Customer Reviews

The Eagle's Shadow: Why America Fascinates and Infuriates the World

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Mark Hertsgaard is a journalist, an astute observor and communicator, and a very fine writer. Hertsgaard is also an American and his driver for gathering the information for this book appears to be a need to produce a 'wakeup call' for Americans. Well documented with conversations with people around the world, this book sets out to show how the people in the countries of the world relate to (and even mimic) Americans as people while finding our government, our consumerism, and our foreign policy (read empiricism) distasteful. Rather than driving this idea to a dulling end, Herstgaard manages to show how Americans can learn from the perceptions of people outside the USA, can examine the flaws present in abundance in our governmental control of the media, our "dumbing down" of our information about the rest of the world condition (social and environmental) by the corporate emesis of rampant consumerism and "fluff news" that flood not only our films but also our television, magazines and, sadly, our newspapers. He submits strong warnings of the sequelae of ignoring fundamental issues of human rights in our allowing the corporate homogenation of the world, depriving the growing lower class of jobs and much needed medical and monetary support. He writes about the embarassment of the 2000 presidential elections, the rush to war post 911, the frighteningly quick passage of the Patriot Act which dangerously impinges on human rights, and the growing negligence of the Global Warming Effect and other issues of Environmental significance.

But while Hertsgaard is complete in his serious warnings about the current state of the American Mind, he does not look at the future with a hopeless eye. "The first challege for Americans is to do a better job of informing ourselves about what is going on around the world and our nation's role in it. This won't be easy, because the most readily available information comes from the media......If we are passive in the face of America's official actions overseas, we in effect endorse them." He concludes his excellent book with a question: "Why can't America be wise as well as powerful, generous as well as rich, magnanimous as well as great? For all its flaws, this country remains a place where amazing things can happen."

This book comes at a critical time for the United States. Yes, Hertsgaard has a soapbox presentation, but reading a man's commitment to the betterment of America should be required reading for our populace who would rather sit numbly in front of mindless TV 'reality' and game shows than carefully observe what is happening in the global situation. Americans are not presented as Bad Guys, just uninformed lazy minds who need to change priorities before it is too late.

The Eagle's Shadow is a book that I would recommend to everyone no matter where they live on the planet. It is a well written look at the way we Americans are perceived by people who live outside the US.

The book is very informative about how much American culture and policies affect everyone in the world. Hertsgaard has encountered people in very remote areas of the world who are quite knowledgable about American culture. American products reach every corner of the earth, thus, they affect everyone on earth. The book also explains how our policies on the environment, economics, and foreign affairs affect people throughout the world. As globalization becomes more and more prevalant, books like this one become more important in order for us to understand our role and how we affect others in this new society. We must understand our actions so that we may anticipate and change how the rest of the world reacts to us.

Although it is clear from his writing that he is in support of the left wing, that does not mean this book is "left-wing propaganda." This book looks at the flaws of American foreign policies and our sometimes "cowboy mentality" when dealing with other countries and suggests some ways that we can change that and form better relationships with the rest of the world. However, it also looks at the wonderful freedoms, wealth, and potential that exists in America and how these can be gifts to the world if used responsibly.

I think some of the people who gave bad reviews may have missed the point of the way the book was written. The book was not supposed to be a bunch of interviews without any insight or reasoning to how these perceptions about the US formed. The author gave a few specific examples of ideas that many people in the world share regardless of their geographic location. The majority of the book was about the source of these views, both good and bad. Hertsgaard takes his interviews and applies the history and the current events that shape the ideas that are expressed by the people he spoke with.

Also, I think the bad reviews illustrate the author's views that Americans are largely ignorant of things that happen outside of this country, and the policies that our goverment and corporations impliment both at home and abroad. It is very hard for someone to hear that they are ignorant in any way. This does not mean Americans are ignorant. It just means we tend to be ignorant about certain things. As illustrated in the book, this is not entirely our fault. Our media gives us a very one-sided view of the world and how it works. The vast majority of mainstream media is owned by a handful of corporations who are naturally going to give us news that benefits their profit margins and image. This is not some conspiracy idea or anything like that. For the past few years, I have almost exclusively watched BBC and ITN news (on PBS). The amount of unbiased information that I received from these sources far exceeds that of network news and even CNN. Two months ago, I got digital cable and EuroNews was one of the new channels I watch (it is like a European version of CNN). Although I do not know how it ranks with other news sources in Europe, I do know that it is the BEST television news source in the US right now. I hear ideas and events that are going on all over the world (and here in the US) that are either not mentioned or glossed over in American television news. I apologize for this rant, but I think it illustrates that we are not as knowledgable about history and current events as we should be. This has to change if we are going to enter the new globalized society that is forming right now. If not, we will be left behind.

After the 9/11 tragety, the majority of Americans felt that they had to agree with everything our government was doing. Anyone who disagreed was considered anti-American. While support to our leaders and society was needed and important, it was also important to voice honest ideas and opinions. When I think of America the first thing that comes to my mind is that I have freedoms that others don't have. The first of these is the freedom of speech. So, when people disagreed with Bush and the policies that the government wanted to implement, THEY were being the real patriots and were the most pro-American. To paraphrase Hertsgaard stated in his book, we cannot substitute a feeling of security for our rights.

While this book could further explore viewpoints of citizens around the world, it does have a powerful and rarely heard message. We Americans really do not perceive the way the rest of the world thinks about us, or even care to consider why they do. Mr Hartsgaard exposes some of the reasons for this pervasive lack of perception. We are spoon fed what the corporate media wants us to hear, and we accept it as the gospel. To question offical policy one is now considered unpatriotic. In the guise of security and patriotism our civil liberties are now being eroded, our environment degraded, and our corporate leaders enriched. It takes courage to go against the current, but some of us want to know what is really going on, even if the answer is not flattering. As the author points out, our country was built on the premise of free speech and expression. A true patriot is someone who cares for our land and is willing to face up to the reality of our position in the world, and the direction we need to move to make it a better place for all. Mark Hertsgaard has held up a mirror for us to look into, but undoubtedly many will not like what they see.

Author Hertsgaard, in his odyssey around the world, recorded impressions of the ordinary citizens he met. Some of these foreigner's perceptions of the US will enfuriate Americans, others will fascinate. But all of them make clear the essential point of this book: that we need to pay attention to the rest of the inhabitants of this planet. America, notes Hertsgaard, is their shining symbol of freedom, and equally their symbol of wealth and glamor, gluttony and selfishness. Although the American people are admired and envied, our leadership is often scorned and feared. Let the voices of Hertsgaard's correspondents explain the causes of these contradictions. Then reflect upon their concerns. Hertsgaard's own voice in "The Eagle's Shadow" shows some honest self-examination and critique of American policy both foreign and domestic. In the xenophobia and pseudo-patriotic hysteria of today's post-911 political climate, there are those who would label any criticism "unAmerican" or even "treasonous". The author confronts the creeping Sovietization of American media and politics which seek to demonize dissent. And he explodes the myth of the "liberal" press. Although he skewers the hypocrisy of both major Parties, it is the current administration which comes most under scrutiny. Chapter Eight, "The Tragedy of American Democracy" ought to be read by every American citizen. For those who are interested in this book, I also recommend Cooley's "Unholy Wars".

Mark Hertsgaard's The Eagle's Shadow has a great premise-travel the world and interview a wide-ranging cross section of foreigners to garner their assessments of the USA. Had Mr. Hertsgaard actually followed through on that premise and executed the book he describes, we might have been treated to a unique and informative text of some true value.

Unfortunately, what Mr. Hertsgaard has done is to cull out a few quotes to use as launching pads for his own thoughts, concerns and whatnot. This boos is all about how Mr. Hertsgaard feels about the USA and very little about what other folks think and feel about the USA-0-or at least all those out there who disagree with Mr. Hertsgaard.

Several earlier reviewers complain of the books liberal tilt-and it is liberal. That doesn't bother me. While I'm pretty conservative, I'm not one of those conservatives who feel that being liberal is a crime or a prima fascia basis to presume mental defect-I can too well remember my earlier, far more liberal days.

No, the issue isn't Mr. Hertsgaard's liberalism, it's his deceit-he's sold us one thing and delivered another. This book is a classic literary "bait and switch" and that's a real shame. I think I would have enjoyed and benefited from the book Mr. Hertsgaard failed to write.

This topic is one that interests me, particularly that I am an American who lives out side of the states. I have read a few other books along these same lines and this book has been the best written that I have found. I would agree that the book does not lay out in a very easy to grasp method a number of exact quotes from people all over the world as to why they dislike American. I assumed that the author, as he alluded to in the opening chapter, talked to a number of people during his travels and the chapters of the book is a combination of his thoughts and the thoughts of the people he interviewed. Would the book have been better with more direct quotes from people around the world - maybe? The many benefit of more quotes would have to lessen the argument a number of people have with the book in that it is just the authors point of view.

Overall I found the book very interesting and fair. Even though I found it disagreeable to read many unflattering things about my country, they were all the true historical record. After reading the book do I have a better understanding for the dislike of America? To be honest I do not think a book can really detail out for the average American how the country looks to the rest of the world. You really need to go outside and take a look back to see that many of the authors comments are not sour grapes or mindless complaining, but accurate comments on the current state of play. Does it all matter? It is good to be the King and as America is the top of the heap, then for the average American I do not think it matters at all. When you are in America the rest of the world seams very small and far away.

I enjoyed the book and there were a number of interesting comments. I thought the author was fair and did not have an ax to grind. If you are looking for a book covering this subject you could do a lot worse.

In the prologue to "The Eagle's Shadow", Mark Hertsgaard - a writer and broadcaster for National Public Radio - states that, beginning in 2000, he traveled around the world interviewing foreigners for their opinions of the USA. His goal was to write a book about how people from other nations view the USA. And, given that the great majority of Americans often don't know much about their own country, much less other parts of the world, it's a worthwhile and timely topic to consider, especially since the tragic events of 9/11 last year. Unfortunately, Mr. Hertsgaard spends far more time giving his personal beliefs regarding how to improve America than actually looking at how foreigners regard the world's only surviving superpower. He starts off each chapter with a few quotes or anecdotes from people he met in Europe or Asia or Africa (for some reason many of his quotes come from South Africa), and then he quickly discards this analysis of foreigner's opinions and instead he begins describing his own beliefs about America in great detail. To cite just one example, in his chapter on the shortcomings of American democracy, he gives a few quotes about how foreigners viewed the 2000 presidential election controversy, and he then spends the rest of the chapter trying to prove that George W. Bush and the Republicans stole the presidential election from Gore. Frankly, I don't care what Mr. Hertsgaard felt about the 2000 election - instead, I wanted to learn how foreigners viewed Bush's election - which, after all, is what "The Eagle's Shadow" is supposed to be about. By the end of "The Eagle's Shadow" I knew all I wanted to know (and more) about the author's personal views of America's economic system, environmental record, greed and materialism, crooked politics, and more, but I still didn't know very much about how people from other parts of the world viewed these issues, or whether they blamed America for their own nation's troubles. Hertsgaard is a good writer and his book can be witty at times, but overall I felt that he should have advertised this book for what it really is - a platform for the author's personal beliefs about American society and politics - rather than an in-depth exploration of how foreigners view the USA. Out of five stars, I'd give this book two-and-a-half.

The author did something that is important and added his own opinions and perceptions to what he discovered on this 15 nation journey. It's ok to insert one's opinion. Anyone can do what he did. For those that travel or live as an expat they will relate to the facsination, fury, coveting, scorn, praise, and the resentment toward the United States that is portrayed here. He wrote what he experienced. The rest of us have experienced this. So, we have our in books in our heads. We simply haven't written them down.

When living in or traveling in other countries, one hears the world's citizens' (non-U.S. citizens) opinions about the American government, its' foreign & trade policies, culture, movies etcetera.

THE WORLD WIDE SPREADING OF CULTURAL AMERICANA
T.V. perpetuates many myths as well truths. No, not every American lives in an enormous house with two luxury cars and a large swimming pool. Yes, a large part of current American culture focus on celebrities, Jerry Springer, "weird things," and shallow action movies.

Rosie O'Donnell, Maury Povich, simplistically hollow CNN, fast food chains, MTV, crass-shock advertising, and myopic television sit-coms bombard homes from from Europe to South East Asia, to Tim-Buk-Too. Is this due purely on behalf of marketing, forcible consumption, or the demand the viewers have for this, that causes it to be spewed around the world? All of these are factors including more subtle ones not noted. It's a fact that the most commonly attacked American institutions around the world are fast-food restaurants, not military installations (read "Fast Food Nation," by Eric Schlosser). Today, the major export of the United States is MTV, crass materialism, mindless sit-coms like "Baywatch," and corporate brand names.

PERCEPTIONS OF AMERICA AND AMERICANS
Quite often, whether in tourist areas or non-touristy parts of the world, I hear the pathetically boring and predictable question: "where are you from?" "I am from the U.S. originally," I reply and wait for the steady stream of redundant and shallow questions. "What do you think about this politician or that one, Iraq, or what-have-you."

Many of these people have pre-conceived notions as to what my thought process and opinions are from my nationality. In sum, these people are making incorrect generalizations and engaging in dangerous stereotyping based upon nationality. Having not known where I've been, where I live in the world, what I read, I believe in, or my reasoning. From Hostels in the U.S. Where I lived with mostly Europeans, to Europe to South East Asia, I hear many opinions and complaints (mostly Euro-trash) from people who haven't read much of what they're talking about. They have very broad and general opinions and beliefs without unbiased reasoning.

The United States is a punching bag for envious Euro-trash, failed communists, and Middle Eastern malcontents because it is now the only Super-power in the world. Because of this political, military, trade, and economic power, the U.S. draws scorn. Some of the scorn is rightfully due, while some of it is prejucial.

Of the 15 countries Hertsgaard visited, he focused a lot of his time on the opinions of South Africans. That's fine, but in a country where Aids carriers rape children thinking it will cure them, should we really be concerned with their opinions of us? I think not. Hertsgaard also spends time and effort discussing the 2002 American Presidential election and undermined the value of his book's quest by inserting his own opinions more than what foreigners thought about the election and the post-election judicial process. (Most foreigners don't have sufficient knowledge of the American electoral college process, and the judicial and Constitutional concepts behind it--so why put it in the book?) The author alienates many of his readers by inserting his take on it. America has never been a democracy.

Like most liberals, Hertsgaard wants to pursue unattainable idealism by having everyone sit down and sip coffee and talk about how much "they care," and discuss solutions. Tell that to the people in this world who spend all their time working just to feed their family. He is the personification of the very Americans he is writing about.

Other related books: "The Twilight of American culture, Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser), Why Corporations Rule The World, (Steven Korten), No Logo" (Naomi Klein).

A necessary read. If we don't make changes now, the world will make them for us. And I doubt that we'll like them. U.S. corporate, military, and political greed and agendas must not continue to be ours. We have to read, learn, talk and take action. Many thanks to Mark Hertsgaard who informs in an articulate, direct, riveting way. A great book to buy and to share with friends and family members.

Ostensibly based on a valid and intriguing concept -- using qualitative research from the author's travels around the world to illustrate perceptions of America at home and abroad -- this book begins well. But by chapter seven (just over halfway through the book), it digresses into a full-on diatribe, railing against all things right, republican and, most importantly, Reagan.

Many of the quotes he uses echo comments I've heard in my own experience living in Europe through much of the 1990s. Yet the author's own extreme political stance -- probably some morphed version of a European social democrat, but possibly closer to a traditional communist -- leads him to take every comment from an outside observer as the ideal the US should live up to, or more likely to only choose those comments that reflect his own opinions of what the US should be.

Again, the conceptual basis would be magnificent, if properly executed. But that would require much greater restraint and objectivity than Hertsgaard can muster. As it is, all the quotes and the research and the "perspectives" he offers are little more than window dressing for what progressively reveals itself as a personal diatribe against today's US society for not being more leftist, more like Europe, and more like Hersgaard.

I do personally agree with the author on many of his main points about what is ailing America. But I chose the book because I was interested in hearing the world's opinions about America. Not Hertsgaard's. I don't believe the book delivers on its premise. I cannot recommend it.