「讀萬卷書不如行萬里路」這道理是不難懂。但人生嘛,能周遊列國增廣見聞的機會不是天天都有。這時讀一本講述異國風情的雜談之作,好像也能一長自個見聞,變身為能知天下事的窮秀才。
《美國,原來如此!》以一位台灣人的觀點為出發點,分享她生活在美國這個舉世聞名的大國中的各式體悟。前半文章中的內容是比較輕鬆軟性的社會文化差異,多半圍繞在食衣住行等一般人每天都會接觸的事務。作者生動地描繪出美國版本的不同之處,確實讓人有一開眼界的趣味性。
中半節章花了相當大的篇幅討論美國總統川普的議題。有別於台灣主流媒體一味唱衰川普的態度,作者算是相當挺川普,也表達出對民主黨的深切不滿。這點也讓人反思,台灣媒體是否在先前的美國總統大選中,不夠客觀地持平觀察兩邊政營的消長,導致川普現象過度被醜化和扭曲。
總體來說,這本書有點像是緯來日本台播的《日本太太好吃驚》綜藝節目的中文書版本。對於無緣到美國生活卻又對美國文化充滿好奇的人,值得入手閱讀。
The saying “Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles” isn’t hard to understand. But in life, opportunities to travel the world and broaden one’s horizons don’t come every day. At times like these, reading a collection of essays about life in foreign countries can also expand one’s perspective, turning an ordinary, penniless scholar into someone who “knows the affairs of the world.”
“America, So That’s What It’s Like!” takes the perspective of a Taiwanese author to share her various observations from living in the globally renowned nation of the United States. The first half of the book focuses on lighter, softer topics—mainly cultural and social differences in everyday aspects like food, clothing, housing, and transportation. The author vividly portrays the “American version” of these daily experiences, offering an eye-opening and engaging read.
A substantial portion of the middle chapters is devoted to discussions about U.S. President Donald Trump. Unlike the predominantly critical tone of mainstream Taiwanese media toward Trump, the author is relatively supportive of him and expresses strong dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party. This also prompts reflection on whether Taiwanese media may have lacked objectivity during the previous U.S. presidential election, potentially leading to an overly negative and distorted portrayal of the “Trump phenomenon.”
Overall, the book feels somewhat like a written, Chinese-language version of the variety show “Japan Ladies Be Surprised” often aired on Wei Lai Japan Channel. For those who may never have the chance to live in the United States but are curious about American culture, it’s a worthwhile read.