Get Next!

Get Next! drops us into the world of John Henry, an irrepressible everyman whose running commentary on modern life is as sharp as it is absurd. Through his encounters at summer resorts, at the bridge table, in the doctor's office, and on the street, Hobart captures something vanishingly rare: the voice of ordinary American wit at the turn of the century. John Henry isn't educated or refined, but he's incorrigibly observant, and his takes on amateur photographers, smooth-talking race tipsters, and the elaborate rituals of courtship land with the kind of plain-spoken accuracy that makes strangers nod in recognition. His long-suffering wife gets the best lines, which feels only fair. This is slice-of-life humor from an era when people still found joy in small observations and the comedy of manners. It reads like overhearing a fascinating conversation at a train station, the kind you wish you could follow longer. Perfect for readers who enjoy period humor, authentic early American voice, or simply watching a clever person dismantle the pretensions of daily life.