Jonathan Raban

[coppice]

I was so very sad to read an obit of Jonathan Raban in The Times. He is probably not known to many now, as his heyday was the 80s and 90s but his books were wonderful. He was quintessentially English but travelled in the US most of all , by car and boat . It is a disservice to term his works as travel books as they were intensely personal and strayed into history , culture , geography and politics. Sound appealing ? Try Old Glory , about a solo journey down the Mississippi in a small boat , exploring small town America en route. Or Badlands - in Yellowstone country in Montana - this is more historical , and re-reading it last year I was amazed to realise that the seeds of Trump brand politics were sown over a century ago.

Do read him - if you enjoy the likes of Patrick Leigh Fermor, Paul Theroux or Bruce Chatwin you will adore Raban.

RIP .

[Slowboathome]

I read 'Coasting' decades ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's the story of him sailing round the coast of the British Isles.

[Onespeeder]

I had not heard of Jonathan Raban's death until spotting this thread. I am a bit saddened by it as I think that I have, over many years, read all his travel books except Driving Home which I will now look for. I didn’t care for Waxwings though but might try one of his other novels.

Good English observational writing has lost a fine ambassador.