
Hunting Mister Heartbreak: A Discovery of America
(1990)A non fiction book by
Jonathan Raban
| "When Raban describes America and Americans, he is unfailingly witty and entertaining." Salman Rushdie |
A New York Times Notable Book
"In an era of jet tourism, [Jonathan Raban] remains a
traveler-adventurer in the tradition of . . . Robert Louis Stevenson."
--The New York Times Book Review
In 1782 an immigrant with the high-toned name J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur--"Heartbreak" in English--wrote a pioneering account of one European's transformation into an American. Some two hundred years later Jonathan Raban, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, arrived in Crèvecoeur's wake to see how America has paid off for succeeding generations of newcomers. The result is an exhilarating, often deliciously funny book that is at once a travelogue, a social history, and a love letter to the United States.
In the course of Hunting Mr. Heartbreak, Raban passes for homeless in New York and tries to pass for a good ol' boy in Alabama (which entails "renting" an elderly black lab). He sees the Protestant work ethic perfected by Korean immigrants in Seattle--one of whom celebrates her new home as "So big! So green! So wide-wide-wide!"--and repudiated by the lowlife of Key West. And on every page of this peerlessly observant work, Raban makes us experience America with wonder, humor, and an unblinking eye for its contradictions.
"Raban delivers himself of some of the most memorable prose ever written
about urban America." --Henry Kisor, Chicago Sun-Times
"In an era of jet tourism, [Jonathan Raban] remains a
traveler-adventurer in the tradition of . . . Robert Louis Stevenson."
--The New York Times Book Review
In 1782 an immigrant with the high-toned name J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur--"Heartbreak" in English--wrote a pioneering account of one European's transformation into an American. Some two hundred years later Jonathan Raban, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, arrived in Crèvecoeur's wake to see how America has paid off for succeeding generations of newcomers. The result is an exhilarating, often deliciously funny book that is at once a travelogue, a social history, and a love letter to the United States.
In the course of Hunting Mr. Heartbreak, Raban passes for homeless in New York and tries to pass for a good ol' boy in Alabama (which entails "renting" an elderly black lab). He sees the Protestant work ethic perfected by Korean immigrants in Seattle--one of whom celebrates her new home as "So big! So green! So wide-wide-wide!"--and repudiated by the lowlife of Key West. And on every page of this peerlessly observant work, Raban makes us experience America with wonder, humor, and an unblinking eye for its contradictions.
"Raban delivers himself of some of the most memorable prose ever written
about urban America." --Henry Kisor, Chicago Sun-Times
Used availability for Jonathan Raban's Hunting Mister Heartbreak
See all available used copies of this book at: Abebooks UK or Abebooks US
Hardback Editions
1999 : Hardback
| Title: Hunting Mister Heartbreak Author(s): Jonathan Raban Publisher: Harper Collins Availability: Amazon More details... |
March 1993 : Hardback
| Title: Hunting Mister Heartbreak: A Discovery of America Author(s): Jonathan Raban ISBN: 0-517-09874-1 / 978-0-517-09874-5 (USA edition) Publisher: Random House Value Publishing Availability: Amazon Amazon CA More details... |
October 1991 : Hardback
| Title: Hunting Mister Heartbreak: A Discovery of America Author(s): Jonathan Raban ISBN: 1-56054-224-1 / 9781560542247 (USA edition) Publisher: Thorndike Pr Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
November 1990 : Hardback
| Title: Hunting Mr. Heartbreak Author(s): Jonathan Raban ISBN: 0-00-272031-0 / 978-0-00-272031-1 (UK edition) Publisher: The Harvill Press Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
Paperback Editions
November 1998 : Paperback
| Title: Hunting Mister Heartbreak: A Discovery of America Author(s): Jonathan Raban ISBN: 0-375-70101-X / 978-0-375-70101-6 (USA edition) Publisher: Vintage Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
May 1992 : Paperback
| Title: Hunting Mister Heartbreak: A Discovery of America Author(s): Jonathan Raban ISBN: 0-06-098107-5 / 978-0-06-098107-5 (USA edition) Publisher: Perennial Availability: Amazon Amazon UK More details... |
November 1991 : Paperback
| Title: Hunting Mr. Heartbreak (Picador Books) Author(s): Jonathan Raban ISBN: 0-330-32053-X / 978-0-330-32053-5 (UK edition) Publisher: Picador Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
1990 : Paperback
| Title: HUNTING MISTER HEARTBREAK Author(s): Jonathan Raban Publisher: Collins Harvill Availability: Amazon More details... |
Other Editions
April 1991 : Unknown
| Title: Hunting Mister Heartbreak: A Discovery of America Author(s): Jonathan Raban ISBN: 0-06-018209-1 / 978-0-06-018209-0 (USA edition) Publisher: HarperCollins Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA More details... |
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