Spain Is Different (Interact Series) [Paperback]

Helen Wattley Ames (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999 | Series: Interact Series

Seven years after the publication of the first edition, Spain is still different, but it is also changing-modernizing rapidly and participating as an active member of the European Union.The second edition of Spain is Different maintains a focus on the uniqueness of both the Spanish people and their culture and examines what effect differences have on the way Spaniards and Americans relate to and interact with each other. It looks at how Spain has evolved from a travel destination-a source of sun and cheap wine-to a dynamic modern society. It depicts a people proud of their accomplishments, yet working hard to maintain valued traditions in the face of increased buying power and more European and American influence. The new edition of Spain Is Different features extensively updated and revised sections on women, particularly in the workplace, and has added new sections on minorities and immigrants and on ethics and corruption. This book will be welcomed by anyone looking for clear guidelines on how to be most effective when encountering the people and culture of Spain.Helen Wattley-Ames has an excellent sense of the history of both American and Spanish cultures, a key factor in any cross-cultural awareness, and is consistently non-judgemental. Altogether a rewarding read and not only for those who are new to life in Spain.-Roger Bell, www.dialogin.comContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments1 Spain is Different2 Society and the Individual3 Relationships4 Languages and Communication5 Work6 PlayEpilogueResourcesGlossary

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Helen Wattley-Ames lived in Barcelona, Spain, where she worked at the Instituto de Estudios Norteamericanos and experienced firsthand the interaction of Spaniards and Americans. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, she is fluent in Spanish and received her bachelor's degree in Spanish language and literature at the University of Bristol in England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Nicholas Brealey Publishing; 2nd edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1877864714
• ISBN-13: 978-1877864711
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #772,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Different... in spite of it all, May 7, 2002

By 

Mark C. Aldrich (Carlisle, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spain Is Different (Interact Series) (Paperback)

This is a very useful book for people with little knowledge of contemporary Spain. In keeping with the goals of the Interact Series, of which it is a volume, "Spain is Different" highlights basic cultural differences between Spain and the United States. (The title refers playfully to a much mocked tourist slogan from the 1960s.) This brief book is not a travel guide, nor does it offer much in terms of historical overview. Wattley-Ames does, however, explain in straight forward fashion basic dynamics of Spanish society that will be unfamiliar to many Americans. Her writing is clear and to the point. (After an introductory chapter that situates Spain in relationship to Europe, Latin America and the United States there follow chapters on Society and the Individual; Relationships; Language and Communication; Work; and, finally, Play.) For example, her four page summary of Spanish family relationships is, with one exception that I'll get to in a moment, right on target. Not only does she situate family life in a broad social context that will be helpful to Americans planning a visit or move to Spain, but she also points out common Spanish feelings about American families: "As for the American habit of moving to the other side of the country or the world without a backward glance, most Spaniards are both envious and dismayed." It's a perceptive and accurate observation. Now, for the exception: in the same section on the family, she has this to say about the thorny issue of child raising in an American-Spanish marriage: "The American is inevitably stricter than the Spaniard about mealtimes, snacks, treats, and naps. Spanish children typically enjoy large quantities of attention and few rules at home." This last sentence is true, but a Spanish parent, especially a mother, may find American eating habits and table manners decidedly lenient. (And as an American married to a Spaniard, well, maybe I'm the exception to Wattley-Ames' rule...) Wattley-Ames' text is judiciously sprinkled with Spanish words and expressions that serve to underscore observations. She is clearly knowledgeable of her subject matter and the book is free of significant errors, although I might quibble with some omissions. (Her discussion of regional languages and linguistic politics, for example, is a little misleading and too brief.) On the other hand, her observations on Spanish social life are particularly astute. Just as importantly, she is well aware of the dangers of generalization and stereotyping, and combats this intelligently by accompanying her observations with appropriate real life examples, proverbs, quotes from respected Spanish observers, etc. Of particular value are the chapter ending "encounters", which provide concrete examples of situations in which an American would benefit from having 'cultural literacy' regarding Spanish customs and behaviors. There is a brief bibliography that includes a valuable section on recent Spanish cinema.