ONLY IN AMERICA PB

by Matt Frei

Paperback. Pub Date :2009-01-05 304 English HarperCollins UK Matt Frei. the BBCs former Washington correspondent. goes under the skin of the nations capital to unravel the paradoxes of the worlds last remaining superpower.The paperback has been fully updated to provide a unique view into the weird. wonderful and totally bizarre workings of Americas political world and the 2008 Presidential election.Imagine a city so powerful that the weapons commanded from its ministries could obliterate the globe many times over and yet so vulnerable that it cannot prevent a seventeen-year-old boy from killing half a dozen of its inhabitants in a shooting spree that lasts for a whole month. A city so rich that it spends 150 million dollars a year on corporate lunches. dinners and fundraisers and yet so poor that its streets are frequently as potholed as those of ...

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Travel, American, Current Affairs, Journalism, Humor

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 19, 2008

Reviews

[Xavier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up five books last week and among them was this Only in America by Matt Frei. The book was in the Humor section of the shop, and that was the first reason for me to pick it up. Secondly the cover design. It was a mix of last Precedential Election Campaign images and others. The summary though, promised much more than that; people and author’s life in Washington DC. And it was true.

Matt Frei is a journalist working for BBC as a correspondent. The book is about his work in Washington DC, the power house of America, since 2002. He moved along with his wife and four kids to Washington DC.

The book is funny and very informative. The detail in which Matt gave information about America’s war on terror and other things, made me now consider Al Gore’s The Assault on Reason, a mere outline. The book touched almost all walks of life in Washington DC, from White House Christmas party hosted by Bush Jr. (as he was a journalist), to the School meetings (as he was the father of four, studying in three different schools).

I really enjoyed reading this book and I consider this as one of my favorites.

[Simon Fletcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A interesting read that shows that while there are so many ways in which the British and American cultures are similar there are more ways in which they are just not and never will be.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating book which covers, with good humour and fun, living in America as a Briton with access to senior US politicians and journalists but also as part of a middle-class Washington community with their curious American ways (to us Brits). The tale of his meeting with President Bush (which went seriously over time thanks to the President himself) is the highlight.

[Pamela Huxtable · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sometimes amusing set of essays from a BBC journalist who lived and reported on and from America. Frei is sometimes snarky and mean, but generally fair. My hackles raise a little at his "understanding" of the American educational system when his children all attended very exclusive, private school in the DC area.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

FABULOUS! The first three chapters were a little chatty, but after that it was terrific. I think he was dead-on in his perception of American people and culture. It was hard to put down.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, colloquial look at both America during the Bush years and being a WH correspondent... Enjoyable but a little dated now.

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite dated now but still a funny read. A random jumble of observations from the perspective of BBC journalist Frei

[Gill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting and sometimes amusing glimpse of Frei's time as BBC correspondent to Washington, but over-long and weakly edited. Found in a £1 shop :-)

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Frei was the BBC's Washington correspondent from 2002. This book is an entertaining, engrossing and insightful take on the way of life in the capital.

[Pam Milburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into Washington.