The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia
Feb 2014 · Random House
4.3star
18 reviewsreport
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416
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About this ebook
The Danes are the happiest people in the world, and pay the highest taxes.
'Neutral' Sweden is one of the biggest arms manufacturers in the world.
Finns have the largest per capita gun ownership after the US and Yemen.
54 per cent of Icelanders believe in elves.
Norway is the richest country on earth.
5 per cent of Danish men have had sex with an animal.
Michael Booth has lived among the Scandinavians, on and off, for over ten years, perplexed by their many strange paradoxes and character traits and equally bemused by the unquestioning enthusiasm for all things Nordic and hygge that has engulfed the rest of the world.
He leaves his adopted home of Denmark and embarks on a journey through all five of the Nordic countries to discover who these curious tribes are, the secrets of their success and, most intriguing of all, what they think of each other. Along the way a more nuanced, often darker picture emerges of a region plagued by taboos, characterised by suffocating parochialism and populated by extremists of various shades.
'The next Bill Bryson.’ New York Times
Winner of the Best Narrative Travel Book Award from the British Guild of Travel Writers
'Neutral' Sweden is one of the biggest arms manufacturers in the world.
Finns have the largest per capita gun ownership after the US and Yemen.
54 per cent of Icelanders believe in elves.
Norway is the richest country on earth.
5 per cent of Danish men have had sex with an animal.
Michael Booth has lived among the Scandinavians, on and off, for over ten years, perplexed by their many strange paradoxes and character traits and equally bemused by the unquestioning enthusiasm for all things Nordic and hygge that has engulfed the rest of the world.
He leaves his adopted home of Denmark and embarks on a journey through all five of the Nordic countries to discover who these curious tribes are, the secrets of their success and, most intriguing of all, what they think of each other. Along the way a more nuanced, often darker picture emerges of a region plagued by taboos, characterised by suffocating parochialism and populated by extremists of various shades.
'The next Bill Bryson.’ New York Times
Winner of the Best Narrative Travel Book Award from the British Guild of Travel Writers
Ratings and reviews
4.3
18 reviews
Henri Welling
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September 1, 2014
Quite entertaining stories, anecdotes, and statistics tidbits. But it drags on a bit too long in parts-especially in the section on Sweden, which was the most boring of the 5 countries, oh, wait-what does that say of the Swedes? Actually, some of the conclusions, which the author end up with are similar, but he is the author, so I suppose he has the right to conclude what he wants to. All in all, a fun book to read.
1 person found this review helpful
A Google user
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June 2, 2018
Still currently reading this book but have learnt so much already. It's a
fantastic insight into the Scandinavian people and their way of life ,which
seems far more fun than living in the rest of Europe .
Philip Jones
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July 23, 2018
Informative plus funny
About the author
Michael Booth is the author of six books, including the international bestseller, The Almost Nearly Perfect People, winner of the British Guild of Travel Writers award for Book of the Year, and Sushi and Beyond, which won the Guild of Food Writers award.
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