6 MAY 2000, Page 28

American horrors

From Mr Philip Huber Sir: Frank Johnson (Shared opinion, 29 April) writes that he and the world associ- ate America with baseball caps worn back to front, slasher movies, McDonald's, hand- guns and boring women. He fails to men- tion Coca-Cola, obesity, big noses, Mickey Mouse and clammy hands. Also, the sparsi- ty of scholars in America is even worse than he suggests. There are in fact only three confirmed scholars in America, and one of them is in hiding.

Philip Huber

10 Fitzroy Road, London NW1