--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My new city [Seattle] and its hinterland…" description: "\"My new city [Seattle] and its hinterland felt deceptively homely. Their similar latitude gave them the angular light and lingering evenings I was used ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg" --- # My new city \[Seattle\] and its hinterland felt deceptively… ![“My new city [Seattle] and its hinterland felt deceptively homely. Their similar latitude gave them the angular light and lingering evenings I was used to. Their damp marine weather, blowing in from the southwest, came in the right direction. When the mountains are hidden under a low sky, one might…” quote by Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg) > “My new city \[Seattle\] and its hinterland felt deceptively homely. Their similar latitude gave them the angular light and lingering evenings I was used to. Their damp marine weather, blowing in from the southwest, came in the right direction. When the mountains are hidden under a low sky, one might almost imagine oneself to be in Britain.” [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes Seattle’s familiar yet foreign atmosphere, noting its British-like light and weather, evoking a sense of displaced belonging. **In simple terms:** Seattle feels like a British town due to light and weather. Key Takeaway Notice familiar patterns in new places. Themes place identity displacement light weather nostalgia Mood reflective nostalgic Type travel observational When to use this quote - relocation - urban planning - personal reflection Key Concepts cultural geography psychology of place environmental perception Questions to Reflect On - What aspects make a place feel familiar? - How does climate shape emotional response? A Different Perspective May overlook deeper cultural differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Evening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evening/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Right direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-direction/) [Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seattle/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Weather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weather/) ## Related quotes > [Plain living and high thinking are no more. The homely beauty of the good old cause Is gone; our peace, our fearful innocence, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/plain-living-and-high-thinking-are-no-more-the-homely-beauty-of-the/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [I have a very spartan flat in London, and when they see it people say: 'Why don't you make it more homely?' The reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-wallace/i-have-a-very-spartan-flat-in-london-and-when-they-see-it-people-say/) [Gregg Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-wallace/) > [It is for homely features to keep home,- They had their name thence; coarse complexions And cheeks of sorry grain will serve to ply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/it-is-for-homely-features-to-keep-home-they-had-their-name-thence/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There is not a single homely thing that, looked at from a certain angle, does not become fairy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-mirrlees/there-is-not-a-single-homely-thing-that-looked-at-from-a-certain/) [Hope Mirrlees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-mirrlees/) > [Because I like that I got an ugly girl's personality. In other words, a homely girl always has to develop that muscle. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/because-i-like-that-i-got-an-ugly-girl-s-personality-in-other-words-a/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [Even though I am an actor, by nature I am what you could call a homely girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divyanka-tripathi/even-though-i-am-an-actor-by-nature-i-am-what-you-could-call-a-homely/) [Divyanka Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divyanka-tripathi/) > [Robert Frost says in a piece of homely doggerel that he has hoped wisdom could be not only Attic but Laconic, Boeotian even -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/robert-frost-says-in-a-piece-of-homely-doggerel-that-he-has-hoped/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [The man who could withstand, with his fellow-men in single line, a charge of cavalry may lose all command of himself on the occurrence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/the-man-who-could-withstand-with-his-fellow-men-in-single-line-a/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [Good-looking individuals are treated better than homely ones in virtually every social situation, from dating to trial by jury. If everyday experience hasn't convinced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/good-looking-individuals-are-treated-better-than-homely-ones-in/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Dear Lord, who made the face of me not all that I would have it be, not really homely, only plain, but strong and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-perry/dear-lord-who-made-the-face-of-me-not-all-that-i-would-have-it-be-not/) Ruth Perry > [The pilasters reaching down were adorned with a glistering substance (I know not what) under glass (as it seemed), resembling - a homely fancy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/the-pilasters-reaching-down-were-adorned-with-a-glistering-substance/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Quite the ugliest face I ever saw was that of a woman whom the world called beautiful. Through its silver veil the evil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/quite-the-ugliest-face-i-ever-saw-was-that-of-a-woman-whom-the-world/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [There is a homely directness about these rustic apothegms which makes them far more palatable than the strained and sophisticated epigrams of the characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brander-matthews/there-is-a-homely-directness-about-these-rustic-apothegms-which-makes/) [Brander Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brander-matthews/) > [I was a homely kid with freckles that came out every spring and stuck on me till Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/i-was-a-homely-kid-with-freckles-that-came-out-every-spring-and-stuck/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [The selective instinct of the artist tells him when his language should be homely, and when it should be more elevated; and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/the-selective-instinct-of-the-artist-tells-him-when-his-language/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) ## More by Jonathan Raban > [No president has come near to rivaling Lincoln as a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/no-president-has-come-near-to-rivaling-lincoln-as-a-writer/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [All this piling up of one technology on top of another-railroad on steamboat, interstate highway on railroad, hydroelectric dam on watermill-had reduced the Mississippi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/all-this-piling-up-of-one-technology-on-top-of-another-railroad-on/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [Life, as the most ancient of all metaphors insists, is a journey; and the travel book, in its deceptive simulation of the journey's fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/life-as-the-most-ancient-of-all-metaphors-insists-is-a-journey-and/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [Inaugurals conventionally start with a history lesson and finish with a prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/inaugurals-conventionally-start-with-a-history-lesson-and-finish-with/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [When New Yorkers tell one about the dangers of their city, the muggings, the dinner parties to which no one turns up for fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/when-new-yorkers-tell-one-about-the-dangers-of-their-city-the/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [At night, what you see is a city, because all you see is lights. By day, it doesn't look like a city at all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/at-night-what-you-see-is-a-city-because-all-you-see-is-lights-by-day/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [Because Washington state now votes by mail, elections here tend to play out, at an agonizingly slow speed, over many days and, sometimes, weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/because-washington-state-now-votes-by-mail-elections-here-tend-to/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [The only nation I've ever been tempted to feel really racist about are the Swiss - a whole country of phobic hand washers living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/the-only-nation-i-ve-ever-been-tempted-to-feel-really-racist-about/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [ The \[travel\] writer, looking back at the journey from a distance of a year or two (or three), is a different character from the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/the-travel-writer-looking-back-at-the-journey-from-a-distance-of-a/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [The mythical America?that marvellous, heroic, sentimental landwas an object of faith. It challenged you to make the believer's leap over the rude facts at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/the-mythical-america-that-marvellous-heroic-sentimental-landwas-an/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [Over emphatic negatives always suggest that what is being denied may be what is really being asserted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/over-emphatic-negatives-always-suggest-that-what-is-being-denied-may/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [Heartbreak comes in different sizes, and the departure of an 18-year-old child for a far college has to be treated as a very benign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/heartbreak-comes-in-different-sizes-and-the-departure-of-an-18-year/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [Books admitted me to their world open-handedly, as people for their most part, did not. The life I lived in books was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/books-admitted-me-to-their-world-open-handedly-as-people-for-their/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [One of the oddest features of western Christianized culture is its ready acceptance of the myth of the stable family and the happy marriage.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/one-of-the-oddest-features-of-western-christianized-culture-is-its/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [Sociology and anthropology are not disciplines which take easily to situations where people are able to live out their fantasies, not just in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/sociology-and-anthropology-are-not-disciplines-which-take-easily-to/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) [Explore all 57 Jonathan Raban quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) ## More Britain quotes > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [In Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/in-britain-the-press-want-to-kill-a-show-by-revealing-what-s-coming/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [If we don't like modern Britain, then it is very unlikely that modern Britain will like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/if-we-don-t-like-modern-britain-then-it-is-very-unlikely-that-modern/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Britain has the IRA and no one cancels concerts there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/britain-has-the-ira-and-no-one-cancels-concerts-there/) [Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/) > [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/) [Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/) > [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [I think the first person to call me 'Britain's Obama' was Martin Bright at the New Statesman. Harriet Harman made the comparison once at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/i-think-the-first-person-to-call-me-britain-s-obama-was-martin-bright/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [I am the last of Britain's stately homos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-am-the-last-of-britain-s-stately-homos/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [ As for whether what happened in Britain improves\[Donald\] Trump's chances of winning, I don't think so. He has the same chances; we may just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/as-for-whether-what-happened-in-britain-improves-donald-trump-s/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) > [Britain, like other European states, is not and never will again be in the top-world-power league, so its male leaders can afford to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/britain-like-other-european-states-is-not-and-never-will-again-be-in/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [When you go away, you see where you come from in a different light. I see Scotland, and the rest of Britain, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-go-away-you-see-where-you-come-from-in-a-different-light-i/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [It was very hard breaking into the film industry in Britain. I had been to art school, and I was painting and doing commercials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-scott/it-was-very-hard-breaking-into-the-film-industry-in-britain-i-had/) [Tony Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-scott/) > [Germany has always stood for an E.U. of the 27 countries. But in light of Britain's continued resistance to further integration steps, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/germany-has-always-stood-for-an-e-u-of-the-27-countries-but-in-light/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) [Browse all 1,648 Britain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My new city [Seattle] and its hinterland felt deceptively homely. Their similar latitude gave them the angular light and lingering evenings I was used to. Their damp marine weather, blowing in from the southwest, came in the right direction. When the mountains are hidden under a low sky, one might almost imagine oneself to be in Britain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Raban" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-felt-deceptively-homely-their/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Britain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-felt-deceptively-homely-their/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My new city [Seattle] and its hinterland felt deceptively homely. Their similar latitude gave them the…” — Jonathan Raban", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan Raban", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My new city [Seattle] and its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-felt-deceptively-homely-their/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-felt-deceptively-homely-their/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```