Berkshire Publishing Group

Global perspectives on the United States; vols. 1 & 2: A nation by nation survey.

These two volumes comprise the first part of a three-volume reference intended to provide Americans with an understanding of how other countries perceive the United States and its role in the world. It's an ambitious undertaking, frought with pitfalls. In their introduction the editors discuss the methodology for the project, pointing out that the articles represent opinions rather than facts, and such reporting navigates difficult terrain. Because opinions are moving targets, and because summaries must necessarily skim the surface (and can, therefore, distort the subject), this reference is controversial; but it will no doubt be valuable as a starting point for discussion and for further research. The entries were written by an international roster of 100-plus scholars and experts, whose work was vetted by a similarly qualified advisory board. The two volumes are organized on a country-by-country and region-by-region basis, offering standardized entries that locate the countries and regions geographically and temporally, provide statistical profiles of key national data and statistics, describe the history of relations with the United States, summarize past and current perspectives on the United States, and provide guides to further reading. The articles were prepared on the basis of surveys as well as outside-the-survey sources — such as public statements by government officials, media reports and editorials, scholarly books and articles, reports by international and nongovernmental organizations — along with the writers' personal observations and experiences. Included alongside the entries are sidebars providing biographical information on American and foreign individuals who have helped shape perceptions of the United States. The third volume, to be published separately, will move from a country-specific focus to cover broader issues and ideas shaping US international relations with the rest of the world. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)