In a series of open letters to an American friend named Sam, (or to be more precise, "Uncle Sam" as a metaphorical representation of all of our friends south of our Canadian border), Pierre Berton uses colourful examples from our history, our climate, and our geography to explain the vagaries of our national character. In short, he explains to his befuddled American buddy not only what it is to be a Canadian but "why we act like Canadians"!?If there were a position corresponding to "poet laureate" for historians or journalists, it's an odds on bet that Pierre Berton would be the man for Canada. His writing is easy going and emminently readable but at the same time it is scrupulously well researched and complete.?Recommended reading for any Canadian who would like a deeper understanding of the fundamental reasons for our typical behaviours and, in the spirit of fostering a higher degree of friendship and mutual understanding, it ought to be mandatory reading for all students in the USA.