101 American Customs : Understanding Language and Culture Through Common Practices [Paperback]

Harry Collis (Author), Joe Kohl (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0844224073 | ISBN-13: 978-0844224077 | Publication Date: October 1, 1999 | Edition: 1

What is sold at garage sales? Why does no one get wet at a bridal shower? For non-native speakers, here's a humorous approach to understanding common American customs and the expressions related to them. Customs are explained, one to a page, with conversational examples and whimsical cartoons. Topics range from age-old traditions, such as shaking hands and bachelor parties, to more modern American practices--coupon clipping, TV dinners, and tailgate parties.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844224073
• ISBN-13: 978-0844224077
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Science
  • #6 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Slang & Idioms
  • #21 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Customs & Traditions

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For Higher Level Students Only., December 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: 101 American Customs : Understanding Language and Culture Through Common Practices (Paperback)

I use this book in my E.S.L. classes in Japan. I like it because it presents the idioms in neat "one point lesson" packages. It's great for introducing students to the strange expressions of genuine spoken English. As cheerful as the illustrations are, they can be a little misleading. The vocabulary used in the explanations needs to be explained sometimes so I would only use this book in my higher level classes.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great coverage, November 27, 2004

By 

Tom Reynolds (Wuhan, China) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 101 American Customs : Understanding Language and Culture Through Common Practices (Paperback)

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It has far more material in it than I expected. There are eight sections: special occasions, courtship and marriage, body language, enjoy, all in the family, let's have fun, red letter days, and the icons of America. Most of them are not customs per say but cultural aspects and oddities. It includes such diverse topics as the tooth fairy, separate phone lines for teens, and demolition derbies. Each topic includes an example of how it would be talked about. There is also a cartoon which is cute but unrelated to understanding the custom.

The only real disadvantage is the language level. I would expect a book on this subject to have fairly simple English but this is far from the case. Of bedtime stories it says they "provide the stimulation so necessary for children's intellectual growth." Also some of the explanations don't really capture the spirit of the custom: "Tupperware parties are gatherings where people display and sell versatile plastic products to their friends." I think this definition would greatly puzzle someone who had never been to such a party.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "I Give it a 3" <--- from the old American Bandstand Days., February 5, 2001

By 

Internet Diva (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 101 American Customs : Understanding Language and Culture Through Common Practices (Paperback)

This book is fun, informative but lacks depth as far as a real source of topics. And, the dialogues/jokes? at the bottom of every explantion page are a bit lame. But the cartoons are cute.......