Happy to be Here by Garrison Keillor [rare books]

Book Summary

Originally published in 1981, Happy to Be Here is Garrison Keillor’s first full-length book, a collection of twenty-nine short stories, parodies, and comic sketches, many of which previously appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and other magazines between 1969 and 1981 . The pieces are organized into five parts that explore life in Midwestern small towns and farms, contrasting them with urban experiences while capturing Keillor’s characteristic blend of nostalgia, whimsy, and satire.

In stories like the title piece—originally published as “Found Paradise”—Keillor recounts a writer's shift from city living to farm life in Minnesota, expressing heartfelt ambivalence: “Found paradise. Here it is… I’m happy to be here” . Other memorable stories include “Jack Schmidt, Arts Administrator” (a quirky private eye turned bureaucrat), “Don: The True Story of a Young Person” (a punk‑rock teen whose band eats chickens on stage), and several humorous commentaries on baseball, rural radio culture, and social trends . The closing section shifts to a more wistful tone with reflective pieces like “After a Fall,” “Drunkard’s Sunday,” and “Drowning 1954” .

Critics praised Keillor’s clean, good‑hearted humor, describing it as “down‑to‑earth… exquisitely good‑hearted, highly ludicrous,” while capturing a strong sense of place and Americana. The New York Times noted the collection would leave readers “dumbfounded or happy… to be anywhere” . Keillor’s writing is celebrated for its regional warmth and slightly off‑kilter wit .

About the Author: 

Garrison Keillor (born Gary Edward Keillor on August 7, 1942, in Anoka, Minnesota) is an American humorist, storyteller, author, and radio personality . He created and hosted the beloved radio variety show A Prairie Home Companion from 1974 to 2016, and later launched The Writer’s Almanac—a daily poetry and literary podcast . Keillor’s fiction and essays often reflect small‑town Midwestern life, most famously embodied in his fictional setting Lake Wobegon, the backdrop for several of his most celebrated books such as Lake Wobegon Days and Leaving Home.

A perceptive observer of American culture, Keillor has written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and National Geographic, and has published collections of stories that combine gentle satire with nostalgia, humor, and warmth—often celebrating the everyday characters and oddities of rural America . His debut Happy to Be Here showcases the foundation of that style: witty, heartfelt commentary on life’s small absurdities and the enduring appeal of Midwestern identity.