Stranger in a Strange Land: Encounters in the Disunited States

by Younge Gary

Younge, Gary

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Travel, Essays, Journalism

301 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2006

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Younge, a talented British journalist, traveled to the US in the early 2000s to research and commentate on war, race, and politics. Perhaps the most profound thing about reading these now 20-year-old essays was that each one felt immediately relevant and could have been taken from yesterday’s news feed. I was 20 to 23 years old at the time these essays were written and admittedly pretty clueless about politics, foreign policy, and even racial tensions despite attending a liberal New England university. Obviously, thanks to Mr. Younge’s insight, the polarization of the country, the radicalization of the right, and the continued oppression of African Americans were suitably problematic in 2000 (one could argue that it actually started in the 1980s) and getting worse. Some of the commentary on war and money in government could easily have been penned last week. Not only is Mr. Younge a wise and perceptive narrator, he also writes with a sly candor that acknowledges Britain’s faults and failings as well. This was an outstanding (albeit chilling) collection as relevant today as in 2001.

[Laurence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intelligent, insightful and constructively angry. Loads of crazy stories and people - the kind of stuff that you couldn't make up.
I would also recommend searching the archives of the british newspaper 'The Guardian' for articles by the same author.

[Margot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughtful essays on race, politics, war, & culture in the U.S. from the perspective of a black British journalist. I was surprised how dated it seems, given that most of the essays are only 10-12 years old. Sometimes, that was an asset: it reminded me what America in the immediate wake of 9/11 was like, both in terms of the geopolitical situation and things like a majority of Americans opposing gay marriage. But sometimes, the observations seem less than original. The essays on America's black leaders and issues like affirmative action hold up a little better than the ones on the Iraq war and early 2000s political campaigns, but even those are probably more valuable as a reflection of their time than the source of any new insights.

[Bronwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this book was published in the mid-2000s and is a collection of his essays from the same period, it is a bit dated in 2012. Nevertheless, it is interesting to look back at that era of 9/11, Bush Administration and its dodgy justifications for war in Iraq, the weaknesses of Tony Blair, and the general air of division in the American politics (which continues today). Other essays such as the myth of Rosa Parks is historically fascinating and certainly has adjusted my view of Parks' contribution to the Civil Rights Movement somewhat.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the past I’ve enjoyed Gary Younge’s columns in the Guardian and thus this book caught my eye on a charity shop shelf. Younge's writing style is thoughtful, interesting, and wonderfully calm. His perspectives as a British black man observing America are original and beautifully articulated. The essays are categorised under the headings War, Race, Politics, and Culture, although naturally the four themes constantly intersect. His profiles of particular figures in particular stand out as sensitive and deft, my favourite was probably that of Susan Sontag. All this adds up to a very readable book. It was published in 2006 and the majority of the essays discuss the era of Dubya, the War on Terror, and the increasing division in US politics. It is disheartening that in 2013 things have not really improved, despite the advent of Obama. Indeed, the financial crisis has worsened inequality quite considerably and the Tea Party has pushed the Republican party further rightwards.

Considering the enraging nature of the topics he covers, I was really impressed by the considered tone of Younge’s journalism, which defuses and seeks to explain the dogmatism of the organisations and issues he covers. This tone is too rare in current journalism. I have nothing much to say about this book other than praise, really. It provides an excellent portrait of America from 2000 to 2005, placed in its wider historical context. (Including references to Alexis de Tocqueville and Toussaint Louverture, for those who also have an interest in the French Revolution.)

[severyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Younge is no great stylist, but the Race and Politics sections are thoughtful and interesting. The essays on War on the other hand are too naive to have impact.

[Peter Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recall reading some of these articles in the Guardian but some I clearly missed such as the original article on Claudette Colvin as Rosa Parks’ predecessor. This was a revelation, not just that there was a predecessor to Rosa Parks but in how badly she was treated by almost everyone.

[Asta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gary Younge writes well, but this book is rather outdated by now.

[David Flett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A curates egg.