Jonathan Raban Books

First published in 1979, Arabia is an exploration of the modern Middle East, from Earls Court and back again.

First published in 1990, Hunting Mister Heartbreak is a discovery of the many faces of America, from New York to Florida, from rural Alabama to Seattle.

This is an anthology of writing about the sea from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day. It is extraordinarily varied, including fiction and non-fiction, prose and poetry, documentary accounts, and oceanographic writing. Familiar names, such as Byron, Defoe, Melville, and Conrad are well represented, but there are many new names too. schovat popis

A voyage round Britain in a two-masted sailing boat, The Gosfield Maid. First published in 1986.

First published in 1987, Raban writes about reading and travelling, fleshing out London literary life in the 70s and 80s.

First published in 1981, Old Glory tells of a journey down the Mississippi in an open-topped boat. No one who has read this book can possibly complain about being surprised by Trump s election victory. Thirty years later we see it as not just wry, funny, brave, immersed and beautifully observed but prophetic. A book to be read and re-read.

Set against a backdrop of complex relationships and societal challenges, this notable work explores the intricacies of human connection and personal growth. Through rich character development, it delves into themes of love, loss, and resilience, prompting readers to reflect on their own experiences. The narrative weaves together poignant moments and thought-provoking insights, making it a compelling read that resonates on multiple levels.

'Raban's journey, made through empty landscaped that once brimmed with optimism, reveals what happened when American innocence begins to curdle. The tale, borne along by its superlative writing, is a riveting one' Observer

Navigating the Mississippi River in a sixteen-foot motorboat, the author captures the river's unpredictable nature and the diverse lives of its riverside inhabitants. Through fishing, hunting, and engaging in discussions on theology and race relations, he offers keen insights into the heartland's disconnection from cultural centers and its yearning for a bygone era. Blending wit and a deep understanding of American life, this travel narrative is both reflective and rich in detail, echoing the powerful currents of the river itself.

A New York Times Editors' Choice for Book of the YearWinner of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers AwardWinner of the PEN West Creative Nonfiction Award"No one has evoked with greater power the marriage of land and sky that gives this country both its beauty and its terror. "-Washington Post Book WorldIn 1909 maps still identified eastern Montana as the Great American Desert.  But in that year Congress, lobbied heavily by railroad companies, offered 320-acre tracts of land to anyone bold or foolish enough to stake a claim to them. Drawn by shamelessly inventive brochures, countless homesteaders--many of them immigrants--went west to make their fortunes. Most failed. In Bad Land, Jonathan Raban travels through the unforgiving country that was the scene of their dreams and undoing, and makes their story come miraculously alive.     In towns named Terry, Calypso, and Ismay (which changed its name to Joe, Montana, in an effort to attract football fans), and in the landscape in between, Raban unearths a vanished episode of American history, with its own ruins, its own heroes and heroines, its own hopeful myths and bitter memories. Startlingly observed, beautifully written, this book is a contemporary classic of the American West. "Exceptional. . . .  A beautifully told historical meditation. "--Time"Championship prose. . . .  In fifty years don't be surprised if Bad Land is a landmark."--Los Angeles Times