A fascinating figure, the thinker who came to be known as George Santayana was born in Spain, but grew up in the United States. During his formal training in philosophy, Santayana studied under some of the foremost figures of his era, including William James. In the volume Character and Opinion in the United States, the author calls upon his dual status as both a long-time American and a cultural outsider to offer keen insights into the workings of American culture.