The Almost Nearly Perfect People
Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia
Published on 12. February 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
416 pages
978-0-09-954607-8 (ISBN)
Description
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
'Beautifully observed and very funny' Rory Stewart
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
'Beautifully observed and very funny' Rory Stewart
Winner of the Best Narrative Travel Book Award from the British Guild of Travel Writers
Reviews / Votes
Comprehensive and occasionally downright hilarious... I was laughing out loud -- Mariella Frostrup * Observer * An affectionate and informative study of a region. -- Ian Critchley * Sunday Times * [An] entertaining, warts-and-all, English expat look at the Nordic miracle. * Daily Telegraph * A thoroughly entertaining read, written brilliantly -- Bernard Porter * Literary Review * A welcome rejoinder to those who cling to the idea of the Nordic region as a promised land...the substance, more often than not, is spot on. * Financial Times * Every page contains at least one extraordinary fact about one or other of the Nordic countries. -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday * Booth is an assiduous excavator of entertaining facts. -- Damian Whitworth * The Times * An enjoyable, funny romp through the region...[Booth's] enthusiasm is contagious. * Telegraph * Booth does what the British do well. He writes irresistibly, ranging freely from serious, documented reportage to surprising conclusions... Simply a pleasure to read - 5 stars * Berlingske * You get cleverer by reading him... funny and insightful - 4 stars * Jyllands Posten *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 123 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
286 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-09-954607-8 (9780099546078)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
02/2014
1st Edition
Vintage Digital
€10.99
Available for download
Person
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.