John Henry Days
- Binding: Hardcover
- Publisher: Doubleday Books
- Publish date: 05/01/2001
In "John Henry Days", Colson Whitehead transforms the simple ballad into a contrapuntal masterpiece. The narrative revolves around 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 acquiring as much free food and merchandise as possible. It is 1996, and an assignment for a travel Web site takes Sutter to West Virginia for the "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 Whitehead 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, he adds multiple dimensions to the myth of the steel-drivin' man. In dazzling set pieces, the author traces the evolution of the famous ballad over the past century, juxtaposing history and popular culture, the blatant bigotry of the past with the subtle racism of the present, the comic and the tragic, with breathtaking dexterity. A literary work of the highest quality, equally rich in laugh-out-loud humor and unforgettable poignancy, it confirms Colson Whitehead as one of the major talentsof our time.
Seller | Condition | Comments | Price |
|
Orion Tech
Acceptable |
$4.42
|
|
HPB-Emerald
Very Good
|
$4.50
|
|
Half Price Books Inc
Very Good
|
$5.06
|
|
Upmode, LLC
Very Good
|
$5.61
|
|
Solr Books
Very Good
|
$5.81
|
|
HPB-Ruby
Very Good
|
$7.02
|
|
Chaparral Books
Very Good |
$7.87
|
Ergodebooks
|
Good |
$7.97
|
|
Heritage Books
Very Good
|
$13.50
|
|
EdmondDantes Bookseller
Very Good
|
$22.50
|
|
h&hbooks24
Good
|
$22.68
|
|
ZENO'S
Very Good |
$27.56
|
|
Flips Fine Books
Like New |
$28.12
|
|
Garys Books
Very Good |
$32.62
|
|
Garys Books
Like New |
$36.00
|
|
Beck's Books of Sacramento
New |
$42.75
|
|
Keeper Reineau Bookseller
Like New
|
$65.25
|
|
McBlain Books
Very Good |
$67.50
|
|
GridFreed
New |
$67.60
|
|
Keeper of the Page
Like New
|
$68.35
|
|
RARE BOOK CELLAR
Very Good |
$74.66
|
|
Keeper Reineau Bookseller
Like New
|
$85.50
|
|
Keeper Reineau Bookseller
Like New
|
$90.00
|
|
Lionstar Books
Like New |
$101.23
|
|
RARE BOOK CELLAR
Very Good |
$120.73
|