Writing about culture — Library — Austin Woerner's Memory Palace

In this personal essay from The New Yorker, novelist Yiyun Li writes about adjusting to cultural differences when she first comes to the United States.

yiyun-li-a-clean-well-ligAustin WoernerMarch 12, 2020Yiyun Li, Creative Nonfiction, Memoir, Writing about culture, Chinese writers in English

Hofstede, Hofstede, and Minkov, "Cultures and Organizations"

A sweeping study of cultural differences between the world’s societies that attempts to explain these differences in terms of different “cultural dimensions.”

hofstede-cultures-and-orgAustin WoernerFebruary 24, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture, Books

Rebekah Nathan, "My Freshman Year"

Pretending to be a student, anthropologist Rebekah Nathan goes “undercover” to research the culture of American undergraduates.

nathan-my-freshman-yearAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture

Chinese Stuff

An illustrated catalog of everyday Chinese objects, with brief essays on their cultural significance.

chinese-stuffAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture

Harry Collis, "101 American Customs"

A lighthearted introduction to American customs and habits, written for learners of English and newcomers to the United States.

collis-101-american-custoAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture

Christian Lander, "Stuff White People Like"

This satirical collection pokes fun at the typical tastes and habits of younger white, middle-class, educated Americans.

lander-stuff-white-peopleAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture

Han Shaogong, A Dictionary of Maqiao

A novel in the form of a dictionary, this book paints a portrait of the village of Maqiao through short “entries” documenting local phrases and customs.

han-shaogong-a-dictionaryAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture

Yu Hua, "China in Ten Words"

Novelist Yu Hua (author of “To Live”) attempts to capture the cultural complexities of modern Chinese society in ten essays on important cultural “keywords.”

yu-hua-china-in-ten-wordsAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture

Boye Lafayette De Mente, "The Chinese Have a Word for It"

Sinologist Boye Lafayette De Mente attempts to capture the features of the Chinese psyche in short essays on culturally specific and difficult-to-translate words.

de-mente-the-chinese-haveAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture

Kathy Flower, "Culture Smart: China"

A pocket guide to Chinese culture and customs, intended for foreigners visiting or residing in China.

flower-culture-smart-chinAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture, Culture guides

Hu, Zhuang, and Grove, "Encountering the Chinese"

An in-depth analysis of Chinese habits, customs, values, and communication styles, written by scholars of intercultural communication.

hu-zhuang-grove-encounter, culture guidesAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture, Culture guides

Gary Althen and Janet Bennet, "American Ways"

A guide to American culture and habits of daily life, written for visitors to the United States.

althen-and-bennett-americAustin WoernerJanuary 6, 2019EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture, Culture guides

Lin Yutang, My Country and My People

Written in 1935, My Country and My People is Lin Yutang's magisterial introduction to Chinese society and culture, and remains a classic today. Lin subsequently translated the book into Chinese as 《吾国与吾民》.

lin-yutang-my-country-andAustin WoernerDecember 24, 2018EAP102 Spring 2019, Writing about culture, Culture guides

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