本书较客观地阐述了美国的建立及其社会的组成、各历史阶段的政治、文化、种族、宗教、家庭、娱乐、运动等情况，对这个年轻的国家作了较详细的介绍。 本书不仅是英语专业本科生必修课程的教材，也是对美国社会与文化感兴趣的读者特别值得推荐的读本。

Chapter One System of Government............................................001
Chapter Two Constitution and the Amendments.........................021
Chapter Three Political Parties and Interest Groups......................039
Chapter Four Campaigns and Elections........................................063
Chapter Five The Federal Judiciary..............................................083
Chapter Six Domestic Economy..................................................103
Chapter Seven Social Welfare .........................................................121
Chapter Eight Immigration and Diversity......................................141
Chapter Nine Race and Ethnicity...................................................165
Chapter Ten Religion....................................................................189
Chapter Eleven Education.................................................................207
Chapter Twelve Print Media .............................................................225
Chapter Thirteen Electronic Media......................................................249
Chapter Fourteen The Film Industry....................................................269
Chapter Fifteen History of the United States ...................................285
Chapter Sixteen American Foreign Policy..........................................309
Appendixes Selected Documents of American History..............327

王建平，中国人民大学外国语学院英语系教授、博士生导师，世界美国学会（ASA）理事; 中华美国学会理事; 美国研究联络会（ASN）理事。研究方向：美国文学与文化、当代西方文化批评。著有《当代西方文论》，《全球化与世纪之交的中美关系》，《美国战后中国学》等。