Cultural Books

Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine October 2002 VOYA
Growing up in San Jose, California, Arturo Rodriguez and his brothers and sister endured an abusive father, their parents' unhappy marriage, and their father's absence after he returned to Mexico. Rodriguez coped as best he could, but his drinking and drug use, in the wrong place at the wrong times led to his incarceration in California's prison system for young offenders. Against all odds, he put his past behind him, married and had a family, and worked hard to overcome injustices and start a successful business. After his retirement Rodriguez began writing about his life and his family. This book is sequel to East Side Dreams (Dream House, 2001, published in Spanish as Sueños del Lado Este. In this second autobiographical book, he writes about childhood pranks and misdeeds, his mother's near fatal illness, his parent's divorce, the birth of his first child, and how his parents even eventually became friends.
The writing here is unpolished but sincere in true, and the reminiscences and descriptions are vivid and true to life. Neither how he grew to understand his father and other relatives whom he loved despite their flaws. His message for young readers is clear. It is possible to survived and overcome injustices and hardships. Rodriguez maintains a Web site at www EastSideDreams. com and invites readers to visit, view his picture alum, and perhaps send him an e-message. He will answer.-Sherry York Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine

The Midwest Book Review. May 7, 2002
East Side Dreams by Art Rodriguez is full of energy and the struggles that the author himself endured while growing up on the east side of San Jose, California in 1966.
I enjoyed reading this inspirational novel derived from the memories of a teenager who is now a mature and successful businessman.
East Side Dreams has been translated into Spanish to reach the Spanish speaking population in the United States.
As I read the troubling times of Art Rodriguez I couldn't relate to many of his predicaments, but I certainly felt compassion toward him and thanked God for my "normal" life. Mr. Rodriguez touches your heart as you read his passionate book of self-taught lessons.
As you read East Side Dreams, which captures the hopelessness of growing up with an unpleasant childhood, keep in mind that this life drove the author to his true passion-writing!
The author, Art Rodriguez has been honored by the New York Library System to be on the "2001 Books for Teenage List" for his book East Side Dreams. He was also given "The Mariposa Award-Best First Book" at the Latino Literary Hall of fame for this same book. Bravo! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and encourage young readers to read it, as there are plenty to learn from this book. It will bring tears to your eyes.

James A. Cox
Editor-in -Chief
The Midwest Book Review.

East Side Dreams is the debut book and memoir Art Rodriguez, of a Latino American who survived growing up on the rough side, at odds with a dictatorial father, and once an inmate of the California Youth Authority -- a prison system for young lawbreakers. Reflections on both happy and miserable times of his childhood, growing up, learning maturity and finally making a comfortable life for himself fill this heartfelt and revealing personal testimony. Highly recommended reading for young adults, East Side Dreams has justly earned the distinctions of being named the "Best First Book of the Latino Literary Hall of Fame", and has been honored as one of 200 Best Teenage Books in the United States by the New York Public Library System.

My son who is 21 came home with this book and said Mom you have got to read this book it is so good. So I said o.k. mejio let me read it! When I started to ready it it brought back so many memories (I grew up in the East Side of San Jose) and most of the things he was talking about I lived it. I laughed and cried and could not put down the book. This is a great book for all ages. After I got done reading it I gave it to my Father to read and he enjoyed it too.

Art Rodriguez takes us to jail with him so that we never need to go. He sits us next to him in his cell with nothing left to do but sit and remember. We try with him to connect the memories to being imprisoned, but there is no connection at all.

Although Art had an abusive father, he never once cites this as a reason for his violent behavior. He was a kid that made poor choices and got what he deserved. He blames no one but himself, and it is with this realization of responsibility that Art turns his life around. He went from street punk to a successful business man, a supportive father and an award winning author. He shows us that people can change and that bad mistakes are not the end of your life unless you allow them to be. Art Rodriguez is the silent roll model all troubled children are looking for.

This book is a great experience for audiences young and old. Buy it and read it.

A Fantastic and Inspiring Book. Elston Howard was a great man who had guts and charisma. This is a must read for ALL baseball fans and even non baseball fans! Enjoy!

MRS HOWARD AND MR WIMBISH DO A SUPERB JOB IN TELLING THE LIFE AND CAREER OF FORMER YANKEE GREAT ELSTON HOWARD. ELSTON DESERVED A MUCH LONGER LIFE. THIS IS WRITTEN WITH MUCH HONESTY AND SENSITIVTY. . FROM THE JIM CROWE LAWS TO ARROGANCE AND PREJUDICE, ELSTON HOWARD FACED MANY BARRIERS ALONG THE WAY TO STARDOM. HE WAS QUITE A PLAYER AND DESERVED MUCH MORE RECOGNITION. THIS BOOK BEAUTIFULLY DESCRIBES THE TRADGEDY, TURMOIL, AND TRIUMPHS THAT CAME TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY. A MUST READ FOR ALL YANKEE FANS AND HISTORIANS OF BASBALL. A GREAT READ.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It's not just a well written story, but it seems to give true insight to life inside the Yankees during one the franchise's most notable eras. Mickey, Yogi, Elston and company made history together. Arlene stood tall in her role as the first black Yankee wife and Elston prevailed with honor and sportsmanship during these difficult transitional years. Mrs. Howard and Mr. Wimbish's collaboration deserves kudos and more readers. Even long suffering Red Sox fans (just like me!) won't be disappointed.

The story of Elston Howard's climb through the baseball ranks during the height of the Jim Crowe laws is not to be missed by anyone who likes baseball or history. His widow Arlene sees his great rise and tragic end to a debilitating disease with the eyes of an old-fashioned story-teller: passionate and dispassionate, an actor on the stage and an observer from the audience. A must read for baseball fans, black history buffs, and those who want to know what it was like to live inside a separate America during one of its greatest and worst eras.

For those of us who grew up in the 50's with the Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants all in New York, it is a great story evocative of those days told from with a fine eye and keen perspective. A must read for young and old alike - a story that should never be forgotten. Elston Howard's widow is direct and unsparing in this straight forward narrative of their life together with Baseball.

This is a great book for young black males. It has short biographys of several different black males who made it in spite of their challenges in life. It was positive.

Now, here's something we don't get everyday: a handsomely-presented portrait of several young Black men whose backgrounds vary in profession, background, region, and sexual orientation. We're treated to crisp, black-and-white photographs of these men accompanied by a few autobiographical notes. The stories they have to tell never fail to intrigue. I bought this on a whim a few years back, and it's been a nice addition to my library. Definitely recommended.

this book prove that all young black guys aren't how the media try to make them out to be.

The personal narratives and excellent photography make this book the perfect gift for any young African American. It is truly inspiring to read the words of the next generation and learn how they are coping with success in spite of the racism and negativity that is so prevalent in the 21st century. It is a perfect companion to AS I AM. The only draw back is that Mr. Okwu didn't provide contact information for these talented, handsome young men.M-E-O-W!

In a time and age when young, african-american men are not portrayed in the best light, J. Okwu provides an illuminating and insightful look into the lives of 40 of these men. Not only is his writing superb, but his artistic eye and layout design are quite impressive. I have passed along the book to a number of young, african-american men in my life. I hope Face Forward will inspire them as much as it did me.

My only impression of Naples was a sun-filled afternoon many years ago while on a tour of nearby Pompeii and Sorrento. This book conjured those memories for me and made me want to go back and stay longer.
A delightful book, far more than a travelogue. Highly recommended!!!!

This is a series of travel essays on Naples. While some could be published as articles on their own, in this book they are uniquely tied together with the story of Hofstadter's romance. Or is it a romance? This is as unknowable as Naples itself, and DF lovingly shows us how mysterious it all can be. This is a gem of a book and I was sorry to leave DF and Naples when I finished it.

As a post script, could some of the underground network Hof. describes be lava tubes? We have some tall ones on the "Big Island" here in Hawai'i.

Post post script: I've come upon a "Smithsonian" article by Hofstadter from Nov. 2004 on the tunnels. The book presents them in an anecdotal way. The article is packed with info. and with one picture being worth 1000 words, there are 9 very good ones.

I loved this book. The author writes of Naples and its colorful characters with such affection and clarity. I could picture each of them and almost hear them talking and gesturing (especially the praying hands) in their unique Neapolitan manner. The author describes the streets and buildings so vividly that I felt like I was tagging along on his visits. I felt like I knew Benedetta and Nunzia, even Renzo, and I was truly sad when the book ended.

As I got to know these brave and sad people in this city so often invaded or occupied, I understood so well why my beloved mom and her family were so proud of their Neapolitan roots. On a family trip to Italy some years ago, my mom quickly picked up the Italian language of her youth. Many people complimented her and said she sounded like she was "from the North." On the contrary, she would reply proudly, "Sono Napolitana." This book helped me to understand the origin of that pride.

Don Hofstadter really embraces Naples wholeheartedly, and this is what makes the book such a good read. Rather than looking on as an outsider, he dives in and engages many of the local folk. He introduces us to many of his acquaintances, and in the process describes many fascinating aspects of Naples, its customs, neighborhoods, people and relations with other Italian cities.

The book is a combination memoir, travelogue, romance and history. If you are interested in Italy, you will enjoy this unique perspective on Naples.

This book is absorbing and fascinating in content, in addition to being extremely well written. It's full of insights into problematical personal relationships, and also into perhaps the ultimate, complicated personal relationship: that between a foreigner and the city with which (and in which) he falls in love.

Naples is my least favorite among Italian cities, and this author didn't convince me to go there, but he presents Naples and its inhabitants most vividly, in all their complexity and ambiguity. While many foreign memoirists, and even ex-pats like the insufferable Frances Mayes, remain on the surface of the societies where they take up residence, confining their contacts mainly to other foreigners and treating most Italians as servants, Hofstadter lives and loves among the ordinary people of Naples, sharing their discomforts as well as their pleasures. His title is understandable, too--the "falling palace" that appears in one of his dreams is a metaphor of Naples itself-- always falling apart and yet never destroyed.

Fathering Words portrays the grief and loss one man feels when his father and brother suddenly die within two years of each other. Their deaths cause Miller to recall how seldom he and his father spoke, and yet, he always knows his father loves the family. That singular way one person cares for and remembers another is at the spiritual core of this book. What does a son inherit from the men in his family when there are few conversations? Miller compares his life and his dreams to that of his older brother, and maps out the goals for his own future as he marries, has his own children, and embarks on his career as a poet. He punctuates the story with the gracious voice of his older sister, Marie, as he imagines how the family might have looked to her. Marie carries the secrets and stories that filter down to the younger son as rumors and tales. She becomes a source of information and verification of the family history. Using a network of subtle references to religion, classical and jazz music, basketball and baseball, as well as motifs from literary works, Miller provides a number of avenues by which a broad spectrum of readers will be able to enter and inhabit his poignant text.

For those who want to write about their own lives, the book provides a model for creating scenes in small vignettes that become interconnected by the end of the chapter, as opposed to providing a direct narrative path from the beginning of a life to the present. For writers who aspire to become published, and perhaps even famous, Miller chronicles the encounters he has with a number of writers, revealing the history of African American literature in the past thirty years.

I teach Fathering Words in a senior-level college course on autobiography at the University of Southern Indiana. Readers who want more information about the author might start with his website ....

If I had received this book five years ago, it would have saved me five years of pain and confusion. Fathering Words is the tangible witness of a man's journey into and through his writing life. Unlike many writing memoirs, it is not a how to, or even a how, but a detatched narrative of his life as a poet. He is eerily objective about the mistakes and choices he has made, and uses occasional passages from his sister to broaden the view he gives the reader.

I learned more about the writing process, more about the yearning that true writers feel, and more about the lack of understanding that non-artists have about the whys and wherefores. If you know an African-American man who yearns to "father words", buying this book for him will be the best show of support you can give him.

Fathering Words is a deeply moving memoir. Ethelbert Miller's description of his father will remain with the reader for a very long time. His decision to write the book using both his and his sister's voice is unique and it works.It's definitely a keeper.

Fathering Words portrays the grief and loss one man feels when his father and brother suddenly die within two years of each other. Their deaths cause Miller to recall how seldom he and his father spoke, and yet, he always knows his father loves the family. That singular way one person cares for and remembers another is at the spiritual core of this book. What does a son inherit from the men in his family when there are few conversations? Miller compares his life and his dreams to that of his older brother, and maps out the goals for his own future as he marries, has his own children, and embarks on his career as a poet. He punctuates the story with the gracious voice of his older sister, Marie, as he imagines how the family might have looked to her. Marie carries the secrets and stories that filter down to the younger son as rumors and tales. She becomes a source of information and verification of the family history. Using a network of subtle references to religion, classical and jazz music, basketball and baseball, as well as motifs from literary works, Miller provides a number of avenues by which a broad spectrum of readers will be able to enter and inhabit his poignant text.

For those who want to write about their own lives, the book provides a model for creating scenes in small vignettes that become interconnected by the end of the chapter, as opposed to providing a direct narrative path from the beginning of a life to the present. For writers who aspire to become published, and perhaps even famous, Miller chronicles the encounters he has with a number of writers, revealing the history of African American literature in the past thirty years.

I teach Fathering Words in a senior-level college course on autobiography at the University of Southern Indiana. ...

This book is so beautifully written, so touchingly direct that I called Howard University to search out the author and tell him what a compelling book he had written. Anyone who is a father, about to be a father or contemplating being a father (whether African-American or not) will find this book touching in what it says about the frequently mute love between fathers and their sons. African-Americans families are often love mutes like Mr. Miller's-- too busy working, too focused on the quotidien to express love outside provision of food and shelter. Out of such silent, seemingly fallow ground, E. Ethelbert Miller heaps up words of love and power, fathering not only his own father, but his whole family in some of the most poetic prose you will ever read.

Today Malcolm X can be seen everywhere from t-shirts to U.S. postage stamps. Most people have an opinion about him. But not nearly as many have heard/read his actual words. This collection of speeches is an excellent way to rectify that. This book takes the reader virtually to Malcolm's last words spoken in public two days before his [...].
The collection includes speeches, interviews, panel discussions, and gives the reader a rich and genuine undertanding of Malcolm X in his final days as a statesman and revolutionary leader.
His internationalist view comes through in "Not just an American problem, but a world problem " He defines the Black Muslim movement, and the critical importance of education and critical thinking. This is a must read.

An outstanding collection of speeches from the important last year of Malcolm's life. This is a must read for any student of U.S. history from any point of view. It will be most helpful to to those looking to change the status quo.

Well edited and indexed. Excellent photos. A well put together book.

Raul Gonzalez

This is the best book of Malcolms speeches from that last period in his life when he was most evolved. A must have!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone with an interest in Black History should read this book. Talk about an eloquent speaker!

This book is badly needed for people who are still stuck on the NOI days of malcolm. In 1964 on, he became a true sunni muslim and activist for the human rights of African Americans in the USA and the struggle for human rights abroad. This book surveys his last speeches and interviews in 1965. You will know who he evolved into and why we muslims call him the Shahid al Amrika the American Muslim Martyr.

This book was an easy read and provided me an opportunity to learn about another Black hero that became part of American History. Truly an inspiration. I really enjoyed this book!

The Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown is a tremendous book about a true story of an African American to become a naval fighter pilot. It is writen by the same auther of the Cay( search The Cay for more on it). It shows every moment of his rough journey to become an naval pilot. This book really describes the kind of person that Jesse Leroy Brown was. Jesse is one of a handful of African Americans like Martin Luther King Jr. who stood up for his rights as a person.I don't want to describe too much with out spoiling the book, so read the "Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown" and see the life of a famous fighter pilot and African American.

The Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown is a tromendous book about a ture storyof a African American becoming the first african american to become a navel fighter pilot. It is writen by the same aouther of the Cay( search The Cay for more on it). Shows every moment of his rough journy to become an navel pilot. Jesse is a hand full of african americans like Martin Luther King Jr. Not to little nor not much to describe with out spoiling the book so read the Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown and see the life of a famous fighter pilot and african american.

Jesse Leroy Brown is a true hero. His life was a shining example of perseverance and courage. Mr. Taylor's book was well written and extremely well researched. Jesse's flight school and combat experiences brought me vivid recollections of my own time in flight school and flying F/A 18s in combat. The Navy, along with American society, has gotten much better; but even in the late 80s and 90s, I observed some of the prejudice that Jesse encountered.

This book has universal appeal, but it will be especially inspirational to those who are on the leading edge of a movement.

I wish I could have met Jesse Leroy Brown and thanked him for paving the way for my success some 40 years later. My children will definitely know of his ultimate sacrifice. I thank Mr. Taylor for telling this important story.

The travails of the First Marine Division in its "advance in the opposite direction," at the Chosin Reservoir in 1950 are legendary. Almost unknow to them then, and to millions of Americans now, a lone black naval aviator was giving his best effort to cover their escape. He died in the line of duty doing what he had dreamed of accomplishing all his life. He was Jesse Leroy Brown. Never hear of him? Neither had I until I read his biography written by Theodore Taylor. This story cannot be simply classified as African-American History. History of the American Spirit more aptly describes the chronicle of a young black boy who set his sights high then struggled to hit the target. Readers should be prepared to be uplifted in the same manner that they were when first reading about Davey Crockett, "Unsinkable" Molly Brown or Seargent Alvin York. This is human drama and adventure at its finest.

This book is so well written that I felt like I was right there as the stories unfolded. Betty has great skill at this. I live in the metro area where she wrote for the local daily paper. She is so talented and this book needs to be read by anyone interested in this era. Extraordinary book.

This book contains not only love stories, but inspiring stories of faith, strength, endurance and resilience as well as stories of suffering and heartache. The book is written by a jouralist which is evident in the historical details of the unfolding stories. I found it interesting, entertaining , informative and educational. I am a minister and used it in a Bible study on the subject of "eros."

These are stories of hope that take place in the midst of one of the most terrible times in American history. When some people thought that they could own others based just on skin color, other people lived and even loved.

These stories are based on the tales passed down by descendants, unpublished memoirs, Civil War records, books, magazines and dozens of previously untapped sources. They add an entirely new dimension to what life must have been like in the pre-war South.

More than anything else these stories help you to relate to the people, they add character to the bare statistics. It adds a very human dimension to the people who through no fault of their own were slaves. These people knew love, had feelings, were not just the animals they were considered by their owners.

I was hooked on this one when I picked it up. I was just going to read a paragraph or two to see how it reads. The next thing I knew the phone was ringing, and when I answered the phone, I realized that I had been reading for a couple of hours. I had to control my urges to pick up the book when I had appointments or other things I needed to do first. It is a really interesting read. And it reads well also.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad by Betty DeRamus is an earth-shaking book of short stories about what African Americans were willing to do to keep their loved ones in their lives. In "The Special Delivery Package," a female slave, Lear Green, was willing to have herself shipped in a sailor's chest to the north to meet her husband-to-be. With no food, water and scant air, she traveled 18 hours to Philadelphia. James Smith, "A Love Worth Waiting For," was beaten bloody on several occasions as he attempted to escape to the wife he'd been sold away from. A black overseer heard him praying for him and the white men who abused him and was so moved that he unchained Smith so that he could finally successfully escape. Isaac Berry, of "Hound Dogs Hate Red Pepper," put red pepper in his shoes to throw the dogs off his scent as he rushed toward the north. There were many people, including those of the Underground Railroad, who helped him in his escape. The Underground Railroad, operating at the peril of the conductors, rushed slaves seeking freedom across the US border into Canada because the Fugitive Slave laws frequently made it dangerous, if not impossible, for them to find peace even in the northern United States.

All of the stories were heart wrenching and it made you wonder if you would have the strength, the persistence, the nerve, that these early Africans had to pursue love at any cost. The tales also brought to the forefront the tragedies that our ancestors survived daily: beatings, being sold from family and friends, early death from abuse, starvation and terror. Ms. DeRamus brings the stories of these brave people alive and puts it in your face where you can't hide. She awakens the sleeping and lost history of the brave people of Africa and what it took for them to survive. It is an excellent read, smooth and enticing, bringing forth not only the history, but the bravery of the displaced Africans of yesteryear. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand what slavery was really all about.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I read this book while spending a week at a Young Life camp facility, and found it very inspiring and challenging. It is the biography of Jim Rayburn, Jr., written by his son. Mr. Rayburn confronted many obstacles in his life, but pressed on in serving the Lord in spite of the adversity. He was apparently a very winsom, energetic, charismatic individual and the book conveys his personality well. I finished reading this work inspired to let God be greater in me.

This is a must read for any person willing to examine the life he/she leads. What a great way to delve into the questions: "Does God exist?" "How does he work in people's lives today?" and "Is it worth it?" It's not only a first-hand look at Jim and Maxine Rayburn from the inside, but a beautiful glimpse of the workings of Christ in modern times. Whether Christian or not, this book promises to deliver on every level: it will make you laugh, cry, examine your own life, and challenge your thoughts. Jim Rayburn III hit the nail on the head with this amazing story of his father, the founder of Young Life, the legacy he left behind, and the torment he went through due to his humanness. As a former Young Life kid, I owe a lot to his first convictions. You will, too.

This book was one of the more "impacting" pieces of literature I have picked up in a long time. It's the inspirational story of a man's desire for rich intimacy with God, and his burning love affair with The Savior. Throughout the story, miracles unfold one by one before the readers eyes. This book played a significant role in my desire to join the Young Life staff four years ago in Littleton, Colorado. I have been inspired by Jim's love for kids as I continue to invest my life in those at Columbine High School. As I reflect on this story, it makes me regretful-that I have only one life to give for Christ.

Kevin Parker Young Life Area Director South Jefferson County, CO

If the mission of Young Life played a role in your life at any level; whether as a "club kid", camper, committee member, staff, or volunteer, then Bondage to Liberty, Dance Children Dance is essential reading for you. To understand the mission, you must understand the man God chose to initiate it, Jim Rayburn Jr. His son, Jim Rayburn III, provides the means to understand that man in this book. Primary source materials including personal journals, "club talks", and first-hand observations shed light on Jim's character and internal thought processes, personal relationships, incredible prayer life, and personal spiritual highs and lows. Photographs and expanded captions add much to the painting of Jim's portrait. More than a simple biography, Bondage to Liberty honestly examines the lives of Jim and Maxine Rayburn, their human struggles, frailties, shortcomings, and the miraculous work accomplished through them. In the process, it opens a window into Jim's relationship to his Heavenly Father and his God-sized vision for reaching teens with the message of the Christian faith in terms they could relate to. More than just documenting a work with youth, Bondage to Liberty reveals the varied spectrum of Young Life's history from its conceptual beginnings in the rural Southwest, to the anointed growth and impact during its early decades, through its tumultuous social and corporate growing pains, and on to its current condition today. In the context of the story of this man and his work, we are reminded that making an impact with teenagers, or anyone in this world, has more to do with love than it does logistics, requires availability more that it does capability, and demands faith rather than fancy formulas. Just as with the mission it documents, Jesus Christ and knowing real life in Him isn't just one thing Bondage to Liberty is about, its all Bondage to Liberty is about.

Jim Rayburn III has captured the spirit of a great movement that has made the world a better place to live. Jim Rayburn, the author's father and founder of Young Life lived a life committed to sharing God's love with young people. This is an important book for anyone who wishes to know the inside story of a person dedicated to serving God. It is a life high "highs" and low "lows". It is a life of pain, tragedy, disappointment, felt betrayal and a life of joy, faith, love, compassion and humor. It is a life of prayer and close commumion with the Almighty. Jim III has openly shared the inside struggles of his family as well as the inside struggles of the organization of Young Life. This book will be an encouragement to any unafraid to confront a great truth, that great accomplishments can be experienced in the middle of great pain.

This book may be a little out dated here and there (thats why only 4 star) but it still serves the purpose nonetheless. I studied abroad in Germany for 6 months and this gave me an amazing insight into the culture of Germany. Put it on as your #1 on your reading list while in Germany or before going. It will help you cope very well. My other study abroad friends also found it very insightful.

It is also a nice quick well thought out book.

The author achieved his purpose of providing an objective and unbiased account of the cultural differences between Germans and Americans. This is a definite must read, and a real page-turner. The only critique point I have concerns a couple of paragraphs on the European Union. The majority of the German people did not want the EU, period. They were not allowed to vote on it like France, for example. Germans still would much prefer their German Mark over the Euro. In fact, there are still vast sums of German Marks still in circulation. Many Germans are keeping them as they are not convinced the EU will hold together.

As an American living in Germany, I've become accustomed to asking "why?", this book has given me many of the answers. Now I understand the German social market economy, German communication styles, the importance of formality and work/non-work divisions, the importance that Germans give to "doing something right the first time", etc.

I couldn't stop reading this book. It is done in an academic style much like a college text but I was still captivated over the detailed explanations of the cultural and behavioral differences. Keep an open mind when reading how others might perceive American culture. Enjoyable and informative!

The book overall is quite good. Also, as a German, I can speak to its incredible accuracy in terms of our custums/traditions and how they differ from those in America. I enjoyed chapter 4 the most and as I was reading it only for enjoyment purposes did not really benefit from the discussion of the differing business practices. However, if you are an American unfamiliar with us and will be doing business in Germany or with Germans it is a definite must read. It is well worth the price of the book.