on March 14, 2010 by admin in Expats, Comments (5)
Leaving America: The New Expatriate Generation
Product Description
Today more than ever, large numbers of Americans are leaving the United States. It is estimated that by the end of the decade, some 10 million of the brightest and most talented Americans, representing an estimated $136 billion in wages, will be living and working overseas. This emigration trend contradicts the internalized myth of America as the land of affluence, opportunity, and freedom. What is behind this trend? Wennersten argues that many people these days, from college students to retirees, are uncertain or ambivalent about what it means to be an American. For example, many are uncomfortable with that they believe America has come to represent to the rest of the world. At the same time, globalization and advances in technology have enabled the growth of a telecommuting work force whose members can live in one country and work in another, and this trend, among other factors, has encouraged a new generation of people to respond to the pull of global citizenship.
Leaving America is an important reexamination of one of the most central stories in the history of American culture—the story of the immigrant coming to the Promised Land. While millions still come to America and millions more still wish to do so, there is an important counterflow of emigration from America to distant parts of the planet. This book focuses on modern American expatriates as a significant and heretofore largely ignored counterpoint phenomenon every bit as central to understanding modern America as is the image of a nation of immigrants. The greatest irony in America today may well be that while argument and discord prevail in the edifice of American democracy about diversity, economic justice, equality, and the Iraq War, many of the most thoughtful citizens have already left the building.
Leaving America: The New Expatriate Generation
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Tags: America, american expatriates, emigration, Expatriate, Generation, Iraq, land, Leaving, talented americans, thoughtful citizens, trend, United States
William M. Holton
March 15, 2010 @ 12:44 am
This book is a must-read if you are thinking about working or living in a foreign country, or if you are dreaming about a “better life” overseas. A real, no-holds-barred, honest look at the good and not-so-good consequences of life as an expatriate. As they say in that famous TV commercial, “Don’t leave home without it!”
Rating: 5 / 5
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Robert S. Pohl
March 15, 2010 @ 3:15 am
John Wennersten’s book ‘Leaving America’ is a great book for those seeking to understand the current wave of emigration from the United States, a wave contrary to the arc of history of this country.
Wennersten weaves together anecdotes, data, and discussion to not only explain what is going on, but to give suggestions to anyone thinking of finding a new life in another country.
Well-written, and with copious resources and sources at the back, this book is a great introduction to an important topic.
Rating: 5 / 5
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Bookish Brunette
March 15, 2010 @ 6:01 am
All info beyond Ch.1 can be accessed online for free on popular expatriate sites. None of the information provided was new to anyone who’s already done their research in seeking foreign opportunities for travel, study and employment, especially considering the few countries the book was interested in discussing in any real detail were the “new typical” roster of nations: New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Japan and China. There were token mentions of a couple of countries in South America and a couple more in Central America for those who already have money who are seeking a place to retire and spend it.
This book limited its scope to being nothing more than an inspirational but superficial guide for the middle-class to head overseas. It even included stripping and “entertaining men” in Tokyo among its listing of “expat adventures.” Ugh. Takes a kid from middle- to upper-class comforts, protected by their parents’ safety net, to consider bartending in a foreign nation a good way to “get ahead” and “stay above the curve” during these competitive times.
Sadly enough, the author tossing out these suggestions isn’t some naive gap student toying with foreign ideas but a much-traveled Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland. *shakes head* I expect better than this from a man of his position.
His mention of go-go dancing in Tokyo was even further useless in that it didn’t offer any explanation on how an American girl might go about it, leaving the inexperienced to very likely be taken advantage of due to naive, wishful thinking and dreams of easy money (he claims their earnings are up to $700 in a day, saying that girls can earn more in a summer there than in a year working in the U.S.). What’s up with a professor encouraging college age women to pole-dance in Asia anyway? Creepy.
All in all, I’d say this book was a waste of $31. Thumbs down. Wait for it to come available at your local library. We’re better off sticking with the information already out there since this book likely won’t be of much help to anyone who’s already familiarized him or herself, even to a small extent, with international travel.
Rating: 2 / 5
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PG
June 13, 2010 @ 10:02 am
This phenomena is not just American , its happening to the UK and Europe , and a lot are heading for Asia . From what I hear its often not for a better quality of life , as in Asia the quality of life is not better , but people are fed up with the governmantal systems in place in their country , and the reputation the country has in the world .
As an example , I started early leaving the UK for France in 1972 , and now living in Singapore and Malaysia . I have the feeling , like a lot of people that the business and political systems have derailed in the West , and a major change is necessary .
As a counterbalance , things are no better in Asia , most countries have authoritarian regimes , and are very undemocratic and even racist , work conditions etc are abismal , and the major deficit is in ideas , new technologies and research , Asia will go nowhere without it . Asia also will have to have a major revamp of its political and business systems .
The biggest critisism of Asia and a lot of so called developing countries , lack of social and ecological protection , almost 50 years behind the rest of the world .
Without a major revamp of the world financial , business and political systems things will not change , and people will be no better off being an expat.
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David
July 14, 2010 @ 7:52 pm
Canada is so back logged with Americans trying to get in.
only the rich and the well educated are chosen for entree
300,000+ Americans leave each year they comprise mostly of the richest and most educated. how does a country deal with these kinds of losses to the tax system? since it is these people that pay 40% of the taxes in America
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