42 Ways to Read America

In learning the language of another country’s people, one needs to know the common phrases of everyday exchanges, how to accomplish simple tasks, and what is expected in a given situation. To accomplish the very basics, one of course needs as much knowledge of the fundamentals of grammar and vocabulary as possible. Japanese learners of English are regularly told that they need to learn how to converse with native speakers, implying that the proper course is to practice listening and speaking.

In my recently published book, I call on readers to go beyond everyday conversation and grasp the ideas that Americans learn, debate, believe, or deny. By reading a short summary—in English—you will learn how to express these ideas. You will also learn what ideas lie in the back of American thinking.

The summaries are purposely kept short—some are 250 words and the longest ones are 750 words. They cannot condense the complete meaning of each book. But they can lead you to discover an author, an American theme, a social issue, and a book to choose to read, one page at a time.

Reading and understanding an English story or essay is challenging, but it is an excellent way to build vocabulary, discover the nuances of phrases, and encounter the cultural base that is generally shared by people whose native language is English. Without this “cultural literacy,” you will not truly grasp English beyond what a tourist might need in a foreign country.

(247 words)

ジェームス・M・バーダマン著
『教養あるアメリカ人が必ず読んでいる 英米文学42選』アルク