Donal A. Carbaugh, Cultures in conversation. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005. Pp. xxvii, 149. $22.50.

Cultures in conversation examines intercultural interactions in Finland, Russia, and the United States. Drawing primarily on research in communications, the book presents selected case studies that highlight key “cultural symbols” and the communicative practices these make relevant. These include American beliefs about self-expression, Finnish “silence,” the Russian “soul,” and Blackfeet “spirit.” In each chapter, intercultural encounters (e.g. Russian/American, Finnish/American, Blackfeet/White) are explained using a key concept. Both public and private interactions are covered, and the author himself features prominently as a participant in several of the examples. The transcripts of the encounters include ones drawn from fieldnotes, videotaped reenacted versions of earlier interactions, and broadcast media.