Saunders on England
The inimitable George Saunders, whose The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil is out in the UK, describes his first visit in England, a place he finds somewhat confusing:
“One finds oneself longing for the simplicity of America, where, for example, everyone understands that New York City is a city, that Cleveland is a state in either Ohio or Indiana, and that the Mississippi River, I’m pretty sure, does not run in any state other than Mississippi. Or city. I can’t remember if Mississippi is a city or a … Anyway, the point is, the American visitor to Britain can avoid all confusion by simply referring to his hosts and hostesses as “you guys.”
More here.