Ever since Captain John Smith, founder of Jamestown in 1607, enchanted English readers with his tales of the New World, Britain and America have had an umbilical connection through the written word. Since that time the United States has become a superpower of unprecedented global influence, its hegemony one of swagger, glamour and a certain brand of brutality. In this new edition of ‘The Raconteur’, some of the finest writers from both sides of the Atlantic help investigate the nature of America through the history of its literature, the minds of its writers, and its relationship with Britain in a shrinking world. ‘The Raconteur’ Interview: Allegra Goodman. Niall Griffiths on Hubert Selby Jnr, Jo Mazelis on the writers of New York, Godfrey Hodgson on fifty years writing about Washington, Jack Foley on ‘Howl’ and the California Beats, Tom Anderson on Cardiff, Baltimore and ‘The Wire’. Reflections from afar: American writers over here by Tamar Yoseloff, Mimi Thebo, Jonathan Neale, David E. Oprava, Taylor Glenn and others. New Fiction from Russell Celyn Jones, Tom Abbott and Todd Zuniga. Poetry from Carrie Etter and Tim Wells. Plus the definitive A to Z of American Literature.