All About Great Britain

George Saunders checks out the motherland.

"Britain is often said to be part of 'the United Kingdom,' along with several other countries, including England. Ireland is also nearby, and is considered part of Scotland, which, in turn, is adjacent to, and included in, a small country called Wales. To first-time visitors this can be confusing, especially when one learns that—paradoxically—France is considered by the British to be its very own nation! One finds oneself longing for the simplicity of America, where, for example, everyone understands that New York City is a city, that Cleveland is a state in either Ohio or Indiana, and that the Mississippi River, I'm pretty sure, does not run in any state other than Mississippi. Or city. I can't remember if Mississippi is a city or a ... Anyway, the point is, the American visitor to Britain can avoid all confusion by simply referring to his hosts and hostesses as 'you guys.'"

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