If Only They Didn't Speak English: Notes From Trump's America

by Jon Sopel

As the BBC’s North America Editor, Jon Sopel has experienced ‘the Greatest Country on Earth’ from a perspective that most could only dream of: he has travelled aboard Air Force One, interviewed President Obama and seen first-hand the gaudy splendour of Donald Trump’s billion-dollar empire.

Jon has also witnessed the darker side of the United States today. He was on the ground in Ferguson, Missouri as the riots took hold; he has visited gun shows, where lethal weapons are exhibited and sold like DIY tools; and he has listened to would-be-presidents turn TV evangelists, as they place their judgements in the hands of a god in whom they believe unquestioningly.
What Jon has discovered, is that for all we think we know the USA, it is – now more than ever – a truly foreign land.

If Only They Didn’t Speak English is a fascinating, insightful, portrait of American life and politics seen through British eyes. With the combination of Jon’s political expertise (as a BBC correspondent of more than 20 years) and his own stories from on the ground, it sets out to answer our questions about a country that once stood for the grandest of dreams but which is now mired in a storm of political extremism, racial division, and increasingly perverse beliefs.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History, Audiobook, American, Current Affairs, The United States Of America

Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2017

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an awesome read, that pulls no punches. BBC North America editor takes a deep dive at America after the first ascension of Trump. What I thoroughly liked about this book was that it discarded the often quoted, but in my opinion outrageous falsehood that 'both sides are as bad as the other', and stood by the facts and the truth which sadly is that more and more people on the right have via mainly social media got caught in a rabbit hole of disinformation, intolerance, anti-science post-truth reality. The book is well written, very much in the style you'd expect from a highly experienced reporter. The most revealing thing about this read is that it very much asserts that the descent to post-truth-ism is to the rest of the world, whether we like it or not... fascinating! For content, context and accessible political discourse this has to be a Five Star jam, 10 out of 12 read!

2025

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jon Sopel is a respected (and as anyone paying attention to the recent gender pay debates will know, very well paid) journalist who works for the BBC. As North American Editor, he’s lived in Washington DC since 2014. One amusing recollection I have is of Donald Trump’s reaction to Sopel at a heated White House press conference, shortly after taking office. Trump was clearly agitated by the fact that he was about to be asked a question by a reporter from the BBC, stating ‘here’s another beauty’ and then later, after Sopel had asked his question, chillingly ‘I know who you are’. This anecdote is covered in the opening Section of this book which goes on to reflect on Sopel’s time in America and his thoughts on Trump and the country he now leads.

Actually, his view of Trump is interesting; he clearly admires his ability to communicate directly to people through his expert use of social media but, it seems, is less taken with the man himself and some of his administration’s policies. Though being a news reporter, Sopel’s main focus is on how Trump has managed to sidestep and overpower traditional news media. Aside from his assiduous use of social media, he suggests that Trump’s use of fake news and post-truth (the use of ‘alternative facts’ to replace actual facts and where where feelings have more weight than evidence) have had a huge impact on a significant number of Americans. It’s possible that many ignore the obvious exaggerations and mistakes in detail (or outright lies) but focus instead on the general underlying message – and as a result many of them are sold on Trump’s view of the world and his focus on how to make America great again.

There are reflections on guns – the fact that America have lots of them and the U.K. very few – though there's little new insight here. Aside, that is, from some of the statistics used, which are truly scary! Then there’s the so called special relationship between America and the U.K., which he largely dismisses as diplomatic claptrap. But one of the most interesting sections is on religion. The author goes to some lengths to demonstrate how much more religious Americans are than any other Western country. It seems that more than half the population consider themselves ‘seriously religious’ and it’s virtually inconceivable that an atheist candidate could – at this time, at least – find his or her way to the White House.

There are other mildly interesting sections on access to medical help (little new here), pharmaceutical advertising (something I witnessed myself and was staggered by on a recent visit) and the American view on what the state should do for individuals versus what they should take responsibility for themselves.

Overall I found this to be an entertains, occasionally amusing and often insightful look at life on the other side of the pond. Highly recommended.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The US and England share a language, some history and a long, if not in reality, the ‘special’ often discussed, relationship. Author, and journalist, Jon Sopel, is the BBC’s North American correspondent and has his own relationship with the country in which he has spent so much time. He has reported from all around the world, of course, but he is correct in saying that we could understand the US better if we consider it as the foreign country that it undoubtedly is to us. Yes, we may be inundated with American television and culture, but do we really understand it? Even though I have visited the country many times, much of it remains a mystery to me and Sopel addresses those aspects of both countries which cause confusion and misunderstanding.

Sopel is a good narrator and he uses both political, historical, cultural and personal examples in his book in order to make his points come alive. He is amusing and insightful, as well as, in good British tradition, self denigrating about Trump’s snub to him, and the BBC, during a press conference. Although this would be a good read, I have to say that Sopel was good company, reading his own work, during my weekly commute.

Of course, going back to Trump, and his war with the media, this book is obviously inspired by trying to explain how a brash, arrogant and unpleasant reality television star, was seriously a candidate for the most prominent, political post in his country. How, indeed, did this event come about? Sopel begins with the election and tries to explain how, and why, Trump became a realistic candidate. Why was Hilary Clinton so hated – something that mystified us in the UK – and why, indeed, was there so much hate generally in that ill spirited election? However, as fascinating as this is, the author has a lot more to say.

Before I write more, it is obvious that Sopel has a huge fondness for the US and that there is a lot about the country which he loves. Whether touring Civil Wars battlefields, admiring the community spirit he encounters, or in his understanding that the US is much more geographically isolated than any European country, he shows respect and is non judgemental (dare I say, unbiased) in his writing. Yet, he also tackles the things which make us nonplussed, slightly uncomfortable or angry. He lets loose on Conservative Christianity, race, mass shootings, isolationism, the media and the role of government. One of my favourite parts was when an American described the UK as, “socialist and overly governed…” It just shows that there are misunderstandings on both sides and anything which can help two countries, which share so much, understand each other more, has to be a good thing.

[Jonathan Pool · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an old adage that ‘Timing is everything’. Boy, is Jon Sopel’s debut political memoire a good example of this. When Sopel was commissioned to write “If only they didn’t speak English” Barack Obama was President and Hilary Clinton was the firm favourite to succeed him.
Donald Trump’s subsequent election and his first 18 months in the job have made Washington and world affairs febrile with opinion, outrage, incredulity, and interest- big time.
Jon Sopel’s book is a 90%  state -of - the - nation USA in which the key themes; Race, God, Guns, are intelligently observed, but were written before the Trump phenomenon, and do not reference the specifics of Trumpism.
If only they didn’t speak English is in its fifth hardback edition and the paperback is selling strongly.
Is this because the book’s wisdom, it’s insights, are highly original?; is Jon Sopel to politics, what David Attenborough is to the natural world (a national treasure)? No, on both counts.
I attended Jon Sopel’s publicity tour event for the book at Charleston, Sussex on Bank Holiday Monday 28 May 2018.
This session was both the busiest, and the most febrile (to use again a Trumpian context). I’ve never attended a literary event where the raising of hands from the audience was so immediate, so sustained. Every single question was about Donald Trump. In the book Trump constitutes maybe 10% of the content- and this was a late add on which tops and tails the main body.
I came away enlightened on two counts:
1. The passion and intensity of that Q&A session (at refined Charleston, of all places) gave me a great insight into what it is like at a Trump press conference
2. For Jon Sopel, the phenomenon of Donald Trump is the greatest thing that could ever have happened to him, commercially. Jon Sopel is a Trump beneficiary, (regardless of his personal views, which as a BBC man he was careful to moderate and code). This is the reason that Trump is likely to return for a second term (Sopel’s view): A divisive figure he may be, but for those that are benefiting from his Presidency (look at the USA economy, for now), the foibles of the man, the fascination he induces, are well worth indulging if/when personal gain are consequent.

The book itself? An easy read for non Americans wanting to absorb the BBC 24 news bulletins in a more thematic and considered perspective. To me, as a very infrequent visitor to America, the reality, for example, of the “open carry” gun rules, was a new insight.
In the Charleston discussion the 
* Sopel made a point of checking his Twitter feed on his mobile throughout the talk. He has it as his alert 24 hours a day. It’s a point well made. Trump tweets all the time, and did so while we were live!
*Less government in the USA but better social responsibility. The road and transport infrastructure is awful- John Kerry, visiting Haiti remarked that the state of the roads was better than in Washington!
* Trump appointment and dismissal of advisors/ cabinet. The two examples cited by Sopel as indicative of the vanity and personal style of the President were Rex Tillotson and Admiral Jackson (physician turned politician in quick time!)
* Impeachment chances?
Stormy Daniels or the Russian election involvement- take your pick.
* journalist integrity. They are not in the job of opposing Trump, and it should not be necessary for the journalist corps to have police protection.
* Trump brand. The Four Seasons hotel chain are missing out as foreign delegations feel it prudent to stay at Trump Tower!

At the end of the book I was no clearer on whether Sopel, as a four year resident of Washington DC is an America - phile or an America -phobe . Sopel is certainly in the right place at the right time as far as his career is concerned.

[Serena Ives · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is funny, and it’s interesting election season reading. It discusses some broad cultural themes that are helpful to keep in mind when trying to make sense of US politics as an outsider (religion, small government, patriotism, guns… all the usual stuff). I found the chapter on the US-UK diplomatic relationship interesting bc it’s not something I’ve given much thought to before, but apart from that I didn’t think anything was particularly compelling. I guess the book could be pretty outdated at this point (written at the beginning of the Trump presidency) so a lot of the points of discussion, while obviously still relevant, do just feel like a lot that we’ve heard before.

[Sho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jon Sopel is a well known journalist and this is well written and I suppose well researched book.

Interestingly he comes accross as quite sympathetic to Donald Trump, which is a bit odd given that he makes the case for the 45th president being unhinged. Sopel clearly loves America and has a lot of time for Americans and their way of life, though, which is oddly nice to read.

[Kristina Coop-a-Loop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I think the title is wrong on this entry. The picture of the book is correct and matches my ISBN, but the title does not match the ISBN (nor the picture).

If you are an American who wants to get a glimpse of your culture through the eyes of the British, Jon Sopel’s If Only They Didn’t Speak English: Notes from Trump’s America might interest you. Sopel is a Washington D.C. political correspondent for the BBC and has been in America for about four years. It feels as if the subtitle, “Notes from Trump’s America,” is a marketing ploy to help sales. Sopel, when he deals in specifics, discusses the Obama administration more due to the fact that Donald Trump was barely into his first year of destroying whining about the media being mean to him boring even the morons of Fox & Friends with his incoherent ramblings residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue when Sopel published this book. This is an interesting outsider’s view of American culture and politics, but Sopel overgeneralizes a good bit.

The title of the book refers to the fact that Americans speak English, which gives the British people the idea that we’re sort of like their long-distance cousins—we don’t live in the same house, but we’re a part of the same family. Instead, Sopel thinks we are very, very different and those differences would be easier to see if we didn’t speak the same language. Then it would be obvious that Americans are not just Brits who incorrectly say fries, when it’s chips; chips when it’s crisps, cookies when it’s biscuits; and clearly do not drink enough tea (with milk!). Americans, Sopel insists, are much more foreign than that. His nine one-word chapters are designed to compare and contrast American and British cultures. He isn’t necessarily saying one culture/country does something better than the other, although he is bemused (and horrified) by the importance that religion and guns play in American society and politics (he isn’t the only one).

Sopel’s most glaring difficulty in writing about American culture is that he hasn’t lived here long enough to really get a handle on America. Hell, Americans are still trying to figure themselves out. As a political correspondent for the BBC, he is based in Washington D.C. and lives in a white, upper-middle-class neighborhood. His experience of living in a wealthy area and interacting with educated professionals informs his impressions and generalizations of American life. It’s not that he isn’t aware that less than a mile from his home people live very different lives—more crime, more poverty and certainly a different skin color. However, his generalizations of Americans are not based on them. He discusses how polite his neighbors are, how litter-free and perfectly manicured the lawns and are, and how everyone comes out to shovel their sidewalk in the winter and will even lend a helping hand to an elderly or physically handicapped neighbor to shovel their sidewalks as well. He calls this the “self-reliance” of America. We don’t wait for the council (local British government) to clean off the streets or pick up the litter like the British do; oh, golly, no—Americans have a can-do attitude and we take care of those things ourselves. This, Sopel approves of (hurrah!). On the downside, these same friendly, self-reliant Americans don’t drink enough and are way too much into god. He describes dinner parties that start at 6 pm and are finished by 10 pm, have only one bottle of wine for ten people, and the embarrassment he felt when he began eating before everyone (at the dinner party) held hands to say grace. I don’t know who the hell he hangs out with, but it’s very possible he discovered the one group of overly religious teetotalers in the neighborhood. Or maybe that’s his whole neighborhood. However, that’s not an accurate picture of America, even if Sopel would like it to be.

Sopel makes much of America’s religiosity. As an atheist, I agree with him—it’s too much. Too much religion in politics, too much in public policy, too much in education, too much butting in where it doesn’t belong. I like the British (as Sopel writes it) view of religion—something you do on Sunday and then pack away for the rest of the week. You certainly don’t base important decisions, like who will be your next president, on it. It’s quite possible that the candidates are lying and just pandering to the masses to get votes. Proclaiming you have a special relationship with god and read the Bible every night doesn’t make you a good person and it certainly doesn’t make you presidential material…except in America. (Case in point: Trump. Evangelicals voted for him in massive numbers and c’mon. If Trump had been a Democrat, they would have called him Satan’s whelp and held prayer vigils to save his soul from damnation.) However, one of the signs America is too religious is we have too many churches. Seriously, Sopel says. They’re bloody everywhere. Yes, we do have a lot of churches, but we don’t have an official religion. So just about anyone can set up shop and (thanks to the easy IRS tax laws) scam gullible people out of their cash. Sopel does acknowledge this but I think he needs to go home and count all the churches in the UK. There are a lot of them. If you’re speeding by on the train going from oh, say, Derby to York, you can spot them from the window. Even tiny villages have at least one ancient (American ancient, not British ancient) stone church. To give the UK its due, their churches are awesome, and I mean that word in its best sense—awe-inspiring. I’ve visited the famous churches (Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, York Minster) the less famous (Durham Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral) and the local Derby church (Derby Cathedral). Great Britain knows how to do churches. Even smaller churches (such as a one room Methodist chapel I stumbled upon in Derbyshire) are lovely. Anyway, my point is: Sopel, the UK also has a ton of churches.

While I agree with Sopel’s assessment of American culture and politics for the most part, he isn’t as familiar with America as he thinks he is especially when he calls Hoboken (New Jersey) a “trendy district.” First, it’s a city. Second, it’s trendy? I’ve never heard that. Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City once had to contemplate leaving her apartment in Manhattan and moving to Hoboken and the idea of living in Hoboken nearly caused her an emotional breakdown. But hell, it’s been a while since I’ve been in the NYC area. Maybe Hoboken is trendy now and Carrie would be proud to live there with all her Jimmy Choos. Sopel did supply me with some interesting historical background about the NRA (they once supported sensible gun safety laws and didn’t believe in open carry—wow, huh?) and the so-called “special relationship” between America and Great Britain. That chapter (“Special”) was probably the most interesting. Sopel is not the most charming writer. He gets the job done, but does not display any of the famous British dry wit. He comes across as somewhat self-important and impressed with himself, except for when he’s truly being a dick. On page 285, Sopel describes how pleased he was to be invited to play tennis with the British Ambassador to the US. His daughter happens to call during an intense discussion of NATO that Sopel is eavesdropping on. She is crying and tells her father that she just crashed the car. When he asks her if she’s okay, she says yes so he tells her he’ll talk to her later and hangs up so he can go back to listening to the political conversation: “Maybe not my finest hour in concerned parenting…but, hey, the tennis was great.” Yeah, Sopel, you aren’t funny and you sound like an asshole. Oh, excuse me, an arsehole.

If Only They Didn’t Speak English by Jon Sopel is a fairly interesting book. He’s not charming or amusing (no matter what he thinks) and isn’t the America expert he thinks he is. To be fair, his target audience is his fellow Brits (I bought the book in the UK) so if they’ve never been to America, they wouldn’t be able to quibble over his overgeneralizations. I’d say most of his observations are fairly accurate, particularly when he discusses the hypocrisy of politics and politicians and the dangers both Americans and the British people face regarding the new reality of “fake news.” The book ends rather abruptly and it’s more about Obama’s America than Trump’s, but it’s worth a read if you are interested in seeing America through an outsider’s lens.

[Paul Wisbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the original version of "If Only", which doesn't have the extra chapter about Trump's first year in power. I don't know if anything major was fixed in a later edition...

Chapter 1, Anger

"We are free, impartial and fair" - Chapter 1, Anger

Hah, hahaha... wait, you're serious?
You said in a recent podcast, that “They detest him, they loathe him. There is no attempt at giving impartial news.” [1]
So you're copying stories from news networks like CNN & MSNBC, whose anchors “can barely conceal their contempt”, and you're impartial.

In this chapter, Sopel explains the reasons why people didn't vote for Hillary. Although he's missed the single biggest problem, which was Lena Dunham's rap video ;-) [2]

He quotes a Bernie fan, saying "She’s a war-hawk, a liar and a bad person". Any reason why they would think that Jon?

"The death of the US ambassador in Benghazi was awful, but was Hillary Clinton really culpable; had she truly been negligent?" - Chapter 1, Anger

Wait, what happened in Libya? Why would anyone think Hillary was to blame? Just for laughs, try counting the number of times that Sopel uses the word "Libya". The answer is zero, nil, nada (I'm not counting the quote from the NRA nutjob). Well it can't be important then. It's not like it was the worst mistake of the Obama presidency or anything. [3]

If any CIA agents are reading this, I'm not implying that Hillary pushed for intervention in Libya (because I don't want to be added to the Clinton kill list).

Thankfully the situation in Libya is fine now, except that it's an epicentre for migrant child abuse, where African refugees are bought as slaves. [4][5]

Chapter 2, Race

A dangerous chapter to comment on, but it amuses me that he doesn't understand the term person of colour. Here's a clue Jon, it includes people from Mexico e.g. the Oscar winner for Best Director, 2015.

Sopel shares some of his own (weirdly liberal) racist views, implying that ethnic minorities are too dumb to apply for photo ID. The truth is that you need ID for everything in America (except voting, in some states). Everyone has photo ID, except for young people (who could easily apply for it) and a few ancient people who don't even have birth certificates.

Chapter 3, Patriotism

"On 4 April, the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, ordered his air force to drop chemical weapons on a town held by rebels" - Chapter 3, Patriotism

Riiiiiight. I'm sure you've got solid evidence from credible sources. Hopefully not the same people who lied about fake flag chlorine gas attacks. [6] Otherwise people might think that you're a warmonger. Oh well never mind, you can always smear them for siding with Russia. [7]

Sopel explains some interesting history about the antisemitic America First Committee (AFC), which I didn't know about. He describes the idea that Jews have a "large influence and ownership and influence in our motion pictures", as a Zionist conspiracy-theory.

This reminds me on an old Norm Macdonald joke: “Earlier this week, Marlon Brando met with Jewish leaders to apologize for comments he made on Larry King Live, among them that “Hollywood is run by Jews.” The Jewish leaders accepted the actor’s apology and announced that Brando is now free to work again.”

Chapter 4, Government

You know it's been a boring chapter, when the highlight is a John Major anecdote.

Chapter 5, God

Sopel describes the differences between the UK (where ‘We don’t do God’) vs. a country where nine out of ten adults say they believe in God.

Apparently (in his fifties) when buying alcohol he "even had to show his ID to prove that he wasn’t underage". Yes we know Jon, you need ID for everything in America (except voting, in some states).

Chapter 6, Guns

A chapter about the NRA, "unarguably the most powerful lobbying organisation in the United States". If they're so powerful, I'm surprised that Sopel is allowed to criticize them. [8]
(don't mention the donors from the US arms industry)

This section implies that Amy Schumer is responsible for the 2015 Lafayette shooting, or maybe I read that wrong. I was contemplating suicide during the first 20 minutes of Trainwreck, but it got better when LeBron James appeared (the funniest person in that movie).

Chapter 7, Anxiety

A chapter about paranoia and drug addiction, which goes off on a tangent about Muslim extremists, travel bans etc.

We shouldn't worry about no-go areas in UK, because they don't exist.
Anyone who says otherwise is a racist, except for the BBC producers who make shows like The Last Whites of the East End. [9]

Chapter 8, Special

This chapter is boring, petty stuff about the special relationship.
It goes off on the same tangent about travel bans, and reiterates the Syria narrative about chemical weapons.

Chapter 9, Truth

Now we've come full circle, back to where we started in chapter 1.
The year is 2016, and the BBC are busy copy 'n' pasting from the US news networks.

Sopel describes being woken up by a "well-meaning producer" from Radio 4’s Today programme:
‘We want you to come on the air in the next hour to talk about Donald Trump and his golden showers.’

Some amusing details that aren't mentioned:
- The Clinton campaign paid a company in Washington (Fusion GPS), to produce the "pissgate" dossier.
- The highly credible news network, which they've copied the dossier from is, err... Buzzfeed.

So I've been given a lecture about the dangers of fake news, followed by an example of the BBC spreading it.

This book was educational, I think I understand the TV news networks a bit better. They are obviously pro-Democrat (except Fox), but the corporate donors are running the show.

They only lean towards the left-wing causes, which don't adversely affect the corporations e.g. LGBT, Racism, Feminism. Forget about left-wing causes which aren't profitable, like workers rights, healthcare for the poor & anti-war movements.

Poor People in America: Help us please
Republican party: No
Democrat party: No rainbow-flag heart-emoji

I like the quote from Bill Bryson, who describes him as "the sanest man in America". It must be a very difficult balancing act (as a non-American), critiquing American culture without losing friends.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, but censorship is part of the job for a BBC foreign correspondent (6 out of 10)

References:
1. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ha...
2. https://youtu.be/H51HuNX41Fg?t=178
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-c...
4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-afri...
5. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/1...
6. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVevI...
8. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9920...
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Wh...

[Michael Macdonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slick insight into a foreign land

Overcoming the illusion that America is just like South London, this book explains why the US is so different with its self-reliance, distrust of government, high levels of religion and love of guns. Tackling Trump*s distaste for the truth and grumpy pessimistic about the future.

[Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting analysis of the American political landscape by one of the BBC's most eminent journalists, who has himself been at the end of 'fake news' jibes by the current POTUS. Particularly useful to those who, looking from afar, are thinking 'Wtf'...

[Connor O'Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into American culture and the politics of Trump by the BBC fantastic North America Editor Jon Sopel.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

As we enter the race for the Presidency this is a good reminder of both the difference between the U.K. and the USA and also the madness of Trump. Sopel takes a look at the US through a very British lens and by picking up a number of themes that resonate today as much as they did in 2016. It’s an easy read using both history and his own experiences of living in and reporting in the US to being out those themes. I suspect it was a fresher read when he wrote it. Given what we have all been through it already felt a bit dated, hence the 3 stars, but a good reminder nevertheless of what is to come. Time for a novel.

[Faith Spinks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book insightful and amusing. As someone who works daily for an American organisation I know all too well that although we technically speak the same language our cultures and our approach to life are very different. It’s presented as a look at how we reached Trump’s America. But it isn’t just about Trump. It considers issues such as guns, trust, our special relationship and so much more. This book helped me to further understand some of the background as to why and how American culture is now what it is.

[Christabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / picked a really bad week to listen to this huh

[Glenna Swinand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really excellent examination of american culture today through a british lens. This book gives historical context, as well as humourous anecdotes on each topic discussed. A really interesting and enjoyable read on a realtively serious subject. Although it was written for the time of the 2016 US election, everything is still relevant and worth examining in the context of the most recent US election.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this full review to follow

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

The USA as a whole hardly knows UK exists, but Westminster politicians have talked up the "special relationship" for decades.
It's rather pathetic: for centuries Scotland an France maintained the "Auld Alliance" against England, but it was always unequal- France gained more for small investment, and France forgot us completely when it suited, but we kept on loving France.

This is how US/UK relations are.

If you followed G7 in Italy via La Repubblica or L'Express you'd have seen May trailing forlornly after Trump, desperate for a crumb from his table, like a rejected mistress. (Obviously she wasn't European politician of the year, post-Brexit, even though she personally didn't drop us in the merde)

The USA is still a very young country. Italy and Germany as unified states are more recent (1870/71), but had long histories nonetheless, a culture, good and bad.

Jon Sopel dissects our misunderstandings of US thought, their fundamental assumptions, background philosophy.
(IMO, our mindset as humans is much governed by our early education- Australians in UK will find chasms of unexpected misunderstanding, as Scots in England & vice versa)

He does help to explain the shocking election of Trump, recommending that we do not dismiss those who voted for him as class one eejits.

I might have expected a more nuanced view of faith & religiosity in US. I understood US to be deist in outlook rather than theist, just about disdainfully tolerating Jews and Catholics, and as for Muslims....

It is difficult to understand why the richest country in the world denies so many of its citizens basic health care - the most expensive and least efficient health system in the developed world (MATERNAL MORTALITY rates like theirs would have many of us donating to Oxfam, if we didn't know it was US, and therefore a deliberate choice by government, not lack of resources.)

If your government doesn't maintain the infrastructure, mend roads, bridges, railways, what are they for? What's wrong with paying taxes? How can you be happy when the people around you are short of food, can't afford to be ill, when every numpty has a gun, when police are allowed to kill unarmed teenagers, especially if they're black.

Sopel does have positive comments about US. He doesn't dismiss Trump voters as "learning disabled" but suggests some rationale for their enthusiasm.

I accept his analysis but I'm not reassured. It looks like somewhere we've been before- Nuremberg. But with nuclear weapons...

[Jarvo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite getting all of the very positive reviews for this title. It is an easy enough read, with a bright and breezy style. However it flirts with doing one of three very interesting things, either:
a) exploring the myriad and profound ways in which America is different to the UK, despite the common language (attitudes to guns, god, and government for a start);
b) discussing how some of these differences were instrumental in Trump's victory;
c) looking at the tactics Trump deployed, and why they worked.
Trouble is these are big subjects, especially the first, and I don't think he gets much below the surface on any issue. Much of the most interesting material comes in almost as an aside - there is a section on how Trump provokes media attacks, and how these, in turn, fit into the narrative he is pushing. The end result is a bit like Pavlov and his dogs, as this book rather shows. The ambition is to probe a bit more deeply, but the author can't get far without his sense of outrage, and what we are left feels a bit too much like a list of what Trump did next.

[Tariq Mahmood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic profile of USA culture, especially if you are a Brit. The book gives a journalist account of American society with just the right amount of historical context. But the best bits are reserved for so-called 'special relationship' between US and UK. Jon is not only candid but unreservedly non-partisan when it comes to explaining this relationship in its historical context.

I also understood just how much the American society loves their guns and the love of their Trump.

And I think if the economy improves, Trump will be re-elected as he has completely managed to re-create the outdated concept of democracy.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start out by saying if you are a fan in any way of Donald Trump this book is not going to be one for you and I will wish you a good day. Much can be said of the press in this day and age. Too often they would seem to lean one way or the other far too much. I suppose the BBC is the polar opposite of Fox news. For the most part, it seems to me that what they report to the best of there knowledge is the truth. I know that during both Gulf wars it was the BBC that both British and American troops tuned into to get the latest on current events. For me, Sopel seems like a stand-up guy doing his best to bring the latest events in the political arena to us the viewers. I also know that on more than one occasion he has been singled out by Trump as part of the fake news. Although I am starting to suspect that unless you work for fox news that goes for everyone else.



For Sopel's part, he sets out to show from his point of view the events that took place in the run-up to Trump's election. He also tries to show how this compares to other high profile political figures he has shadowed on both sides of the pond. I suppose hindsight is a marvelous thing, for many a time while reading this book I would look at something and just go that makes sense. Directly after the election, I think there was still a lot more bewilderment as to what the hell just happened. But should you care to look back on history Trump's election is not too much of a sup prise to far to the left and it springs back the right and vise verses? I give this author his credit he has done his best to give a fair account of the things he witnessed. It still staggers me some of the things Trump has gotten away with. It is also the reason I can not bring my self to read books such as the Fire and Fury. I know before opening the first pages I would be far too angry to be able to focus properly.



There is a lot the reminds me of reading a Bill Bryson book within these pages. So I guess what I'm saying is if you like his books you will probably like this one. For me, I think there is a lot to be said about being a foreigner in a strange land. It allows you to see things in a way that native people might not be able to do so. He points off the quirks and foibles we refuse to see in our selves. It strikes me that he never set out to do a hit job on the president, more to give a counterpoint to the endless stream of tweets that Trump seems so keen on. In a world where the news cycle never seems to stop for a single second, this book allowed me to slow it all down. To mull over events that have taken place and give it a bit less of a knee jerk reaction. I suppose we all seem to be very quick to the punch these days. There is also another thing about such books that they allow us to find humor in such things. Sopel brings a light touch in the style he presents his book in, it takes a heavy subject and gives it a little helium.



This book was an enjoyable read from start to finish and I can't really fault it. He shines a light on the fake news from the fakes news's point of view. If this point in history is of interest to you why not give it a go.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awful lot of words have been published as a result of the disastrous 2016 election and having read a decent chunk of them, I can say with confidence that these are some of the best.

Sopel doesn't take aim at Trump or at Clinton, he doesn't lambast the poor coverage or the role of social media and he doesn't reduce Americans down to thoughtless fools. Instead, he explains, in a humorous and engaging fashion, what it is that makes the USA a place where a person like Trump could be elected. He details the history of the US relationship with the truth, with guns and with God (to name but a few), making clear that what seems so foreign and bizarre to a British audience, is not so far out of the norm across the pond.

I teach A Level Politics and will definitely be recommending this to students as a brilliant modern introduction to the politics, and more importantly, the psyche of the USA and its politics.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read! Interesting, amusing, thought-provoking. A well written account of the things that Jon Sopel really likes about the USA which, thankfully, chimes perfectly with what I've found, travelling there for around ten years. It covers a lot of subject areas such as fake news, guns and gun violence which are less edifying.

At its core this book is about what he has learnt from acting as the BBC's North America Editor for around five years, through turbulent times in US politics including the surfacing of Donald Trump, his campaign and his arrival in the White House as President. That is an eye-opener!

Worth reading! Many Brits, who often haven't travelled the US much, have some wrong ideas about this country. I could turn that right around and say the same of some people in the US, of course, but being a Brit myself, with family in the USA, I find our attitude more arrogant, superior and wrong-headed than I'd really like! Read this book!

[Jess Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and interesting dissection of the differences between British and American culture. It helps us understand some of the entrenched cultural factors that make the US seem so different to the UK and reminds us not to think that because we speak broadly the same language, we’re the same.

Could have given it five stars but there were some typos, the tone of voice got a bit tedious and there were some odd uses of commas. Also clearly because it discusses Trump a lot it’s a snapshot from the time of writing and things have happened since that fit into the issues discussed - especially regarding guns.

I’d like to hear the thoughts of Americans that read it though!

[Rik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was easy to read, as the style lends itself very much to the pace and intonation of a typical BBC foreign correspondent; all the more so as I had heard some sections as an audio book (read by Jon Sopel, possibly a better choice than reading it yourself?). I found the content insightful and informative, with good illustrations and occasional humour, and it shed some much needed light. I'm not sure how well this book will wear, as it is very much seeking to describe the current (and seemingly inexplicable) state of affairs in the U.S., especially the rise of Trump, which may cause it to date quite quickly. A must read for perplexed Brits.

[Ross Borkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read about the background to Trump’s victory and the state of the nations mind at the time (and now!). If you followed the previous few years closely you will know a fair bit of this but he does categorise it well and his analysis is good. Worth a read if you are into this kind of thing

[Sanjana Idnani · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read which provides an excellent primer on the main issues and events that shaped the American psyche leading up to the first Trump presidency. It’s poignant to read as we approach almost a year of his second presidency where the stakes and chaos have ramped up even higher. I do think at times the book slips into Western cliched perspectives of “first world” and “third world” that feel a bit out of date and uncomfortable for me and there are other bits that probably feel a bit more broad brush now. But a really brilliant and interesting book that is deeply revealing of what it is like to report in America when the commander in chief is so post-truth and anti-media

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, extremely interesting and helps to explain some of the craziness going on in US politics at the moment. If you’re outside the US read it, if you are inside the US half of you would say it is fake news :-)

[Iola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an insightful book on the inner workings of American politics, the campaigning and inauguration. The differences between us and them. The political spats and faux Pas. A good read all round.

[Robbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arguably a few years late to the party on this one but enjoyed!

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super interesting look at the pre and post-election Trump era in the US - it is informative, funny, scary and depressing all at once. From his experience as the BBC's North America editor, Jon Sopel gives facts and insider's anecdotes which illuminate American politics, history and culture.