John Henry Days; a novel
by Whitehead, Colson
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Extremely mild rubbing to spine head and foot, very gentle rubbing to front-rear edge, light soiling to rear board, faint mark t
- ISBN 10
- 0385498195
- ISBN 13
- 9780385498197
- Seller
-
Oakland, California, United States
2 Copies Available from This Seller
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Synopsis
In a glowing review of Colson Whitehead's first novel, The Intuitionist, the New York Times Book Review concluded, "Literary reputations may not always rise and fall as predictably as elevators, but if there's any justice in the world of fiction, Colson Whitehead's should be heading toward the upper floors." With John Henry Days, Colson Whitehead delivers on the promise of his critically acclaimed debut in a magnificent new novel: a retelling of the legend of John Henry that sweeps across generations and cultures in a stunning, hilarious, and unsettling portrait of American society.Immortalized in folk ballads, John Henry has been a favorite American hero since the mid-nineteenth century. According to legend, John Henry, a black laborer for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, was a man of superhuman strength and stamina. He proved his mettle in a contest with a steam drill, only to die of exhaustion moments after his triumph. In John Henry Days, Colson Whitehead transforms the simple ballad into a contrapuntal masterpiece. The narrative revolves around the story of J. Sutter, a young black journalist. Sutter is a "junketeer," a freeloading hack who roams from one publicity event to another, abusing his expense account and mooching as much as possible. It is 1996, and an assignment for a travel Web site takes Sutter to West Virginia for the first annual "John Henry Days" festival, a celebration of a new U.S. postal stamp honoring John Henry. And there the real story of John Henry emerges in graceful counterpoint to Sutter's thoroughly modern adventure.As he explores the parallels between the lives of these two black men, and between the Industrial Age, which literally killed John Henry, and the Digital Age that is destroying J. Sutter's soul, Whitehead adds multiple dimensions to the myth of the steel-driving man. And in dazzling set pieces, he traces the evolution of the famous ballad over the past century. John Henry Days is a novel of extraordinary scope and mythic power that juxtaposes history and popular culture, the blatant bigotry of the past with the more insidious racism of the present, and laugh-out-loud humor with unforgettable poignancy.From the Hardcover edition.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Bibliope by Calvello Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 91172
- Title
- John Henry Days; a novel
- Author
- Whitehead, Colson
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Extremely mild rubbing to spine head and foot, very gentle rubbing to front-rear edge, light soiling to rear board, faint mark t
- Quantity Available
- 2
- Edition
- First edition, first printing (full number line)
- ISBN 10
- 0385498195
- ISBN 13
- 9780385498197
- Publisher
- Doubleday
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 2001
- Bookseller catalogs
- Novels;
Terms of Sale
Bibliope by Calvello Books
Books may be placed on reserve for one week. Refunds may be issued if book is not as described and is returned in same condition as it was originally shipped, and within two weeks of order.
About the Seller
Bibliope by Calvello Books
About Bibliope by Calvello Books
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...