American Ways: An Introduction to American Culture (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Maryanne Kearny Datesman (Author), JoAnn Crandall (Author), Edward N. Kearny (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 8, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0131500864 | ISBN-13: 978-0131500860 | Edition: 3

American Ways: An Introduction to American Culture, Third Edition, by Maryanne Kearny Datesman, JoAnn Crandall, and Edward N. Kearny, focuses on the traditional values that have attracted people to the United States for well over 200 years and traces the effects of these values on American life. Chapter themes include diversity, the family, education, government and politics, religion, business, and recreation. Cross-cultural activities --- from discussion topics to writing projects --- encourage high-intermediate to advanced students to compare their own values with those discussed in the readings. New to the Third Edition: *Expanded pre-reading exercises preview the chapter content and Academic Word List vocabulary. *Improve Your Reading Skills helps students become independent readers. *Build Your Vocabulary features collocations and exercises that expand on the Academic Word List. *New Internet activities offer opportunities for further research and study.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

American Ways: An Introduction to American Culture, Third Edition, by Maryanne Kearny Datesman, JoAnn Crandall, and Edward N. Kearny, focuses on the traditional values that have attracted people to the United States for well over 200 years and traces the effects of these values on American life.

Chapter themes include diversity, the family, education, government and politics, religion, business, and recreation. Cross-cultural activities --- from discussion topics to writing projects --- encourage high-intermediate to advanced students to compare their own values with those discussed in the readings.

New to the Third Edition:

• Expanded pre-reading exercises preview the chapter content and Academic Word List vocabulary.
• Improve Your Reading Skills helps students become independent readers.
• Build Your Vocabulary features collocations and exercises that expand on the Academic Word List.
• New Internet activities offer opportunities for further research and study.

 

About the Author

Maryanne Kearny Datesman is the author of several ESL reading texts. She has taught ESL and administered programs at Western Kentucky University and American University, and she has taught also at Georgetown University. In Kentucky, she established and administered a private language school and directed programs for refugees. She was co-founder of Kentucky TESOL and is a former president of WATESOL.

JoAnn (Jodi) Crandall is a professor of education at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. At UMBC she had co-directed the master's program in ESOL/Bilingual Education and directed the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Language, Literacy and Culture. She is a former president of TESOL and AAAL (American Association for Applied Linguistics) and a frequent speaker at national and international conferences.

Edward N. Kearny is professor emeritus of government at Western Kentucky University. He earned his Ph.D. in government from American University in 1968. He also holds a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in psychology, and he has written a number of books and articles on American politics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Pearson ESL; 3 edition (January 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131500864
• ISBN-13: 978-0131500860
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,426 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read for anyone living in the U.S., May 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: American Ways, The: An Introduction to American Culture (Paperback)

The American Ways is an easy to read, well-organized, comprehensive book discussing how the U.S. developed its value system. It builds from the history behind the values to how these values are exhibited in today's political system, religion, ethnic assimilation, business, home and family life, education, sports, and leisure time. The reader can easily understand or recognize the value placed on activities in these various areas of American life, both in the past and present.

Excellent references and exercises accompany each chapter.

I have used it with many newcomers to the U.S. and given it to many U.S. born friends. All have enthused over its thought-provoking content. I highly recommend for anyone who wishes to develop a deeper understanding of our great country and all we have to be thankful for.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good start, January 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: American Ways, The: An Introduction to American Culture (Paperback)

This book is good in a sense that it gives you a general idea about the American culture. Also, it provides a list of references (books and movies) at the end of each chapter for people who want to learn more about the subject presented on that chapter.

Also, you should know that this book is originaly intended for people who are studying the Englisg language and it provides many excercises at the end of each chapter.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American culture from the outside, August 25, 2008

By 

J. Marren "jtm497" (Glen Ridge, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: American Ways: An Introduction to American Culture (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

I used this book recently teaching an advanced ESL class, and I found it as interesting for me as it was for the students. The chapters are organized around a set of principles that, in the authors' view, define American society and culture, and it's written specifically for foreign born residents of the US. Among the subjects treated are religion in the US, American business, the West and the frontier tradition, race, families, the legal system, etc. It was fascinating for me to read along with my students from a fresh perspective. An American might argue with the nuances--is there really a "national religion" of belief in God and patriotism, for example? I'm not sure I'd call it that, but that's only a detail. I can even see this book being used in a high school history course--I thought the explanations of the links between history and culture were fascinating. Highly recommended.