Not Like Us: How Europeans Have Loved, Hated, And Transformed American Culture Since World War II

by Richard H. Pells

Debunking the myth of the "Americanization" of Europe, a noted historian presents an authoritative and engrossing cultural history of how America tried to remake Europe in its own image, and how the Europeans successfully retained their identity in the face of American mass culture. Richard Pells provides a new paradigm for understanding the survival of local and national cultures in a global setting.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, European History

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Harvard Ph.D. Richard Pells is the author of five nonfiction books and is currently Professor Emeritus of History at The University of Texas at Austin. The Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Fellowship recipient taught at Harvard, and was Fulbright-Hays Senior Lecturer at the Universities of Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

Dr. Pells lives in Austin with his wife, Molly Dougherty.

Reviews

[Hubert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pells is a fairly engaging writer, if at time a bit categorical, and not such an adventurous writer. He very clearly states the relationships between American and European culture, with an eye towards the historical bases of these relationships. The text could use slightly more theoretical underpinnings.

[Susan Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Aug, 2005 Amazon Account
As a Texan who first moved to Europe at age 13 in 1961, Pell's book was like reading the story of my life. And yet it made me understand so many things that were always something of a conundrum (such as why the French looked down on everything American in general but adored the Kennedy's) to the sinister goings-on of the McCarthy era (they actually burned books considered subversive in American embassies abroad, such as "works by notorious radicals like Mark Twain and Theodore Dreiser"). I got this book because I wanted to have a better understanding of why the U.S. is where it is today, and it more than filled the bill, in an all-emcompassing way. Thank you, Mr. Pells.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been hard to get through, but it's a college text for a Modern European History class, so I shouldn't be surprised. It is fascinating, especially since my knowledge of European history is not the greatest. It got a lot more interesting later on when it was in more modern times and dealing more with media and Hollywood. A lot of it was pretty fascinating and history I did not know. Having lived in Europe for awhile myself made it more interesting as well! I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about the subject but only if you have some patience.

[Jonfaith · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book had the unfortunate distinction of being our group selection AFTER Gravity's Rainbow. Largely anecdotal, this anticipate's T.R. Reid's United Stes of Europe and suffers from the same flaws. My friends and I muddled through such, though, to be fair, it isn't the book's fault.

[Sophie MH · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the ever lasting love/hate relationship between the Old and the New continents. Interesting.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took some time, but was well worth it. For someone interested in American Studies it is a should read. I love all of the misconceptions we have about each other.

[Matt Woodard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read. Good history. Not too heavy on promoting the ideas of 'US dominance' in a post war world.