{"product_id":"happy-to-be-here-by-garrison-keillor-rare-books","title":"Happy to be Here by Garrison Keillor [rare books]","description":"\u003ch2 data-start=\"44\" data-end=\"83\"\u003eBook Summary\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"85\" data-end=\"238\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eOriginally published in \u003cstrong data-start=\"24\" data-end=\"32\"\u003e1981\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"34\" data-end=\"52\"\u003eHappy to Be Here\u003c\/em\u003e is \u003cstrong data-start=\"56\" data-end=\"101\"\u003eGarrison Keillor’s first full-length book\u003c\/strong\u003e, a collection of \u003cstrong data-start=\"119\" data-end=\"178\"\u003etwenty-nine short stories, parodies, and comic sketches\u003c\/strong\u003e, many of which previously appeared in \u003cstrong data-start=\"217\" data-end=\"235\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"237\" data-end=\"251\"\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/em\u003e, and other magazines between 1969 and 1981\u003c\/span\u003e . \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eThe pieces are organized into five parts that explore life in \u003cstrong data-start=\"62\" data-end=\"98\"\u003eMidwestern small towns and farms\u003c\/strong\u003e, contrasting them with urban experiences while capturing Keillor’s characteristic blend of nostalgia, whimsy, and satire\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ebsco.com\/research-starters\/literature-and-writing\/happy-be-here-garrison-keillor?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" rel=\"noopener\" alt=\"https:\/\/www.ebsco.com\/research-starters\/literature-and-writing\/happy-be-here-garrison-keillor?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between overflow-hidden\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"240\" data-end=\"472\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eIn 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”\u003c\/span\u003e . \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eOther 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\u003c\/span\u003e . \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eThe closing section shifts to a more wistful tone with reflective pieces like “After a Fall,” “Drunkard’s Sunday,” and “Drowning 1954”\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ebsco.com\/research-starters\/literature-and-writing\/happy-be-here-garrison-keillor?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" rel=\"noopener\" alt=\"https:\/\/www.ebsco.com\/research-starters\/literature-and-writing\/happy-be-here-garrison-keillor?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between absolute\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"474\" data-end=\"635\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eCritics 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. \u003cem data-start=\"186\" data-end=\"206\"\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/em\u003e noted the collection would leave readers “dumbfounded or happy… to be anywhere”\u003c\/span\u003e . \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eKeillor’s writing is celebrated for its regional warmth and slightly off‑kilter wit\u003c\/span\u003e .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-start=\"642\" data-end=\"682\"\u003eAbout the Author: \u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"684\" data-end=\"1045\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"684\" data-end=\"704\"\u003eGarrison Keillor\u003c\/strong\u003e (born Gary Edward Keillor on \u003cstrong data-start=\"734\" data-end=\"752\"\u003eAugust 7, 1942\u003c\/strong\u003e, in Anoka, Minnesota) is an American humorist, storyteller, author, and radio personality . \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eHe created and hosted the beloved radio variety show \u003cem data-start=\"53\" data-end=\"79\"\u003eA Prairie Home Companion\u003c\/em\u003e from 1974 to 2016, and later launched \u003cem data-start=\"118\" data-end=\"140\"\u003eThe Writer’s Almanac\u003c\/em\u003e—a daily poetry and literary podcast\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Garrison_Keillor?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" rel=\"noopener\" alt=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Garrison_Keillor?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between absolute\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"-me-1 flex h-full items-center rounded-full px-1 text-[#8F8F8F]\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eKeillor’s fiction and essays often reflect small‑town Midwestern life, most famously embodied in his fictional setting \u003cstrong data-start=\"119\" data-end=\"135\"\u003eLake Wobegon\u003c\/strong\u003e, the backdrop for several of his most celebrated books such as \u003cem data-start=\"199\" data-end=\"218\"\u003eLake Wobegon Days\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem data-start=\"223\" data-end=\"237\" data-is-last-node=\"\"\u003eLeaving Home\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1047\" data-end=\"1300\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eA perceptive observer of American culture, Keillor has written for \u003cem data-start=\"67\" data-end=\"83\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"85\" data-end=\"99\"\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem data-start=\"105\" data-end=\"126\"\u003eNational Geographic\u003c\/em\u003e, 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\u003c\/span\u003e . His debut \u003cem data-start=\"1138\" data-end=\"1156\"\u003eHappy to Be Here\u003c\/em\u003e showcases the foundation of that style: witty, heartfelt commentary on life’s small absurdities and the enduring appeal of Midwestern identity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Clapping Pages","offers":[{"title":"Used","offer_id":45255607517370,"sku":"351Z7QI2P-Used","price":35.0,"currency_code":"AED","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0713\/5576\/0826\/files\/ha_fa4e9b9b-dfac-45e7-a6e4-edaa3f6a97ef.jpg?v=1761066516","url":"https:\/\/clappingpages.com\/products\/happy-to-be-here-by-garrison-keillor-rare-books","provider":"Clapping Pages","version":"1.0","type":"link"}