The estimated three to six million Americans who reside abroad are a diverse group, with many reasons for going overseas. All have stories to tell of cultural diversity, national identity and the complex emotions resulting from living in foreign societies. This collection of 47 stories provides refreshing and sometimes profoundly different perspectives on America, reaffirming the strength and diversity of our national character. Readers will discover how national identity can be tied to a simple birdfeeder, how a naked man in Penn Station teaches an important lesson to a returning American, and much more. This book is their book, and yours, confirming how the millions of Americans living overseas make a difference in all our lives.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So Far and Yet So Near,
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This review is from: So Far and Yet So Near: Stories of Americans Abroad (Paperback)
This volume comprises stories from many countries in all parts of the world. Its authors are all Americans who live or have lived abroad for lengthy periods. Some of the contributions are stories in the narrow sense, i.e. they recount an episode or experience, are anecdotal. These can be hilarious, such as the description of an unforgettable train trip in China, or wistful or sad, like the account of losing a son while living in Greece. The stories of importing an American birdfeeder into Italy and of encountering a naked man in Penn Station on a return trip from disaster zones in Africa are memorable, worth the price of the volume on their own. Other contributions are more like life stories--how the writer came to live abroad, how it differed from expectations, what was involved in adapting. All of them illuminate in some way the various dimensions of the overseas experience: the uprooting, the joy of discovering the new, the divided loyalties, the new perspective on home, the process of adaptation, the affective ties to home, the reverse culture shock on returning. Readers who have never lived abroad will find this an eye-opener. All those who do or who may live abroad will benefit greatly from sharing this compilation of experiences, especially at this time,when non-Americans view the U.S. and its citizens more critically than before.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must-read before moving abroad,
By
This review is from: So Far and Yet So Near: Stories of Americans Abroad (Paperback)
"So Far Yet So Near" is a well-organized anthology of tales by Americans living/having lived abroad. It makes great bedtime reading, as the 40+ contributions are generally only 3-4 pages each and often real dream-fodder. Contributors vary from those who barely dipped their toes in the living abroad experience to those who are irreversibly emerged in it. I was struck by the number of writers originally from the Midwest, and by how many people fell into international living by chance rather than by design. There is almost universal agreement that the "cultural baggage" of an American upbringing - e.g. the "can-do" approach to problems - remains with one for life, often enriching other cultures exposed to it. The remark about each American abroad serving as an informal ambassador could not be more true. The wide spectrum of experiences described and the frank discussion of adaptation problems and guilt trips make this required reading for anyone considering making the leap.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Passport to Adventure,
By Avid Reader (Somewhere, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: So Far and Yet So Near: Stories of Americans Abroad (Paperback)
Great book. Will be of interest to any US citizen who has traveled overseas, or wants to do so, especially those who might decide to stay overseas for an extended period of time. Highly recommended.
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