Ian Moore is a well-traveled and exceptional individual. Born in London, England to Jamaican and English parents; Ian received his own culture shock as a young man. As a way to deal with it, he traveled Europe, the Middle East and West Africa. After extensively traveling the world, Mr. Moore elected to settle in Oakland, California in 1981 where he presently resides.

Ian Moore produces a weekly cable show (coincidentally called, “Culture Shock News”) and broadcasts a weekly radio program of the same name.

In America: Culture Shock, Ian Moore has summoned all his memories of past adventures in travel -- memories from the days of a young man exploring the world to his return to America. Ian speaks to us of world diversity that spans the globe. He explains the price of greed and in poetic form; the land once possessed.

One of the many unique parts of the book was the “Culture Shock Interviews.” They were transcripts of a 1993 news show the author did. He interviewed eight people from different lands and cultures. In this interview he gets their reaction to their culture shock experiences in America.

From a Puerto Rican writer to an Afro-American journalist, each voices their thoughts. According to Ian, culture shock has many symptoms and five stages. He explains this in Part III, “The ABC’s of Culture Shock.” Along with this he also goes into such things as “Surviving Culture Shock” and “Cultural Training.”

Part IV deals with “Cultural Adjustment in the USA” and the last part, part V, is an ironic description of “The Benefits of Culture Shock.”

“America: Culture Shock” is an interesting and diversified volume of poetry and prose. It is written with many contributions from existing work which the author has blended into a melting pot of experience. He takes all things from all people and gives the reader a view from their perspective. “America: Culture Shock” is interesting and easy to read. It is worth looking at from the standpoint of outside opinion. How the rest of the world perceives us in the grand scheme of things. I considered “America: Culture Shock” worth the time and gave it a B+. Not something I would go out of my way for, but the book is informative and enlightening.

William Phenn for Reader Views

Author Biography

Ian C. Dawkins Moore

Ian C. Moore, writer and video producer, was born in London, England, of Jamaican and English parents. As a way to deal with the culture shock in his own up-bringing he traveled, visiting many European countries as well as the Middle East and West Africa.

His unique eclectic perspective makes the essays in this book both humorous and thought provoking. He writes in a prose poetry style inviting dialog. He shares his views on what he has learned from all of his travels and includes some very funny advice and words of wisdom.

Based in Oakland, California, USA, since 1981, Mr. Moore produces a weekly cable show (Channel 26 @ 10:30pm) called CULTURE SHOCK NEWS – Meeting the Challenge of the Next Century. Culture Shock News can be viewed online at www.cultureshocknews.com/csn.

Mr. Moore also broadcasts a weekly radio program every Saturday between 2pm-4pm PST at www.jazzbeatradio.tv which is also called Culture Shock News. His live show features interviews with people from around the Bay Area and discussions about cultural change and getting the most out of the cultural diversity here in America.