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-byrnes/the-teams-in-the-bay-area-have-created-a-culture-of-winning-but-the/) Eric Byrnes > [The Bay Area is so beautiful, I hesitate to preach about heaven while I'm here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-bay-area-is-so-beautiful-i-hesitate-to-preach-about-heaven-while/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [I like beating the Bay Area traffic by getting into the office early, plus I get at least an hour most mornings to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baiju-bhatt/i-like-beating-the-bay-area-traffic-by-getting-into-the-office-early/) [Baiju Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baiju-bhatt/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Most of the time, I get around perfectly well on my bike and public transportation, even in spite of the Bay Area's almost comically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hilton/most-of-the-time-i-get-around-perfectly-well-on-my-bike-and-public/) [Steve Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hilton/) ## More by Frank Norris > [“If I were to name the one crying evil of American life, Mr. Derrick, it would be the indifference of the better people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/if-i-were-to-name-the-one-crying-evil-of-american-life-mr-derrick-it/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [“Wait till you see-at the same time that your family is dying for lack of bread-a hundred thousand acres of wheat-millions of bushels of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/wait-till-you-see-at-the-same-time-that-your-family-is-dying-for-lack/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [“Believe this, young man," exclaimed Shelgrim, layinga thick powerful forefinger on the table to emphasize his words, "try to believe this - to begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/believe-this-young-man-exclaimed-shelgrim-layinga-thick-powerful/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [“A literature that cannot be vulgarized is no literature at all and will perish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/a-literature-that-cannot-be-vulgarized-is-no-literature-at-all-and/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [ \[The Muse of our Fiction of the future\] will lead you - if you are humble and honest with her - straight into a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/the-muse-of-our-fiction-of-the-future-will-lead-you-if-you-are-humble/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [Always blame conditions, not men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/always-blame-conditions-not-men/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [Evil is short lived. Never judge of the whole round of life by the mere segment you can see. The whole is, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/evil-is-short-lived-never-judge-of-the-whole-round-of-life-by-the/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [No one to love, none to caress, Left all alone in this world's wilderness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/no-one-to-love-none-to-caress-left-all-alone-in-this-world-s/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [“Goo'-by, ole Bill, by-by. There you go, an' the signal o' distress roun' you, H. B. 'I'm in need of assistance.' Lord, here comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/goo-by-ole-bill-by-by-there-you-go-an-the-signal-o-distress-roun-you/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [Things can happen in some cities and the tale of them will be interesting: the same story laid in another city would be ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/things-can-happen-in-some-cities-and-the-tale-of-them-will-be/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [“It belonged to the changeless order of things---the man desiring the woman only for what she withholds; the woman worshipping the man for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/it-belonged-to-the-changeless-order-of-things-the-man-desiring-the/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [“He strove for the diapason, the great song that should embrace in itself a whole epoch, a complete era, the voice of an entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/he-strove-for-the-diapason-the-great-song-that-should-embrace-in/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [No art that is not in the end understood by the People can live or ever did live a single generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/no-art-that-is-not-in-the-end-understood-by-the-people-can-live-or/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [The function of the novelist... is to comment upon life as he sees it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/the-function-of-the-novelist-is-to-comment-upon-life-as-he-sees-it/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) > [“I never truckled, I never took off the hat to fashion and held it out for pennies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-norris/i-never-truckled-i-never-took-off-the-hat-to-fashion-and-held-it-out/) [Frank Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) [Explore all 19 Frank Norris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-norris/) ## More Bay area quotes > [Most of the time, I get around perfectly well on my bike and public transportation, even in spite of the Bay Area's almost comically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hilton/most-of-the-time-i-get-around-perfectly-well-on-my-bike-and-public/) [Steve Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hilton/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I like beating the Bay Area traffic by getting into the office early, plus I get at least an hour most mornings to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baiju-bhatt/i-like-beating-the-bay-area-traffic-by-getting-into-the-office-early/) [Baiju Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baiju-bhatt/) > [The Bay Area is so beautiful, I hesitate to preach about heaven while I'm here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-bay-area-is-so-beautiful-i-hesitate-to-preach-about-heaven-while/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [The teams in the Bay Area have created a culture of winning, but the Cubs and Metsneed to learn how to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-byrnes/the-teams-in-the-bay-area-have-created-a-culture-of-winning-but-the/) Eric Byrnes > [I have been interested in the dialogue of abstraction and modernist painting - and the rich history of the grid. I also think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-beal/i-have-been-interested-in-the-dialogue-of-abstraction-and-modernist/) [Stephen Beal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-beal/) > [I'm going to go back to the Bay Area, this is my thing, and I'm just going to open my own school of baseball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bonds/i-m-going-to-go-back-to-the-bay-area-this-is-my-thing-and-i-m-just/) [Barry Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bonds/) > [I love the Bay Area and I'm excited to play there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bosa/i-love-the-bay-area-and-i-m-excited-to-play-there/) [Nick Bosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bosa/) > [From the small town in Iowa where I grew up, to Chapel Hill where I went to college, to the Bay Area and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/from-the-small-town-in-iowa-where-i-grew-up-to-chapel-hill-where-i/) [Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/) > [Caen's San Francisco may not be the city we remember, but it is the city we want to remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-brown/caen-s-san-francisco-may-not-be-the-city-we-remember-but-it-is-the/) [Willie Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-brown/) > [I was at Stanford University up in the West Coast Bay Area, so the biggest song of my freshman year was 'I Got 5…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-was-at-stanford-university-up-in-the-west-coast-bay-area-so-the/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [“McDonald's, meanwhile, continues busily to harass small shopkeepers and restaurateurs of Scottish descent for that nationality's uncompetitive predisposition toward the Mc prefix on its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/mcdonald-s-meanwhile-continues-busily-to-harass-small-shopkeepers-and/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [San Francisco has only one drawback—‘tis hard to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/san-francisco-has-only-one-drawback-tis-hard-to-leave/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Sometimes you hear about people who can't wait to leave their hometown. I did not have that feeling at all. I love San Jose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelah-johnson/sometimes-you-hear-about-people-who-can-t-wait-to-leave-their/) [Anjelah Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelah-johnson/) > [For 30 years I wrote for newspapers and magazines, wrote books on the Dallas Cowboys' dynasties of the '70s and '90s, wrote about Michael…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skip-bayless/for-30-years-i-wrote-for-newspapers-and-magazines-wrote-books-on-the/) [Skip Bayless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skip-bayless/) [Browse all 167 Bay area quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bay-area/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fancy a novel about Chicago or Buffalo, let us say, or Nashville, Tennessee! 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