A true product of American hybrid vigour, Stephanie Faul is half Czech immigrant, half Connecticut Yankee, with a German-speaking grandmother and a Canadian cousin, and a penchant for African music, Vietnamese food, Italian footwear, Siamese cats, and English novels. A freelance writer, editor and journalist she lives in Washington D.C. Growing up in the nation's capital has given her a unique perspective on the foibles and quirks of her compatriots and has confirmed her belief in Bismarck's remark that laws are like sausages: it's better not to see them being made. In many ways she feels typically American - curious, inventive, outspoken and practical - but her atypical attributes include a distaste for shopping and television, and a marked preference for walking instead of driving which in her neighbourhood is usually faster anyway. Her ambition is to visit all 50 U.S. states. She has only a dozen left to go, but at a walking pace this could take a while.
'Brutally funny and very accurate. This is a great gift to give to someone coming to American or to a foreigner living in the US. It irreverently captures what is unique about American life. I just wish the author would now do one just specializing in Southerners! I have read two other books in this series - one about the Swiss, one about the Germans - and they are just as accurate and entertaining.' -- Reviewer from Georgia, USA 'Absolutely brilliant. Written by an American, about Americans, this allows you to observe the personality traits of our (very) distant cousins without having to risk talking to any real Americans. Marvellous examples include Gun Culture, Feeling Good, Cars and the average American's view of the world beyond America (only 1 in 20 Americans have passports!).' -- Reviewer from UK 'I teach a course at a local business school on the environment for doing business in the United States. All 23 of my students are citizens of other countries and they are hungry for insights and guidance not found in standard text. The Xenophobe's Guide is a classic!' -- Reviewer from Arizona, USA
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