America

From a British point of view. Here is a rather wonderful report from Justin Webb, who for the past seven years has been the BBC's North American editor and is now returning to Britain.

The immensity of America, the energy and the zest for life remind me sometimes of India. And as with India, where I spent some time for the BBC many moons ago, America shines a light on the entire human condition.

Few other nations really do. Italy reveals truths about Italians, Afghanistan about Afghans, Fiji about Fijians. But America speaks to the whole of humanity because the whole of humanity is represented here; our possibilities and our propensities.

Read the whole thing. It's sympathetic, sometimes acerbic, humorous, and fairly tough.