About the book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER • Startlingly observed, beautifully written, this book is a contemporary classic of the American West. • \"As good a book as I have read about rural America in a very long time.\" —The New York Times Book Review
In 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.
Editions of Bad Land
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780517282311
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780679442547
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780679759065
- EBook
- ISBN 9780307798442
- Audiobook
- ISBN 9780736643047
Read an Excerpt
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER • Startlingly observed, beautifully written, this book is a contemporary classic of the American West. • \"As good a book as I have read about rural America in a very long time.\" —The New York Times Book Review
In 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bad Land about?
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER • Startlingly observed, beautifully written, this book is a contemporary classic of the American West. • \"As good a book as I have read about rural America in a very long time.\" —The New York Times Book Review
In 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.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Bad Land?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of Bad Land?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780517282311
Is Bad Land part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Vintage Departures
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Bad Land?
Jonathan Raban
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Bad Land is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780517282311) and hardcover(ISBN 9780679442547) and paperback(ISBN 9780679759065) and ebook(ISBN 9780307798442) and audiobook(ISBN 9780736643047)
Where can I buy Bad Land online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Bad Land from below
Where can I buy Bad Land?