As you have traveled, whether for pleasure, business, or governmental diplomacy, how many times have you said, "If I had only known?"

Knowledge is sometimes all that stands between failure and success of any foreign endeavor. A lack of knowledge, no matter how insignificant, can lead to failure.

As to international business, a knowledge of product and American business practice alone is not enough. You must have the ability to grasp how you and your interests are viewed through a totally different worldview lens.

Learning about another culture often seems overwhelming, but it need not be. "Beautifying the Ugly American" provides a model for understanding any other culture more efficiently.

For more than 30 years Dr. Post has been a consultant to corporations of many sizes, helping create strategies for such companies as Radian Corporation, Waste Management Internationl, Thermon Manufacturing, and many others.

In Beautifying the Ugly American, Dr. Post arms you with the "know how" to quickly sketch the basic features of another culture. This approach is extremely useful for anyone planning to work or travel abroad, whether government official, businessman, or tourist.

The book is a useful supplement to international business courses, ethnic and racial diversity studies, and all other social and behavioral science courses having a cross-cultural component.