Smijeh u džungli: Autobiografija jednog američkog useljenika
An autobiographical work by Louis Adamič, a Slovenian-American writer and one of the most important chroniclers of the immigrant experience in American literature. It ironically and honestly portrays the reality behind the myth of the "land of opportunity
The book follows Adamić's life from his childhood in Slovenia (then part of Austria-Hungary), through his arrival in America in 1913 at the age of 14, to his first fifteen years in the new country. He describes his difficult immigrant beginnings, working in factories, encounters with various ethnic groups, military service, life in New York, Panama and California, and numerous encounters with other immigrants.
Adamić writes honestly, dynamically and with irony – the title "Laughter in the Jungle" symbolizes survival and laughter in the midst of harsh, jungle-like America. His criticism of the "American melting pot" is particularly strong – he shows that immigrants do not merge into a single nation, but face exploitation, poverty, class conflicts and ethnic tensions.
The work is lively, documentary and of literary value – a combination of personal stories, social criticism and humour. It is considered one of the best depictions of the immigrant experience in the first half of the 20th century.
Laughter in the Jungle is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, immigrant literature, social criticism, and stories about the search for a better life in the "land of opportunity."
Two copies are available
Copy number 1
- Traces of patina
- The cover is missing
Copy number 2
- The cover is missing
