Are you tired of travel books- there are more coming.
Becky is reading the Sweet Life by David Lebowitz an not enjoying his disgust at his fellow Americans. I didn't mind that part really. Here are my thought on the matter. In any city in America you meet pleasant polite people and rude inconsiderate people. And all those people travel. The problem is the rude and inconsiderate stand out. You rarely remember the person who wondered through the shop- and said a polite merci on her way out the door. But you do remember the oaf who talked too loud and demanded things or failed to say bonjour. They stand out more in Chicago and they stand out more in France. Also we are always more sensitive to the flaws of those who are related to us. We don't notice the rude demanding Russian nearly as much as you do the similar American.
So that all said- this is on of the best satires written about Americans abroad. While always amusing and with tongue in cheek Twain is able to illustrate the differences in Americans and Europeans. The silliness of the American to quickly adopt the worshipful attitude to allthat is old and the ability to forget the splendor of the American landscape. I love this book- maybe my favorite Mark Twain book.
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