We review the factors that have contributed to an increased use of American textbooks in higher education. These are (1) better knowledge of English as a second language, (2) the fact that English has become the lingua franca in science, (3) the conviction that from a certain proficiency level, learning in a second language is as easy as learning in the mother tongue, (4) the higher quality of American textbooks, and (5) the international mobility of students. We then review the disadvantages of exclusive reliance on American textbooks. They are: (1) the overestimation of L2 proficiency in students, (2) the high language switching costs that occur when studying has to be based on both L2 and L1 information, and (3) the loss of culture-specific information that is needed in later professional life. We end with a plea for more non-American high-quality textbooks so that lecturers have a wider choice, and a thoughtful consideration of the learning objectives when a textbook is selected.