Two books that come to mind right away that might give an overview of life
in America, besides novels that deal with specific cultural or subcultural
groups, are Steinbeck's "Travels with Charlie" and a book called "Blue
Highways" by a guy whose last name in Least Heat Moon. These are "on the
road books" in which the author traveled around the USA chronicling his
observations and people he spoke to. There are others that deal with
locales like Michener's "Texas" Edna Ferber's "Giant"(which may be quite
exaggerated but at the base of it all rings true). Of course, both of these
books deal with Texas but there are others for that region. For the south
read anything by Falkner.
"clint" wrote in message
news:ALR%e.1229$MM3.856@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
> To get an accurate picture of American lives read(or watch) the Beverly
> Hillbillies!)
> "Charlie Thorne" wrote in message
> news:433fe095.79981961@nntp.service.ohio-state.edu...
>> On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 08:57:50 +0200, B Vaughan wrote:
>>
>>>On Sat, 1 Oct 2005 22:16:32 +0100, "Stephen Clark"
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I've enjoyed reading Jeremy Paxman's book on the English and Kate Fox's
>>>>similar book - "Watching the English". I be grateful if anyone could
>>>>recommend a similar book but which has the Americans as the subject.
>>>>
>>>>One reason I liked Kate's Book was that it set out some "rules" of
>>>>English
>>>>behaviour which were very accurate. It was also fun to read.
>>>>
>>>>Also if the book could be written from a foreigners perspective that
>>>>would
>>>>be even better.
>>>
>>>The US is such a large country that I don't think it would be
>>>possible. I know that when I visit a different region of the US, I
>>>feel as though I'm observing a different culture.
>>>
>>>I would say that there are at least these cultures in the US:
>>
>> There are many more:
>> Separate the Plains States (perhaps even Northern and Southern) from
>> Kansas, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and Minnesota
>>
>> Northwest Territory (different than Plains States)--Ohio, Indiana,
>> Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin--Midwest has manufacturing
>>
>> Old Colonial Farm States (Pennsylvania, parts of new York, Maryland,
>> New Jersey and Virginia)
>>
>> New England and Urban New York, Philadelphia
>>
>> Appalachian areas settled by "Border People" of England, Scotland and
>> Ireland in 18th century.
>>
>> For a good reference read "Albion's Seed"--he traces four migratory
>> groups in Colonial North America prior to Revolution
>>
>> Charlie
>>
>>>Pacific Northwest (maybe including northern California)
>>>Rest of California, maybe including a few adjacent states
>>>Southwest? (I don't know this region well, maybe it fits into midwest
>>>or California; maybe it includes a good part of Texas)
>>>Midwest
>>>Southeast
>>>Northeast (including parts of midAtlantic; other parts of midatlantic
>>>seem to fit into midwest)
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Barbara Vaughan
>>>
>>>My email address is my first initial followed by my last name at libero
>>>dot it.
>>
>
>
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