A Throttled Peacock

C.W. Smith's essays take a droll look at the antics of Europeans at home and Americans abroad. In an Oxford lecture hall, a mayor wearing a flamboyant ceremonial necklace sets off Smith's meditation on the English love of tradition; in Geneva, Smith learns that a companion with whom you travel can be your best friend or your worst enemy; in an ancient French village, Smith learns that pride can lead to hubris when he and his wife introduce multi-national tourists to Texas chili. With an underlying theme of misperception and the surprise of upended expectations, these essays form a singular vision that entertains even as they slyly instruct.