Cynthia Sheppard is an award winning writer, and published author of the book Nationality: The Essence of Being American. Although it is not a book that I would recommend reading for a high school or college student, it is a fun book that provides excellent insights into human nature and nationality. In this book, you will learn how to spot someone who is not like you, how to relate to others, and how to avoid making costly mistakes. It will help you to understand your own identity, as well as what you believe about yourself, your family, your nation and the world in general.
If you do not already know, Nationality, by Cynthia Sheppard, is about how identity works. Sheppard begins with a premise that has always puzzled me; how can we tell another person’s nationality when we ourselves cannot tell our own nationality? This premise is answered through a series of examples throughout the text. These examples illustrate how identity works in everyday human life. You will also learn how to spot a fake national or a national character by their actions, characteristics, and habits.
Another interesting aspect to Nationality: The Essence of Being American is how identity works in the workplace. This is an important topic in today’s society, where different nationalities compete for jobs and social status. It shows how if you know your nationalities, you can leverage that knowledge by applying it in the workplace. Additionally, by listening to real life examples, such as employees of large corporations, you will be able to pick up on traits that are shared by many of your future co-workers, thus making you a more diverse group of individuals to team with and work with.