Have a Nice Day Justin Webb

A brilliant book that says everything pro-Americans have wanted to say during the Bush years but dared not. Actually it is not that pro-American as the author is (BBC balance!) forced to suggest some things he thinks are bad about the place but generally it is a real blast in favour of the joy and success and sheer fun that America has brought to the world. Webb says American success is under-reported and American failure over-reported (or words to that effect) and he provides vivid examples; my favourite is the way religious Americans are often treated by the outside world as sinister whereas, as he points out, they are often genuine and decent people. He also has a funny story about friends who begin dinner parties by saying "death to al-Qaida" instead of grace and he writes sympathetically about American determination to stick up for themselves and their land. The style is breezy and enjoyable -- ideal for a journey preferably to the nation itself. I was impressed and will be giving it to anti-American friends .....