'It was as if the group members were desperate to express their sympathy for and solidarity with the people of Britain.'

Helen Angove reflects on how US citizens reacted to two major events in July: the London bombings and the launch of the sixth Harry Potter book

There are two British phenomena that have been making the headlines here in the States over the last month or so.

The first, of course, is the London bombings. Although a very different form of attack, it took people straight back to the events of 9/11.

One of my friends had been living in New York at the time, and on several occasions she has talked about what it was like to be there.

When I saw her the day after the London bombings she was clearly deeply upset and re-living the emotions of four years ago.

I mentioned my sister having to walk home from work when the Tube was closed - and, nearly in tears, she recalled the tidal wave of survivors making its way home from Ground Zero on foot.

Not wanting to seem insensitive to the appalling reality of what happened in New York on that day, I once or twice said 'I know it's not on the same scale' - only to be told, very firmly, that any act of terrorism is on the same scale.

Empathy

My friends seemed to be too concerned with feeling empathy with the people of London to engage in any weighing up of the comparative enormity of the terrorists' actions..

Ever since the attacks took place, people have been offering me their commiserations and asking me if any of my family or friends were involved (fortunately none were).

The morning of the first explosions, I went to my parenting group at church as usual, and was immediately enveloped in a blanket of love and concern. It was as if the group members were desperate to express their sympathy for and solidarity with the people of Britain, and I was the first available representative able to accept it.

People have also been vocal in their admiration for the way in which the people of Britain have refused to let these acts of terrorism affect their lives. I have to admit, I too have felt the faint stirrings of patriotic pride. In fact, an event like this is quite a strange thing to experience as an expat.

One suddenly realises that it does mean something to be a citizen of a particular country, and I discover that there is a certain pain that goes with living in a different country - and being apart from one's fellow citizens - during times of national stress.

At completely the other end of the spectrum in terms of seriousness, the second British phenomenon that has been big news here recently is the new Harry Potter book.

Light

Perhaps, even, recent events shed some light on one of the reasons why that might be. A comfortable, law-abiding society is thrown into disarray and fear by the violent actions of a secret and ruthless conspiracy in their midst. Ring any bells?

Be that as it may, it is good to know that it isn't only tragedies from the UK that make it into the American consciousness.

Everybody, but everybody has been reading it. For the first few days after the launch, everywhere I went people were asking if I'd read it yet, and comparing how far they'd got through it.

Once I had finished it, I found myself being dragged off into little cliques to discuss the book and compare theories about the next one. Even our church based its children's summer camp on a Harry Potter theme.

On the launch day itself I helped out with a Harry Potter event at the local library. After having made themselves a wand at Olivanders, been sorted into houses by the sorting hat, and hunted for the golden snitch, the children were passed on to me to hear the first chapter of the new book read to them in a Genuine British Accent.

I did my best - injecting as much drama into the text as I could - but after the excitement of everything else I couldn't really compete.

Changed

One thing I did like about the Half-Blood Prince, though, was the light touch with which it has been edited for the American market. Yes, the spellings have been changed, and the Philosopher's Stone has notoriously become the Sorcerer's Stone, but other than that it seems largely untouched.

It is a pet peeve of mine that when I buy American editions of books by British authors, I discover that trousers have become 'pants', pushchairs have become 'strollers' and cars have a 'trunk' instead of a boot.

An example that I consider an all-time low is in a recent Jasper Fforde book, when a character who lives in Swindon talks about buying something from Wal-Mart. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I am pretty sure there is no Wal-Mart within easy driving distance of Wiltshire, unlike its UK chain Asda.

Having grown up on a literary diet of 'Little Women' and 'What Katy Did', I had to figure out for myself that 'purses' were handbags and 'sidewalks' were pavements - and in doing so learnt something about the breadth and variety of the English language around the world, and the breadth and variety of cultures that go with it.

It seems a shame that for today's readers this is rarely any longer the case. But in the latest Harry Potter at least, trainers are still trainers not 'sneakers', and Ginny, thank heavens, rather than performing bat-'booger' hexes, still performs her famous bat-bogey hexes.

Helen Angove is a former Anglican priest from the UK who moved to California in July 2003.

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