The Ugly American
First edition cover | |
| Author | Eugene Burdick William Lederer |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Political fiction |
| Set in | Sarkhan |
| Published | 1958 by Norton |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 285 pp |
| OCLC | 287560 |
| 823.914 | |
| LC Class | PS3562.E3 |
The Ugly American is a 1958 political novel by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer that depicts the failures of the U.S. diplomatic corps in Southeast Asia.
The book caused a sensation in diplomatic circles and had major political implications. The Peace Corps was established during the Kennedy administration partly as a result of the book. The bestseller has remained continuously in print and is one of the most influential American political novels. It has been called an "iconic Cold War text."