29 JULY 2000, Page 24

Anti-American?

From Mr D. Raby Sir: On the QE2 the other day I met an American. Impossible not to, really. He was not a happy bunny: couldn't wait to get safely home to America. What he does for a living I don't know, but apparently it involved living in Florence for ten months as his base for Europe, which didn't sound much of a hardship. Opening up a little towards the end of a pleasant and con- vivial dinner, he asked, 'Sir, can you tell me why Americans are so universally disliked?'

I wonder how your readers would have answered?

D. Raby

Storrington, West Sussex