How They See Us: Meditations on America

by James Atlas (Editor)

Americans live in a pre-Copernican we think the world revolves around us. Seventeen writers from abroad offer a fresh perspective. A superpower without parallel since the British Empire, the United States is a source of incessant fascination to the rest of the world. Absurdly rich, alarmingly volatile, we inspire both fear and envy. Just as our aggressive foreign policy has turned our allies against us, the rise of Barack Obama is now seen as our salvation. 9/11, the world historical event that “changed everything,” has been superseded by 11/4, the date of his election to the presidency of the United States. Through it all, “America” remains a phenomenon, a myth, the wonder of the world.

“Know thyself” is a difficult injunction to follow and often requires the insights of others. To gain some perspective, How They See Us features writers and intellectuals from around the globe. These trenchant essays constitute a primer of international literature, an aid to self-criticism, and an invitation to celebrate our national virtues. 17 b&w illustrations

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

About the author

James Robert Atlas was a writer, especially of biographies, as well as a publisher. He was the president of Atlas & Company, and founding editor of the Penguin Lives Series.
He was born in 1949 outside Chicago, and attended Harvard University, studying under Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop with the intention to become a poet. He later attended Oxford University and studied under Richard Ellmann as a prestigious Rhodes Scholar. Here, he decided that he wanted to become a biographer.

Reviews

[Adam Dupaski]

Worth it for several essays which were more dynamic than others, namely Riotta's "Returning from Exile" and Abani's "The American Empire: A Libretto in Eight Movements," as they dealt with the degrees of ambivalence and contradiction essential to this theme in unusual ways. The real value though, the most appropriate bang-for-your-buck, is with Eagleton's "Fiddlers and Failures," as caustic, entertaining, and direct as they come.

[Cindy Lou]

This collection of essays from writers and intellectuals around the globe provides a powerful mirror on the United States, and challenges the notions of America as a "great nation" and "world leader." This would be a good book for a high school course in global relations.

For me, this quote summarizes the collective assessment and tenor of the essays:

"As in the finest tragic art, it is only by recognizing your own distorted visage  in the scum and refuse of the earth, discerning in the monstrous terror at your gates a thing of darkness that you must acknowledge as your own, that you have the faintest hope of salvation."  ~ Terry Eagleton, "Fiddlers and Failures" essay in How They See Us (2010)), pg 247)

[Ann Tonks]

As some previous reviews have noted, this is an uneven collection of writers but it should be given a copy should be given to every American to give them something to think about. The writers are from all over the world and many of them find many things to admire about the USA but always within a context of challenging many of the ways in which the country thinks about itself. The essays were collected post-Obama but pre-Trump and yet they have even more to tell us than before.

[Lewis Manalo]

An uneven collection of essays "about America" from an assortment of writers from around the world, the pieces here range from criticisms of our foreign policy to personal immigration narratives. As some of the contributors themselves noted, the main problem of this diminutive volume is its central premise which, though dressed as criticizing an America-centric view of the world, mostly reinforces the mentality it would remark upon.

It may have been more constructive to examine how other countries see the world at large. How "they" see everyone and how "we" fit into that offers a wider and more constructive perspective than the criticism of America that Atlas' conceit invites.

[lucky lucy schlachter]

Interesting, and at times disturbing insights on how others in the world view America. Actually, can't put it down. the essays are well written and each writer gives factual information to back up the opinions given. For the moment, at least, I am watching the evening news events while the words of these writers resonate in the back of my mind.

[Maryann]

I'm planning to use some sections of this book for my 9th grade geography students. Da Chen from China is grateful for the opportunities in the US: Leilah Nadir became more Iraqi due to the US invasions; Gyorgy Dragoman from Romania didn't know the US but saw it as the hope of Oz. While some writers are too literary for me to enjoy, the metaphors of others are really moving.

[Stacey Weber]

Such a perfect collection. The variation of style and opinions of these writers made this book hard to put down. Even after I finished it I had to go back and reread my favorites. Some make you angry, some make you tear up. All very great works. I only wish I'd read it sooner.

[Catie]

Enjoyed most of the essays but found the overall message rather bleak. I guess it's a sign of the times. Was moved by the story by Da Chen.

[Anne]

Already dated (I worry for the Iraqi family who fled to Syria to escape violence), many of these essays remain enlightening, sobering, and interesting.