Communication Between Cultures (with InfoTrac)

by Larry A. Samovar, Richard E. Porter

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CULTURES continues with the features that have made it the best-selling text for the intercultural communication course. This new edition of Samovar and Porter's leading text gives students an understanding and appreciation of different cultures and helps them develop practical skills for improving their communication with people from other cultures. It's renowned for being the only text on the market to consistently emphasize religion and history as key variables in intercultural communication. Packed with the latest research and filled with numerous, compelling examples that force students to examine their own assumptions and cultural biases, this book helps students understand the subtle and profound ways culture affects communication. The book is divided into four interrelated parts: Part I introduces the study of communication and culture; Part II focuses on the ability of culture to shape and modify our view of reality; Part III puts the theory of intercultural communication into practice; and Part IV converts knowledge into action.

Genres: Nonfiction, School, Communication, Cultural, Linguistics, Textbooks

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Larry A. Samovar is a Professor Emeritus of Communication at San Diego State University.

Reviews

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the other reviewer said, way too long and wordy for the amount of wisdom it contains.

The Good?
If you don't know anything about culture, then this might be useful, even then, you might be just fine reading the summary of each chapter instead of reading the whole thing.

The Bad:
1. WAY TOO MANY REFERENCES! While I appreciate the authors' integrity to give credits where credits are due and the fact that they are obviously well read (too well), they cite about 170-200+ sources PER chapter, this makes very difficult reading as you trying to switch between different writing styles. I think they could have synthesized more and quoted less and the book would be twice as good with half the length.

2. Too much fluff:
Ex. Page 72, "The importance of worldview to the study of intercultural communication cannot be overstated." What is the point of this? How about just say, "Worldview is essential to Intercultural communication." Cannot be overstated? The author surely tries, with 6 quotations no less. These kind of vague, uninsightful statements abound in this book.

[Jon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Touchy feely text book. Apparently there are different cultures in the world and we should respect them. Spends 360 pages saying things everyone already knows. i.e., Apparently our families and environment teach us culture, but not everyone in the same culture is the same, no way. repeats the 10 pages worth of insightful, less obvious, but still relatively obvious points throughout the whole book like we didn't get it the first time. never seen a book that wastes as many words as this book. not to go on and on here, but the authors should be ashamed.

[Denise Lauron · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for my class on intercultural communications. I found that I was reading too hard into it. There were so many things that I knew were incorrect, history-wise, geography-wise, etc. Can't someone fact check a book? I do understand that the points that irritated me were parts that didn't have anything to do with communication, but I do think that the editor could have done a better job with updating information.

[AngelLeah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was the worst textbook I've read. It's unfortunate because it is a very interesting topic. The book is SO wordy that you end up bored a page in to each chapter. You know that old saying about writing a paper: Tell what you are going to say, say it, tell what you said. This is the way this book is laid out: Tell what you are going to say in another chapter. Tell what you are about to say in the next section. Tell what you are about to say in this section. Say it with a quote from someone else. Say it yourself. Use another quote to say it again. Tell what you said (extra points if you find another quote when you do this). Later in another chapter, remind what you said. Later in another chapter, remind what you said again.

I have honestly never read anything with so many quotes when the idea could have just been summarized by the author. Many of the quotes are not beneficial to the book and just seem like filler. It was like the author had a quota on how many quotes he had to use. I really don't know how else to describe the problems with this book.

If you are a teacher looking for a book on intercultural communications, I strongly recommend that you keep looking. Your students will thank you for it.

(This review is very harsh and unlike my typical reviews, but I disliked this book that much!)

[Husain Alghasra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, despite being a good reference that collects all cultural models and theoretical concepts, but I found many aspects (especially about my own culture/religion) was actually wrong, or very superficial. It kinda force you to become very skeptical about all the other information (no matter how solid) that the book lists about other cultures…
Since they got mine wrong, what makes them very accurate about other cultures? I wonder

[Julianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a super interesting and relevant subject and there's loads of information and intriguing examples... But the length of the chapters made me a less-than-enthusiastic reader most days. So, 3 stars it is!

[Sean Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Textbook for a communications class and an important read to help expand some basic awareness to growing up in various degrees of cultural isolation.

[Aina · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy to understand introduction to intercultural communication. Great for beginners.

[Kalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the 8th edition. Good information.

[Beth Foil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite book from getting my B.A. degree in Communications! It is a MUST READ for anyone wanting to communicate effectively and travel beyond their front door.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a textbook but I read every chapter so I think it counts lol

[zay · Rating 1 out of 5]

"did you know that other cultures exist? you should be nice to other people even if they're different from you!"
just go read horton hears a who instead.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This textbook has some very interesting information in it, and it certainly has the potential to spur some internal reflection. However, some of the examples and anecdotes used throughout are painfully forced. I also think it would serve this book well to have a broader focus on the role of privilege (especially white privilege) in the United States and how that impacts intercultural communication. Hits some marks, misses some--overall a very decent read.

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with great information. It was well written and wasn't too boring. I wish I would have read this when I had international roommates. Some of the things they did make so much more sense now.

[M.a.]

7th edition

[Joannarokosz18gmail.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really helpful for my dissertation about barrier in communication. Anyone interested in Intercultural Communication should look into the book :)

[Radia]

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