The American Character
"What a country!" says the Russian immigrant and popular comedian, Yakov Smirnoff. This exclamation expresses his surprise, delight, confusion, or disapproval as he learns something new about the U.S.A. Most new comers to the United States probably share his mixed emotions. It's a wonderful country, they realize, but it's not heaven. Most new corners arrive in one of the large urban areas. Some find the crowds, high-rise buildings, and noisy traffic overwhelming: however, they usually adjust to the urban environment rather quickly. It is the American people-their customs and their language-that remain a long-term mystery. This book attempts to uncover some of the mystery, beginning with the attitudes that most Americans share. What do Americans love, hate, want and believe in? Any statement about the American outlook must take into consideration the nations' great size and geographic diversity, and the fact that it is (as John F. Kennedy said) "a nati