Fort Greene Dreams is about a man named Nelson George. Nelson is a music and culture critic, journalist, and filmmaker who is moving to an area in Brooklyn known as Fort Greene. He lived in Fort Greene on 19 Willoughby Avenue from 1985 to 1992. The seven years Nelson spent in Fort Greene were the important years of his life in regards to his success in the areas of music, film, writing, and sex. While Nelson lived in 19 Willoughby Avenue, he learned much about himself. He learned what kind of writer, what kind of lover, and what kind of son he was. He also found himself to be a mentor and teacher to several aspiring artists. Over time, Nelson began to assist more and more with mentoring younger artists. This role defined Nelson’s life and self-image. During his time in Fort Greene, Nelson observed many of the artists there. He took note of their struggles and drew valuable life lessons from them to apply to himself. The most important lesson he learned was to measure himself by his body of work, and not by sudden success or failure. Nelson ended the passage by saying that his goal is to achieve long-lasting excellence by living a full, active life and being productive.