Ugly American
Ugly American by William J. Lederer, published by W. W. Norton & Company on January 5, 1999, is a reissue of a significant work originally released in 1958. This edition spans 285 pages and is presented in English. The narrative centers on Homer Atkins, an American sent to advise the Southeast Asian nation of Sarkhan on engineering projects. Through his experiences, the book critiques American foreign policy and highlights the consequences of misplaced priorities and entrenched interests.
Readers will encounter a series of linked stories and vignettes that illustrate the complexities of American involvement in Southeast Asia. The book addresses themes of political missteps and the challenges faced in the struggle against Communism. Lederer’s storytelling reveals the stark realities of American arrogance and incompetence, providing a critical examination of the nation’s actions abroad. This edition invites readers to reflect on the historical context and implications of these political narratives.
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The multi-million-copy bestseller that coined the phrase for tragic American blunders abroad.
In the episode that lends the book its title, the “ugly American” is Homer Atkins, a plain and plain-spoken man, who has been sent by the U.S. government to advise the Southeast Asian country of Sarkhan on engineering projects. When Atkins finds badly misplaced priorities and bluntly challenges the entrenched interests, he lays bare a foreign policy gone dangerously wrong.
First published in 1958, The Ugly American became a runaway national bestseller for its slashing exposé of American arrogance, incompetence, and corruption in Southeast Asia. In linked stories and vignettes, the book uses gripping storytelling to draw a devastating picture of how the United States was losing the struggle with Communism in Asia.
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