Foreigner Books

This is a short book about an Iranian-American woman's return to Iran shortly before the Revolution. She initially plans to stay just a couple of weeks to get reacquainted with her bizarre and unloving family, but complications extend her stay much beyond that.

There have been a slew of excellent books written by Iranian-Americans in the last few years, but this certainly isn't one. It's almost revolting, to tell you the truth. The author obsesses about whether her American husband is faithful, then proceeds to reveal how she herself has cheated on him and continues to do so.

And that's just the beginning: nowhere in the book's 192 or so pages does the author ever give you a reason to like her -- or give a toss about her problems.

Now, the fact that the author has the Iranian version of a trailer-trash family is not her fault, but her alarming self-absorption is. After all, this book was first published in 1978, one year before the cataclysmic Islamic Revolution that shook Iran to the core.

Not a whiff of that anywhere in this book, though; not even in the background. I'm not saying that any book written in the closing days of the Shah's Iran must necessarily concern itself with politics, but the fact that the author seemed at the time utterly oblivious about what was building up doesn't redound to her credit.

Ms. Rachlin, if you are so dissapointed with Iran, please change your first name as well and become more "americanized. Unfortunately you are a rootless person, who will never be home anywhere!

Although this book is fiction, the details of the way of life that Nahid describes in her book is incorrect.

Foreigner is a remarkable story of a young Iranian woman who, as a child, is left with her father when her mother runs off with another man. Her name is Feri, and the beginning of her life urges her to see the western world, and its differences. She decides to study in America - where she ends up settling and becoming a biologist. She marries, buys a house identical with the ones next door- when she should feel complete, she feels emptier than ever. Feri realizes she needs to go back home to Iran.
While in Iran, she reconciles with her family, yet feels uncomfortable with her short hair and slacks among the women in the streets wearing chadors. Upon attempts to leave Iran, she needs a written consent form from her husband, calls and cannot reach him; and goes on a search for her long gone mother. She travels hundreds of miles to see her, and while there meets a doctor when she falls ill - and falls in love with the eastern man. When her husband comes to claim her, Feri must decide between two worlds, and two pieces of her heart.

Nahid Rachlin's novel FOREIGNER is more relevant today than when it was first published in 1978. With globalization now a part of life, the kind of conflict the novel's protagonist Feri faces is more common now than three decades ago. I have only recently read this novel, and am surprised at its topicality. Had I not seen the copyright page, I would have thought that this novel has just been written.
Feri returns to her native Iran after living in the US for fourteen years. She finds herself torn between her native culture and the new culture that she has embraced and admired, having married an American, Tony. Her own country, like any other developing country, is still struggling with poverty and tradition, and she badly misses the many great things that she had become used to in the US, such as American medical services that she nostalgically remembers when she is admitted to a hospital in Iran. But deep down within her there is something that is pulling her to her roots--"a yearning to spend more time with my mother and make up for what was already lost, a need to delve deeper and deeper into my past." She realizes that however great be her present and the future in the US, there is her past that she cannot cut herself adrift from without terrible consequences. "I understood what provoked suicide," as she narrates when unable to sleep one night, "--people taking overdoses of sleeping pills or jumping out of windows. Perhaps they too lay awake in the middle of the night, with their identity and sense of belonging suddenly reversed or blurred."
Yes, she had outgrown the values of Iran, and had professed that she had left behind Iran, with its "monotonous land, broiling sky, and broken down remnants of another civilization," yet she found herself pulled to her roots in Iran so forcefully that she stayed behind in Iran when Tony left for the US. Was she a "foreigner" in the US, or in Iran? She struggles to find an answer, even as the answer becomes clearer day by day.
The emotional landscape of the story extends far beyond the geographical landscape of Iran, where the novel is set. The elite in many countries today find their dreams realized in the US, but gradually they realize that there are realities beyond their dreams. Perching themselves between dreams and realities, they find that Feri's story is their own story.
Nahid Rachlin's masterly narration greatly enhances the impact of the story. A must-read for our times.

I bought this book and was sorely disappointed. There are two problems... 1) the book has no practice excercises and 2) the book is very small for the price! ... Considering that there are no exercizes, I would recommend a cheaper, one book course (I'm using Colloquial Finnish). Those kind (including Colloquial Finnish) aren't ideal either, but are a much better deal for the money. Buy a dictionary, a Finnish grammar book, and a one-book course and that is probably your best bet.

This is a classic introductory text to the Finnish language. After a few pages of basic pronunciation instructions, it starts students off with simple sentences like "What is this?". By the end of the 40th lesson, students are able to read and discuss extended dialogs about daily life. Each chapter starts with a dialog, presented simultaneously in Finnish and English in bilingual columns. The dialog is followed by a short pronunciation section, then some grammar explanations, and then a list of new vocabulary presented in alphabetical order. Each chapter is quite short, usually consisting of only 4-6 pages.

The choice of vocabulary is rather good. The beginning chapters introduce the most commonly used words in the language, as well as words that might be needed by students or new arrivals to Finland. Cultural details are also inserted in the readings, such as asking directions in downtown Helsinki, shopping on market squares, and Jean Sibelius.

My main complaint with the text is that it presents some perfectly predictable phonological processes as irregular. That really rubs me the wrong way because Finnish has to be just about the most regular language in the world, as long as you learn how to apply the rules correctly. Personally, and as a linguist, I much prefer mastering the regular phonological rules of a language rather than memorizing different forms of individual words as Aaltio has her learners do. Aaltio does explain the rules eventually, in chapter 23, but I would think these rules would help even new beginners. This textbook may work well for some students, but it's not my personal favorite.

Instructional books on the Finnish language are hard to come by. Aaltio's "Finnish for Foreigners" provides a good introduction for the struggling beginner who is trying to make sense of the Finnish language's difficult grammar and syntax.

Although its organization is a bit uneven, "Finnish for Foreigners" does a good job of introducing the student to new words and of building a Finnish vocabulary. At the same time one learns the basics of Finnish grammar. Aaltio slowly introduces the nuances of Finnish grammar so that one can build their skills and confidence with Finnish.

"Finnish for Foreigners" was my first instructional book in the Finnish language. It provided me the basis I required to expand my Finnish skills and I highly reccomend it to anyone who is seeking an introduction to Finnish.

Finnish for Foreigners provides a good basis for anyone learning to speak Finnish. Its vocabulary is that of common words and its examples are those that are commonly encountered (buying in the marketplace, using public transportation.) It also provides a grammatical foundation which you can build from.

The downside of this book is its confusing order. The chapters do not seem to flow, but rather subject matter is broken into 2 or 3 separate chapters located far apart in the book. The book also has no glossary, which I found annoying.

I bought this book to learn the spoken language of Finnish. When coupled with a dictionary and Finnish for Foreigners 2, it was very adequate for the year I spent in Finland. The book also has a Finnish author, who adds an enjoyable flavor of the typical Finnish personality to the book.

Missionary Kids (MKs) have been an important part of my life. My Godfather grew up in China-the son of a missionary MD. My father served on a mission board for over 30 years and missionaries were regular visitors in our home. Generally speaking I have found that while MKs occasionally have problems adjusting to the "we are the only important country in the world" attitude so common in USA, their cross-cultural childhoods usually give them a worldview that is uncommonly sophisticated and nuanced. So I began reading "Born a Foreigner" with high expectations because it was written by the son of missionaries to China.

Unfortunately, not all MKs turn out sophisticated and nuanced. Charles Cross evidently decided that the best way to leverage his childhood experiences was to join the Foreign Service and become what can only be called a professional Ugly American. For example, in the late `60s after losing a bunch of debates while defending the USA's actions in Vietnam, he abandoned his family and a cushy post in England so he could become a part of the "pacification" effort. "Pacification" in Vietnam was a program of assassination, torture, and concentration camps that provoked howls of outrage from virtually every sentient being on the planet. Not surprisingly, almost all the official USA documents on the subject are STILL classified. But does Cross express any regrets about his contributions to massive human rights abuses? Not at all. He does note disapproval from his mother but mostly he decries the lack of pacification's effectiveness.

When Hannah Arendt covered the trial of Adolf Eichmann, she was struck by the "banality of evil." Somehow, between professional wrestling and James Bond flicks, we have come to believe that the bad guys are at least interesting. Wrong! Cross's book proves that evil is not merely banal, it is arrogant (he implies that passing a few difficult course at Carleton or Yale are enough to qualify a person to make life-and-death decisions for the yellow folks on earth) clueless (he writes how astonished his missionary aunt was that some of her Chinese students joined the Communist Revolution) and totally lacking in curiosity (he was posted in Indonesia in the period immediately after de-colonialization and all he can write about is the difficulty of getting good servants, the lack of air conditioning, the unruliness of the mobs, and the poor conditions for playing tennis.)

The most that can be said for this dismal memoir about a wretchedly lived life is that it could have been worse...it could have been longer.

Charles T. Cross's, Born a Foreigner presents an intimate look into American diplomacy in Asia. "Chuck" Cross was born in Beijing to American missionary parents, and lived there until he left for college just before World War II. In Marine intelligence in the war, Cross was in the major battles in the Pacific theater, including Saipan and Iwo Jima. After the war and after graduate school at Yale, Cross entered the Foreign Service. Posts starting with Taiwan quickly followed each other: Indonesia right after its independence, Hong Kong, Washington, D.C. during the McCarthy era, Malaya just before independence, and London. From there he was assigned to Vietnam, then back to Singapore as ambassador (1969-1971), Hong Kong as consul general (1974-1977), and finally as the first director of the American Institute in Taiwan. To my mind, Cross's memoir makes two special contributions. First and foremost is his love for China, from his youthful school memories, to when the Marines first entered Peking in the fall of 1945 at the end of the war, to his view of China through the eyes of an American diplomat. As he says, "being born a `foreigner' in China carries with it a lifetime load of...attitudes, affections, possibly even insights, which I have taken from country to country in Asia." Cross's personal story of his relationship with China gave me new insights into this complex country. A second contribution is Cross's experience and view of Vietnam. Here is a wholly different perspective of our role in that conflict than I, in my twenties in that era, got from the media of the 1960s and 1970s. Cross presents no pat answers to the right or wrong of our involvement. As a senior officer at U.S. headquarters in Danang for two years, including during the Tet Offensive, Cross's assignment was to help strengthen the South Vietnamese people so they would be more resistant to the Vietcong. The `pacification' program worked hamlet by hamlet to help the people defend themselves, aid in establishing schools and hospitals and to provide relief for the massive number of refugees. Meeting corruption among the district chiefs and political crosscurrents in headquarters, Cross, at the end of his tour there in 1969, assessed their work as "making slow but real progress against the VC." From his base in headquarters, Cross participated in many briefings, explaining his broad views of military and political strategy, but not softening the realities of the war. Looking back on his time in Vietnam, he wrote that never again did he become so emotionally involved with a country and he "began a process of thinking back and forth about Vietnam, which has continued to this day-drawing conclusions and then rejecting them, looking for new and different meanings, finding none...." In 1972, Cross was a "diplomat in residence" at the University of Michigan and experienced first hand the student views of the war, and in the 1980s taught a course on Vietnam at the University of Washington, a subject that most professors did not care to touch. Yet Vietnam has affected all U.S. policy since: Now wars must be short, have clear objectives and predefined endings, must use high-tech firepower from the air to avoid American casualties, and above all, must have public support. Throughout the book, Cross recognizes his wife Shirley's role in their diplomatic assignments as well as her independent accomplishments in teaching wherever they went. In this memoir, Cross has accomplished a remarkable feat of telling the story of American policy through their experiences without boasting. A self-deprecating sense of humor, modesty, and balance come through chapter by chapter and give abstract U.S. foreign policy a human face. I recommend it.

Born a Foreigner was an amazing account of one American's experience as a member of the American presence. It is very personal throughout, but deals with a wide range of events and experiences. It begins and ends in China and covers 80 years of American relations with China and the relations of Americans with Chinese. In between, there is a life as a missionary's son in pre-WWII China under Japanese occupation, the United States Marine Corps in the major WWII battles, including Iwo Jima and 32 years in U.S. Foreign Service. The book is educational and informative, while the person element makes it an interesting read. I highly recommend this book.

One of my Japanese friends is using this book in one of her high school classes. She has learned a very racist word in the book that is used against
Italians. I won't write it here. It is however very low class for anyone to use such terms. The author obviously has some very racist viewpoints.

You can have a big picture or draft in your mind after reading this book.

Gary Althen's richly detailed guide shines a psychological, cultural and sociological spotlight on American customs, values, attitudes and behavior. Organized into 22 chapters that cover just about every aspect of American life, the book hits you with its uncanny insight, accuracy and honesty. Although he doesn't completely avoid stereotyping (and doesn't seem at all bothered by it), Althen presents the good, the bad and the quirky. He explains the "why" behind American attitudes and manners. Even though this is a guide for foreigners visiting, doing business in or living in the United States, we from getAbstract also suggest this book to Americans. It's an eye-opener about the national personality, or the perceived national personality, from naïvete to individualism. As Scotsman Robert Burns wrote, "Oh wad some power the giftie gie us, to see oursels as others see us." Well, here's your chance.

This book is an excellent resource for people who are ready and want to learn more about U.S. American cultural norms. This includes people from other countries and people living in the United States (regardless of citizenship). For U.S. Americans, by highlighting U.S. American culture the book also provides insight into other cultures.

The author rightly addresses the issue of stereotyping in the Introduction on page xxii. This point about cultural norms (which by definition indicates a wide distribution of actual behaviors within a culture and individual variations is important to keep in mind. The book is an easy read.

The chapters cover many aspects of life including social, educational, and business. U.S. Americans should also realize that the book is addressed to and written from the perspective of people from other countries. Nonetheless, it provides wonderful insights into U.S. culture and other cultures.

I don't know why this book has a bad rap here, as I found it easy to read and entertaining as an American wanting to know about unique qualities of my own culture. The author examines a number of aspects of American culture and compares them to other cultures, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Perhaps there are better books on the subject, but this is the first I've read and it was sufficient for my purpose, although I will look into more after this one.

A good read for foreigners as well as natives, assuming a strong grasp of the English language or a translation. I found myself appreciating the American culture more than I did before. There has to be something to it considering our unprecedented success. Other cultures would be wise to take heed of our cultural strengths and cast aside the notion of cultural relativism. Things aren't all just "different"; one must believe that they can in fact be placed on a hierarchy. Or foreigners can refuse to believe it while we Americans enjoy our massive wealth, prosperity, and global might! Really, these things had to arise somehow.

Americans too should look out for strong points in other cultures that we might consider taking up in ours. It's just that we Americans have more, what can I say? Overall a great description of the best culture in the world for the best country in the world--go USA! Note: reviewer "disappoinment" exemplifies the author's claim that Americans see themselves as individuals who resent being pigeonholed into this or that classification. Right on the mark!

I'm a Japanese woman who has been living in Spain for 15 years. I was very surprised, when I read this book, that my opinion and view of Spain were the same as the author. Besides I woke myself up because I thought I was extravagant in Spain. But I realized that I was not when I finished reading this book.

In Japan, Spain is considered a nation full of passion. Spain is a "happy," "carefree," "gentle people" and a country of "sunshine". But we can realize that these Spanish stereotypes are totally false if you come here to live in Spain.

In spite of my long living in Spain, I cannot accept Spaniard's rude, informal and xenophobic character. Neither can I accept how I am treated in stores, banks, cafeterias and the police station. There is no customer service in Spain.

I also understand that nobody wants to change these wonderful images about Spain. But I think that nobody can refuse their sore experience in Spain, if you have ever lived here.

If somebody wants to come to live in Spain, READ THIS BOOK and THINK ONCE MORE. This book doesn't tell you a lie. The author tells you about the real Spain.

I am currently living in Spain, and I thought I was the only one feeling the frustration of living in a country that could be very advanced but chooses to ignore the many problems that it has and do nothing about it. It's a country where there is a lot of racism, age and sex discrimination and nothing is done about it. The Author may present a negative view, even on the most trivial aspects of Spanish life, but those aspects are a day by day life for some of us.

I have lived in Spain as a foreigner and am always interested in another ex-patriot's perspective, but this book is just an excuse to complain about the country. According to the author, Spaniards are prejudiced and rude, watch "stupid" TV shows, have a flawed health care system and an inefficient government. If you hate Spain and want to have a pity party then buy this book. If you are interested in visiting Spain or any foreign country and want to understand the cultural differences, both negative AND positive, try the "Culture Shock!" series.

This is a poorly written and less well researched description of life in Spain. The author presents a consistently negative view, even on the most trivial aspects of Spanish life. The text distills resentment and sociological ignorance. To support his views, the author frequently resorts to exaggeration or misrepresentation (there are some pearls of Spanish bashing such as the statement that funeral homes are frequently by the roads where accidents occur to take advantage of the carnage for their business). In summary, if you are looking for a knowledgeable and balanced appraisal of Spanish culture, this is not the right book. Readers who wish to familiarize themselves with modern Spain may consider John Hooper's "The New Spaniards."

The book consists of three unconnected stories - that is, except for the theme of how black men were treated in Britain - told in what seemed to me a fairly clinical way, from the third person point of view. By not getting inside the head of the key person in each story, the author kept this reader at arms' length and made it difficult to become emotionally involved.
The author blends fiction and non-fiction but I thought that she could have made a better story had she stuck to one type of writing.

My strongest overall impression of this work is the apparent deterioration in the treatment of black men in England between the first story (1700s) and the third and last story (mid to late 1900s). Phillips brings us the mostly tragic true (but embellished) stories of three black men from English history - Dr. Johnson's servant; a boxing champion; and an African immigrant. Dr. Johnson's servent seems to come to a tragic end mostly due to his own inability to find his way after his long-term employer's death. Turpin, the boxer, is much his own worst enemy, but is also "fed upon" by white and black hangers-on, and the white community which was his home failed to provide support or assistance once he was no longer a star. The African immigrant's story, however, is more like that of an American inner-city black - a story of closed doors, no opportunity, hopelessness, and police brutality, at a time when the idea that racial prejudice is inhumane was just beginning to be more generally accepted.

Overall, an interesting and fairly enjoyable read. Certainly educational. That combined with the importance of the subject matter make this a strongly recommended work.

The memoirist/reporter style is a bit dry for the long haul, but the structure and the subject matter provide plenty to keep the reader plugged in. The multiple voices in the last story, switching without much warning and often without clear identification, make it a bit difficult. But it does achieve the documentary feel that is apparently intended.

Three historical figures, black or mixed-race, living at very different times in England, are the subject of Caryl Phillips's latest book. Two of them had come at a young age from the West Indies and West Africa respectively, the third was a son of an immigrant father and a white English mother. They have in common their belief that England is their home and their yearning to fit into the society of their time. All three marry into English families and raise families of their own. However, as a result of changing circumstances, they each end up in misery and hopelessness. In a merging of fictional reportage, memoir and description of historical facts, the author retraces their lives and the gradually more hostile environments leading to their unhappy end.

Francis Barber came to England as a young slave, gained his freedom and became the long time servant and companion of Samuel Johnson, the famous 18th century literary figure. Randolf Turpin turned into a national boxing hero around 1950, culminating in his briefly gaining the middleweight world championship. Finally, David Oluwale arrived in England in 1949 from his native Nigeria as a young stowaway and settled in the industrial region of Leeds. He became known as the first victim of racially motivated police brutality leading to his death in 1969.

Each story is self-contained - unconnected to the others. The links are the underlying themes of a black British subject's struggle to belong to "his" country. As an outsider in the "home" country, they must come to terms with a society that they inadequately understand and that is less than helpful in easing their adaptation and integration.

In attempting to place the stories in their true context, Phillips applies a different narration style to each tale. Barber's story is told in the voice of an 18th century gentleman journalist and his stilted language makes this story deliberately awkward and irritating reading. The narrator professes his liberal views, claiming to correct the general poor regard people have for Barber following his master's death. His stated empathy with his subject does not hide the deeply felt prejudices against blacks of the time. Turpin's anonymous biographer shows more sympathy for the man and the challenges he faced and goes into great detail describing them. Brought up in very modest circumstances by his widowed mother, "Randy" followed his brothers into a boxing career. His surprise rise to fame and title, brought sudden wealth to a young man, completely unprepared for a life of luxury and the management of his affairs. His numerous sudden "friends" exploited his generosity and kindness. His aggressive side, which led him into boxing in the first place, was particularly evident in his treatment of his women. The fame and fortunes, however, were short-lived and the poverty and misery that followed eventually broke him, despite the loving support of his young family.

In the third story, the author takes a very different narrative approach. The case of David Oluwale is a mosaic of a multitude of voices - time witnesses, each giving their own personal view and perspective on the man and his life in Leeds. They include a young girl, a social worker, another Nigerian immigrant, a doctor and, of course, the police. Nobody knows him well enough, yet the views vary from "quiet, educated, well-dressed and polite" to "unkempt, violent, sub-normal and savage". It is up to the reader to draw their own picture. Interleaved with the David's personal story, Phillips, who was born in Leeds, goes into disproportionate length and detail about the city's history through the ages and its role in the industrial revolution in Britain. While it adds some context to the narrative, it does divert the reader's attention away from the primary topic of the story. David's death led to a trial against two police officers known to have pursued and haunted him consistently. The tragedy of a life, started with great hope and idealism, ends after numerous periods in police custody, years in a mental institution and finally living on the street.

Phillips presents his readers with detailed portraits of the three men and their circumstances. While their stories are colourful, in describing them from the perspective of contemporary, yet outside observers, he sidesteps any discussion of the inner turmoil his subjects must have experienced. At a general level, his narrative expose problems of racial integration that have relevance today, yet he avoids specifics, except for the last case. In many ways, David's story is the most moving of the three, yet also devastating in its implications for the society at the time and since. Overall, the author remains in a grey zone between fact and fiction. The details of Turpin's story appear to be a factual account of his life without many creative elements beyond it. It is also unclear, for example, whether the statements by witnesses at the trial after David's death refer to actual quotes or imagined comments to fit the author's interpretation of David's profile. Phillips doesn't provide any sources or references to further reading on the three individuals. In the case of David, that could be seen as a serious omission as the research by Kester Aspden was well underway Nationality: Wog: The Hounding of David Oluwale. [Friederike Knabe]

I totally agree with you.
I was looking for a book that teaches people chinese grammar. Accidently i saw it at a 2nd hand bookstore and i just bought it.
i was reading through the pages and wondering how a beginner would understand the text discussed.
well, if you are on intermediate-advanced level or a native speaker searching for teaching material like me, then yes.
but, please, definitely NOT for a beginner.

This book rates a 1 Star unless you are totally proficient in reading Chinese characters. The directions are in English and the examples are in Chinese characters. The discription of the book does not point this out. This book is pretty worthless to one learning the language. However, if one is totally proficient and an expert in reading Chinese characters, it would probably rate a 5 Star. Judging from the English directions, the information/examples (written in Chinese characters) appear to be written in a helpful format.

This book is an explanation of "difficult points in learning Chinese" but it is WRITTEN IN CHINESE! Granted, the Chinese is mostly elementary, but I cannot figure out who the audience for this book would be. I suppose this is most appropriate for native Chinese speakers to help them teach Chinese as a second language. It is NOT appropriate for beginners struggling to learn these points on their own. Best of luck.

Cowardice or courage to stand up for beliefs aside, this is unmitigated rubbish. A puny attempt to re-write negative press against him, it is written is such pathetic self promotion, as to be painful.

His references to him being a "Muscular Englishman" all of 5'3", who seems to have led a life of petty crime across europe. He is obvioulsy trying to write a pornograpic distraction to his utter contempt for his nationality and those who fought nobly on any side.

A pacifist who joined the SS does not make sense. It is infuriating reading, and the preface to works such as the Gulag Archipelago might distract you from reading that worthy tome.

Don't buy this rubbish, don't even bother getting it from the library, it is purile.

This is a book about one mans attempts to sanitize his shady past during World War II. Mr. Pleasants attempts to convince the reader that trying to dodge doing your duty to your nation was a reasonable thing to do. He tries to convince the reader that theft of desperately needed food provisions from other hungry islanders in Nazi-occupied Jersey was the right thing to do. He tries to convince us that fist fights are a reasonable way to gain respect and time in prison was somehow not "fair" for him to have to endure.

The hardest things to swallow are the reasons why he decides to join the British Free Corps of the German SS. There are numerous reasons given as to why he choose to do such a thing, and overall this leaves little doubt about the mans character.

He hides his reasons for theft behind the oft-trotted out excuse that thieves give, which is they "only stole from the rich". Somehow that is supposed to make theft ok. He gives no reasons apart from being self-centered as to why he felt he deserved to eat more than other islanders by stealing from them.

There are limited plus sides to this book. The writing style is fluid and readable, and occasionally the writer actually manages to paint a reasonable picture of an event in ones mind. But that's about it.

Where the book is badly let down is that the writer has made little or no effort to research any of the events with any degree of historic discipline. He appears to have merely reprinted Mr. Pleasants words, thoughts and self-centered opinions verbatim without any attempt to balance the view of Mr. Pleasants or research the events described by him.

The book is entirely one-sided and could do with some substantial revision once research into events has uncovered, clarified, substantiated, or repudiated some of the claims made by Mr. Pleasants. It would appear to be not too much trouble to research the court records of Jersey (for example) as one outside source of (hopefully) unbiased information on his life.

I personally found Mr. Pleasants views on life pathetic and repugnant. Whilst in Jersey he roundly cursed those Islanders who collaborated with the Germans for the benefits that such collaboration bought, yet he utterly fails to realize that by volunteering for the SS he was guilty of exactly the same thing.

Seven years of forced labor in a Russian coal mine was simply not enough.

A Jerseyman.

Based on the 1 star rating from a biased reviewer, I ordered, cancelled and reordered Hitler's Bastard. I read the whole book in one setting. It was one of the better books I have read on European WWII in the last 4 decades. Mr. Pleasants was one of those characters in life who was blessed with a guardian angel whether they wanted one or not. He truly had nine lives as the old saying goes. I found his escapades absolutely fascinating. Its true that he was not one to put a lot of effort in morality, in any religious belief or political stance, but Eric Pleasants was above all else, a survivor and always at the expense of someone else. He was full of contrasts; an anti-war pacifist but a Waffen SS member of the British Free Corps,a one time bodyguard to British Royalty and a circus strong man. He was also a thief, a liar and a slave laborer in the Soviet Gulags. He survived it all to live to the ripe old age of 87. This is the first book that I have found that hads given a good description of the Waffen SS unit, British Free Corps and it reveals the shameful collaboration of the British people on Jersy with the occupying Germans, a fact that I am sure many wanted to remain hidden. I do highly recommend this book for its historical imput about some rarely discussed subjects of WWII. It is well written, has a sense of humor and above all smacks of honesty in telling it like it was. Eric Pleasants was a scoundral but one of those rare individuals who manage to make it through the worst of life by wit and force when many others would have long since given up. Read Hitler's Bastard with an open mind. It is a gold mine of information.

Atmospheric and ominous, this short novel reads like a cross between a Raymond Chandler detective story and a Haruki Murakami romp. It also recalls elements from recent films "Lost in Translation" and "Shall We Dance?", though the book is much darker than either. The mood is lightened by the well-observed, broken-English dialogue spoken by the Japanese--truly a hoot--but it must be pointed out that the Japanese, or at least the ones depicted in this book, do not come off well at all.

Since I'm familiar with both British and Japanese cultures, I was really looking forward to reading this. I was horrified. The Japanese are portrayed as narrow-minded. He makes fun of their broken English. The Japanese girlfriend is the sterotypical submissive Asian woman. The plot is extremely far-fetched. The main character lacks sympathy. He's taking advantage of this girl and then has no backbone when standing up to her family. He hasn't even called his own parents in three years but the father is supposed to be a jerk even mentioning this fact. The most disturbing part of the book is a man named Samuel who's married to a Japanese woman. He's portrayed in a very unsympathetic light and I found the whole role he plays and thinly veiled anti-Semitism.

The main character is glib and self-serving. The book is very superficial. Wish I hadn't bought it.

After living as a foreigner in rural Japan (Shikoku) for over 2 years, I found this book hilarious. It is definitely satire and full of grotesques. However, the characterization of Daniel's Japanese girlfriend is SPOT ON. Not to say all young Japanese women are like this, but gaijin-o-philes ARE typically older women finally edging out of their cutesy adolescence (This usually lasts until about 27) when they are finally putting away their Mickey Mouse socks.

The subtle nuances, such as many Japanese furtively attempting to hide their surprise at seeing a foreigner in their midst is ingeniously correct. I jump at seeing other foreigners too and try to hide it. Everyone is usually so homogenic that it is surprising to see someone new and different. And many people often call me "Foreigner" and "Alien" to my face and suggest I go meet other foreigners like myself and do "foreigner things together."

It is one thing to read books about Japan and visit as a tourist. The experience is completely different living and working here. Foreign workers soon realize that the Japanese cannot be wacky and polite all the time, and that the enormous strain that the Japanese put themselves under for long hours and company loyalty, is demanded of foreign workers as well. Behaviors that are known as "cruel" are considered "acts of dedication" here.

The Japanese give many gifts and are gracious to tourists, and initially to foreign workers, but then demand to be paid in kind with much sacrifice in terms of family, salary, choice, independence, loyalty, etc.

The characterization of Daniel's ESL School boss had me and my friends in stitches. Her character is not grotesque. I have met several owners of small private English schools that are like her or worse. Whenever I interview with someone like Chiba-san, I quickly run for the hills and make sure I do not sign anything or leave any information about myself.

On the other hand, Daniel was in a terrible situation, did all the wrong things, and put himself in harm's way repeatedly in a very doltish manner. This was done, I believe, to maximize the comedic effect. Daniel knew very well about Japanese behavior as viewed from a very English perspective. Yet, he knew next to nothing about the culture, i.e. he had no idea who he was tangling with.

This is a good book, serving up a side of Japan that is rarely seen in novels or academic texts. It should be taken with a grain of salt, but it serves as a decent counterpoint to books on shrine-ettique and Ikibana.