What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A To Z is for anyone who interacts with Americans in the US or abroad and anyone--immigrants or visitors--who want more effective social or business relationships with Americans.

               
Gold Medal Winner

Silver Medal Winner

First Runnerup Legacy Award

A to Z is an Amazon Kindle #1 Bestseller.
A to Z is a Silver Global EBook Award Winner.
For metadata on these books.
For a review  of America A to Z  from US Review that was included as part of his Eric Hoffer Award.

Award-winning playwright's book for #immigrants and #ESL wins Eric Hoffer Award. http://dld.bz/fYaA2

A to Z is now published in Simplified Chinese in two different Chinese speaking countries,
and in English and Ukrainian (as shown above).

About 
What Foreigners Need To Know
About America From A To Z

When you enter a country, find out its customs. – Chinese proverb

       Each of the 26 chapters’ brush strokes contributes to the final painting of what America is all about and who Americans are. The chapters are grouped into four sections. (Individual books are also available for each section.)

· Section I – America’s Heritage. This defines the historical background of why America and its people became who and what we are today. To understand complex America, it is important to gain this understanding.

· Section II – America’s Culture. This smaller section focuses on who we are as a nation and how we conduct our everyday lives, ranging from customs and etiquette, to what’s on the minds of Americans, to education, literature, movies, and a whole lot more. It even includes what we think of foreigners and what they think of us.

· Section III – America’s Business. The third section explains our complex business environment, operations, customs, and why American businesses are successful around the world. It also provides information for dealing with American business personnel in the US and abroad, for starting and operating a business of your own as many foreigners do, and for increasing your chances of being hired by an American employer here or abroad.

· Section IV – America’s Language. These chapters discuss practical ways for English-as-second-language speakers to improve their grammar, speech, writing, and communication skills, including accent reduction. Common English grammar and speech errors made by foreigners are identified with simple tips for overcoming them and improving the image they create.

Note: The author uses tricky and often-used idioms in a natural conversational setting to help English as a second language learners better understand one of the trickiest aspects of the language.

Note: The sections are also available as separate books for those who prefer to focus on one aspect of American life like culture (maybe sports?) or business if they have or want to open a business here. 

Review 
of
A to Z

By Tianchi Lu,
Director-Suzhou Education Research Institute

           The Suzhou Education Research Institute, of which I am the Director, has the task of improving the quality of education in the schools of Suzhou, China. One of our many projects was the exploration of ways we could improve the level of English taught in our schools that begins in the first grade. To achieve this objective, we realized we must first improve the skills of our teachers.

            Teachers of English from eight of our schools were selected to attend a unique and extensive course in which Mr. Lance Johnson was our educator. Not only did we want our teachers to improve their command of English grammar and speech, but as a backdrop we wanted them to learn more about America, its people, and its culture. He used his A to Z book as a guide for his classes.

            We were extremely pleased with the knowledge our teachers gained from this program. Their level of listening, reading, speaking, and writing of English increased dramatically. They also gained confidence using the English language and understanding Western ways.

            His chapters on English grammar and speech identify common problems for foreigners and provide easy ways they can overcome their shortcomings. His book also summarizes many important aspects of America that foreigners should know more about, including customs and culture. This unique approach to learning was fun and informative for our teachers and gave them a deeper understanding of America. In turn, they will impart this knowledge to their students.

            I strongly recommend Mr. Johnson’s book to anyone who wishes to learn about America and Western culture, its people, customs and language. It will certainly benefit those going to America for work or school, or those who do business with or have contact with Americans either in their homeland or in America.

Tianchi Lu, Director,
Suzhou Education Research Institute, Suzhou, China

For More Reviews Go To Lance's Review Page.

The Book's Concept

A Personal Note from the Author

          I’ve witnessed my foreign heritage friends in America struggle to adjust to a new culture that’s in stark contrast to their own. There is so much for them to learn as they get new jobs, open businesses, enter school, and make friends. Even our rules of etiquette pose difficulties for them.

          When I teach overseas and travel the world, I’m always amazed at the interest people have in all things American. Our language, government, people, music, and films. Our behavior. Even our negative image on the world stage. They want to know why the rules for our crazy English language are not more consistent like their languages. They’re puzzled why the U.S. feels it must be the policeman of the world. They want to know why Americans feel they are better than the rest of the world. Why we dislike foreigners but like wars.  Why we don’t share our wealth with the rest of the world. Why we are all fat and drive such big cars and if the two are related.  I’m especially amused when they ask me why we say "excuse me" for the slightest of things because I don’t think we do that as often as we should.

When we discuss my culture I learn about theirs, too. After years of these exchanges I searched for a book that I could recommend to them that condensed and simplified what America is all about. There wasn’t one. So I began thinking about writing one, not quite sure I wanted to tackle such a big undertaking. That soon changed.

I was on a cruise ship in Asia and worried that our itinerary called for two stops in Vietnam. Didn’t they still consider us their enemy? At one stop in Ho Chi Minh City my tour group and our Vietnamese guides ate box lunches in a park. Off in the distance I spotted hundreds of schoolgirls in immaculate white dresses riding rusty bicycles down a dirty street over lorded by dilapidated buildings.

Because the Vietnamese lived under communism, I assumed these girls would be repressed just like their depressing surroundings. I was wrong. Smiling and chatting, they waved merrily to us as they peddled their way to school. Sitting there, I wondered how many other misconceptions I had about this country fourteen time zones away from home.

One tour guide sat down next to me and had non-stop questions about America. In order to advance in his job, he said he had to improve his knowledge about America and our language. He asked if I knew of a book like the one I had envisioned. His disappointment showed when I shook my head no. He then asked if he could e-mail me more questions about my country. Much to his delight I nodded yes. That was it. His infectious dedication became my dedication to start this book.

I not only wanted my book to enlighten those who merely have a curious interest about the world’s last remaining superpower, but also to help further the personal lives of those who have dealings with Americans, either in the U.S. or abroad, like my new friend. Perhaps one day one of the school girls in white.

I learned other lessons from that visit. I assumed the Vietnamese still hated America for the devastation we wrought on their country four decades earlier, as did the French before us. We lost fifty-eight thousand soldiers. They lost millions. People were missing arms and legs. Buildings were still riddled with bullet holes. Twenty percent of the country had unexploded land mines that had killed 40,000 people since the war ended.

In spite all these losses, these same people—even those with missing limbs—were genuinely friendly to us Americans. The tour guide explained, “The war is long over. We have all moved on.” How nice it would be, I thought, if we all could follow the example set by these people. Maybe, just maybe, my book would help a little. More reasons for starting the book.

          Alone that night in the silence of the ship’s wood paneled library as we headed for Bangkok, I listed the objectives for my book that might someday be sitting on a foreigner’s bookshelf. Maybe in my tour guide’s hand. Here’s what I wrote.
 

           To serve the reader, this book must:

·     Be an easy-to-read, fun resource for those who want to learn what America is really like, in ways that will increase understanding between peoples, whether they reside in their native countries or come to live, play, work, or study in America.

·       Use simple language and sentences because English might be the reader’s second language. (I made a note to myself with our slang word “KISS” that means keep it simple, stupid.)

·       Use and explain slang words and sayings that foreigners might encounter and actually use themselves.

·     Provide some good honest explaining on my part about America and about foreigners with no sugar coating. (I made a note to myself using another one of our slang sayings: “Be a straight shooter.”)

·       Make the reader feel he or she is one-on-one with me, just as my young friend was in the park.

·       Provide comparisons of how we do things in the U.S. versus how they are done in other countries. I’ve learned from acting and teaching culture that comparisons are excellent learning tools.

·      Have “From A to Z” in the title to convey the broad scope of the book, yet group and condense the 26 most important aspects about America so they are easily understood.

·      Identify the true character and values of the American people. Discuss what’s on our minds today and how we compare to people in other countries.

·       Explain the underlying forces that helped mold our culture so others can understand the reasons why we are the way we are.

·      Provide practical tips for enhancing one’s daily experiences for those who visit or reside in America.

·      Provide additional learning tools such as the names of recommended books, magazines, newspapers, films, and Internet sites.

·      Explain how readers can improve their English grammar and speech if they have that need. Their ability to do this will enhance the image they project to Americans and other Westerners and perhaps further their chances for success.

·      Provide important information for the millions of foreign students who attend school in the U.S. Explain our admission process and how they can improve their experience once here.

·      Discuss our business environment for those who work for an American employer here or abroad, or for those who want to start a business or get a job in the U.S.

·       Encourage readers by introducing them to many of America’s leaders and achievers who have come from other countries.

·      Provide pictures to further illustrate topics and make the reader feel at home.

 I also reflected on a discussion I had with an American executive I sat next to on my flight to Asia where I was to board the cruise ship. He was in charge of overseas operations for a major U.S. corporation and lamented the difficulty he had teaching American business concepts to his foreign managers because of differing cultures. I told him I was thinking about writing a book for foreigners that would include a few pages on business matters. He said he would definitely have them read it if I should write it, but he suggested I expand the scope of my discussion on business. He said this would make the book an even more valuable training aid that he could give to his foreign managers and executives. “Good hard facts,” he said, “culture, plus the big picture, plus the details so they understand the how and why of our business culture, something we keep trying and trying to drive home, but because of cultural differences, they just don’t get it and revert back to local customs.” I took his advice.

When I returned home, I began my A to Z book that would take two years to write. Halfway through my writing, research, and consultations with dozens of experts in some fields, a major overseas publisher acquired the book’s rights. I finally had the confirmation I wanted: What I was doing was indeed important. Another year and this undertaking would be finished and I knew it would be of help to that young Vietnamese tour guide and hopefully millions of others around the world.

----

That was the past. Today, this updated version of that book is for everyone around the world who wants to learn more about America. And that includes Americans! Even I learned a lot about America from the research I did.

The importance of understanding our culture and the subtleties of our difficult English language cannot be overstressed for those who deal with Americans. As you learn about our culture and language, you will become more comfortable and confident in your relations with us, and that just might lead to further success for you and perhaps indirectly for us, too.

           With this better understanding, we will all feel more positive and have mutual respect for one another. It has worked for my students and it will work for you.

            With all of our cultural differences though, you’ll be surprised to learn how much our countries—and we as human beings—have in common on this third rock from the sun called Earth. After all, the song played at our Disneyland parks around the world is “It’s A Small World After All.”

           Thanks for coming along on this journey with me. Thank you for allowing me to share my America with you. And thanks to all of you who shared your country with me.

Peace.
LJ

Photos Above: #1 Author at Giza right after the Arab Spring demonstrations in Tahrir Square
 

Metadata for Lance's A to Z

Contents
for
A to Z

Lance's Language and Culture Credentials

About the Author

      Born and raised in America, Lance Johnson has long been fascinated with the history and culture of America and foreign countries and how they differ. Having visited 49 of the 50 U.S. states and traveled in 81 countries, he’s learned among other things that the Black Sea, Red Sea, and the Blue Danube do not reflect those colors, and that Iceland might better be called Greenland and vice versa. He’s also learned how America and its people are perceived abroad both correctly and incorrectly. And how America’s perception of the rest of the world can vary, too.

A student of cultural differences, his travels also allow him to explore the difficulties foreigners face understanding American ways and language, and how that affects their success in dealing with us. He consults, teaches, and conducts seminars about the subjects in this book. He has an Ivy League graduate business degree and has studied at Oxford University in England.

The author and lecturer was a manager with an international management consulting firm and a corporate president for 26 years before taking up acting and writing. He now volunteers his services to nonprofit organizations and immigrants. He has appeared in movies, stage plays, national commercials, and TV dramas, including a lead American role in a 28-part China TV production.

As a second-generation American, he shares his love of history and culture with visitors at a leading museum of history where he is a docent. He also golfs and skis, adores his grandchildren, and plays with Malibu Barbie, his third Great Dane, and Max, his Bulldog-Pug mix. He has also mentored underprivileged youth.

His American heroes include American visionary presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt, and inventor Thomas Edison, all of whom had significant roles in the development of America and its culture as we know it today.

Equally important on his list are those foreigners who came to America and despite overwhelming discrimination, sacrifice, and deprivation contributed to the rich history of the early settlement of America. The legacy of all these immigrants resides throughout America today.

Equation of life: Knowledge + Understanding +

Acceptance = A Better World for All. - Lance Johnson

Photo: Author at Yunnan Stone Forest outside Kunming, China

Excerpt
The Intro from a Chapter on
Language and Accent Reduction

           This is an excerpt from the book--the first page of Chapter Y that helps readers improve their English grammar. It was one of the first I wrote to share with my friends overseas and here at home, just as they have shared with me. 

Chapter Y
LET’S USE BETTER ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject.
- Thomas Mann (20th century author)

The purpose of this chapter is to identify typical grammar problems foreigners have with English and how they can overcome these stumbling blocks. In order to do this, it is necessary to discuss our basic rules of grammar. Grammar defines how the various components of a language are used correctly. In Chapter Z – Let’s Speak Better English, we deal with how you can become a more effective English speaker. The two chapters go hand in hand.

Correct use of grammar will help you better communicate with Americans and you will improve the image you create for yourself. This is important for those foreigners who deal with Americans, or if English is used in their country like India. But, even as some Asian Indians are learning (and I discovered there), though they think they know English, they still have problems communicating with Americans.

As you may know, English grammar rules are full of generalities and the generalities are full of exceptions. Even the exceptions have exceptions. This is why English is one of the most difficult languages to master. In fact, a recent European study discovered that most children master the basic elements of their language within a year or less of starting primary school. However, English speaking children require two to three years of learning to reach the same level. Why? It is believed the difficulty is created by the complex syllable structure (a single-sound unit in our words) and the inconsistent spelling system of English, both of which we address in this and the next chapter.

Hint: In the interest of simplifying a complex subject, advanced English speakers may not find all the exceptions in our language discussed in this chapter. The focus is on general rules, not on all possibilities, in order to identify and explain common errors made by foreigners. For those seeking all possibilities, they should obtain an advanced book on English grammar.

Most of my foreign friends and students who speak English as a second language (ESL) have either studied the language in their countries, have taken English classes in America, or done both. Most of them have an understanding of our grammar rules, but still have problems making their sentences grammatically correct. I even found this true with the teachers of English I taught in China. Part of the problem is foreigners do not have the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom or from books by speaking English to native English speakers. So, they might do well on basic grammar tests as my teacher-students did, but stumble when actually trying to assemble what they have learned about grammar and actually using it.

You will become a better writer and speaker using this chapter, even if you think you have sufficient knowledge of our grammar. Please keep an open mind and don’t skip over it. Also, because of the chapter’s linear organization, please take your time and understand one section before going on to the next.

Praise
for
A to Z

Lance's Growing
Online Articles and Appearances

Lance is a guest blogger for author Aaron Lazar: "Genesis of a Book to Help Foreigners Understand Crazy America."
~

Review from award-winning author Leora Skolkin-Smith.

~

Featured author at Book 'Em Writers Conference, North Carolina, 2012. Online listing at http://bookemnc.net.

Please contract the author at info@AmericaAtoZ.com for articles, interviews, podcasts and other guest appearances. Please note he is an actor and voiceover professional.

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