American Ways: A Guide for Foreigners in the United States

by Gary Althen

Traveling to America soon? If the thought of extended exposure among Americans seems daunting, let American A Guide for Foreigners in the United States help you prepare. In this revised edition, Gary Althen has added material to provide the clearest insights yet into the American psyche and culture, including the rewritten chapter Ways of Reasoning, which provides one of the best-organized and clearest presentations of American thought processes to date, and a new chapter on race and ethnic relations that compares how foreign visitors and Americans alike perceive American subcultures. Within most chapters Althen has included a new section, Suggestions for Foreign Visitors, adding another practical dimension to the book. American Ways covers all the basic needs of the foreign student or businessperson, covering the trends and customs of day-to-day activities like driving, shopping and verbal and nonverbal communication as well as the more esoteric customs regarding cultural values, politics, education, religion and male-female relationships. As a comprehensive introduction to American culture, American Ways will prepare you for living, studying and working in America. It's that little tiny stuff that can affect how people get along....[T]here are lots and lots of different [cues] on an underlying, unspoken level.-Gary Althen Althen gives advice to foreign visitors to the U.S. that is intended to help them understand the motivations, attitudes, communication styles, and actions of Americans. Emphasizing the interpretation of observed behavior, he covers ways of reasoning and American ideas about politics, family life, education, religion, the media, social relationships, racial and ethnic diversity, male-female relationships, sports and recreation, driving, shopping, personal hygiene, and organizational and public behavior. Over-generalization is an understandable danger in such a work as this, but Althen does make an effort to emphasize that there are variations among Americans, while he concentrates on the similarities.-Book News ContentsPreface to the Second EditionAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart General Ideas About American Culture1 American Values and Assumptions 2 The Communicative Style of Americans3 Ways of Reasoning4 Differences in CustomsPart Specific Aspects of American Life5 Politics6 Family Life7 Education8 Religion9 The Media10 Social Relationships11 Racial and Ethnic Diversity12 Male-Female Relationships13 Sports and Recreation14 Driving15 Shopping16 Personal Hygiene17 Getting Things Done18 Behavior in Public Places19 Studying20 BusinessPart Coping With Cultural Differences21 Some Helpful Ideas22 Activities for Learning About American CultureConclusionBibliographyAbout the Author

Genres: Nonfiction, Cultural

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book is written for non-Americans, I enjoyed reading it and getting a sense for how other cultures might have trouble integrating with ours. It gives me a sense for how I can be more sensitive and accommodating when working with my foreign colleagues.

It was an extremely quick read.

[Oliver · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is book by a US University foreign student adviser who presumably has written about the kind of issues he has to deal with on a daily basis. Actually that would probably make a very funny book but you wont find any laughs here. It's mostly aimed at students for whom English is not their first language; and I think most Western Europeans wont find too much here that they didn't expect. Also it's a bit dated (1988) - probably wouldn't use the term Foreign now. Still there are a few interesting bits (education system and social relationships if you want speed read it :)Also some quite random bits of information about other cultures - some of which is a bit over the top in terms of generalizing, but hey it's a book about America.

[Valentín Serrano García · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird book. And dated.

What it shows is how some americans are taught they have to think of their selves. Thus, as an anthropological study is biased and flawed.

Does the author really believe that americans are as free and unbounded to any ideology as he claims?

[Marzieh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book really didn’t make sense to me 5 years ago, when I was deciding to come to the U.S. for continuing my education. Now after being to ups and downs of cultural differences, I have better understanding of the topics and contexts of the book. Actually the conclusion is a great start to read the book!
I will recommend it to anyone who is struggling with cultural shocks especially in the first six months of their stay.

[Lizzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting seeing how our behavior appears - or might appear - to someone from another culture. But mostly I found myself wanting more detail of cultural comparisons. Of course, I realize this book wasn't designed to entertain someone who grew up American. I wish I could give it one more star, but... I don't know, by the time I got halfway through I was skimming. What can I say, I'm American and therefore quite possibly ill-informed and semi-illiterate. LOL sorry I couldn't resist. Actually, I think the author did a fairly decent job conveying information in a nonjudgmental way... I just suspect he *wanted* to come right out and say those things! =)

[Oteau Rehagle · Rating 1 out of 5]

From the title
Obviously, it will show us about Chinese, (-_-" not funny! damn it.

This is my text book, that talk about the point of view in American ways, very interesting cause my background is plenty different with US.

Anyway, I live here,I have to understand more about US. Something in this book, I believe it was not truth, Probably the view of author was different to when he wrote about eastern.

Eventually, I believe it was not a very bad book, good. just spend time to read it!!

[Agi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is good for English language learners, because it is not a difficult reading. I think it is helpful guide, it gathers the tipical stereotypes and explains the American culture. Lots of customs were obvious for me but I know that in many other cultures these are not as evident as in my country.
The only problem with this book was that it is very-very didactic.

[Son Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A practical guide into American culture. I could really resonate my own experience with the content of this book.
Highly recommend this book to those who already had some experience with American culture (talking to American people, working with them, or joined some forms of cutural exchange programme). It is much better when you have some sense of what American culture is like beforehand.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Focuses on general customs and habits of Americans for foreigners coming here for a short or extended period. A good read for Americans going abroad or in interactions with foreigners so that we don't come across as heavy-handed.

[Lily]

It's a textbook - but interesting to read because of an outsider's view of American culture.

[Terry]

Great book. Helped me fall in love with world cultures and how little we all know about ourselves and others ways of being.

[Joy Jiang · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good for me. I learned more.

[HERZ]

This book was assigned for us in the culture class after high school in 2007.