The Ugly American
The Ugly American by Eugene Burdick is a reprint edition published by National Geographic Books on April 2, 2019. This 288-page book presents a critical examination of American foreign policy through a blend of truth and fiction, focusing on the incompetence and corruption observed in Southeast Asia. The narrative introduces readers to the titular “ugly American” and highlights the disconnect between his commonsense advice and the actions of ignorant politicians and arrogant ambassadors.
Readers will find a collection of linked stories and vignettes set in the fictional nation of Sarkhan, which offers an incisive portrait of American diplomatic failures and the potential for reform. The book’s exploration of political themes remains relevant, reflecting on the complexities of cultural understanding and the consequences of foreign policy decisions. Through its historical context, The Ugly American invites reflection on the ongoing challenges faced in international relations.
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The multi-million-copy bestseller that blends truth and fiction in a “devastating indictment of American policy” (New York Times Book Review).
A piercing exposé of American incompetence and corruption in Southeast Asia, The Ugly American captivated the nation when it was first published in 1958. The book introduces readers to an unlikely hero in the titular “ugly American”—and to the ignorant politicians and arrogant ambassadors who ignore his empathetic and commonsense advice. In linked stories and vignettes set in the fictional nation of Sarkhan, William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick draw an incisive portrait of American foreign policy gone dangerously wrong—and how it might be fixed.
Eerily relevant sixty years after its initial publication, The Ugly American reminds us that “today, as the battle for hearts and minds has shifted to the Middle East, we still can’t speak Sarkhanese” (New York Times).
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