The Americanization of Edward Bok 3. Đây là một cuốn sách rất ý nghĩa, dễ đọc và hàm chứa nhiều bài học hay về phong cách sống, về quản trị cuộc đời. Có những bài học có thể áp dụng cho cuộc sống hiện tại của mình. Đặc biệt là câu chuyện kể về việc Edward đã thành công như thế nào khi nỗ lực xây dựng tuần báo The Ladies Home Journal và những bài học về cách tạo dựng cuộc sống cho riêng mình: Hãy đơn giản hóa mọi khó khăn, nghiêm khắc với bản thân, quyết tâm. | Well I have some right here then and going to a drawer in a desk he took out a bundle of letters and cut out the postage-stamps and gave them to the boy. There s one from the Netherlands. There s where I was born Edward ventured to say. In the Netherlands Then you are a real Dutchman. Well Well he said laying down his pen. Can you read Dutch The boy said he could. Then said the poet you are just the boy I am looking for. And going to a bookcase behind him he brought out a book and handing it to the boy he said his eyes laughing Can you read that It was an edition of Longfellow s poems in Dutch. Yes indeed said Edward. These are your poems in Dutch. That s right he said. Now this is delightful. I am so glad you came. I received this book last week and although I have been in the Netherlands I cannot speak or read Dutch. I wonder whether you would read a poem to me and let me hear how it sounds. So Edward took The Old Clock on the Stairs and read it to him. The poet s face beamed with delight. That s beautiful he said and then quickly added I mean the language not the poem. Now he went on I ll tell you what we ll do we ll strike a bargain. We Yankees are great for bargains you know. If you will read me The Village Blacksmith you can sit in that chair there made out of the wood of the old spreading chestnut-tree and I ll take you out and show you where the old shop stood. Is that a bargain Edward assured him it was. He sat in the chair of wood and leather and read to the poet several of his own poems in a language in which when he wrote them he never dreamed they would ever be printed. He was very quiet. Finally he said It seems so odd so very odd to hear something you know so well sound so strange. It s a great compliment though isn t it sir asked the boy. Ye-es said the poet slowly. Yes yes he added quickly. It is my boy a very great compliment. Ah he said rousing himself as a maid appeared that means luncheon or rather he added it means dinner for we have dinner .
