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The almost nearly perfect people : behind the myth of the Scandinavian utopia / Michael Booth.

by Booth, Michael.

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Scandinavia -- Civilization -- 21st century.

Scandinavia -- Social conditions -- 21st century.

Scandinavia -- Social life and customs -- 21st century.

9781250061966 (hc.)

1250061962 (hc.)

Alternate title:

Perfect people : behind the myth of the Scandinavian utopia

First U.S. edition.

viii, 388 pages : map ; 22 cm

Reprint. Originally published: London : Jonathan Cape, 2015, c2014.

Includes index.

Denmark -- Iceland -- Norway -- Finland -- Sweden.

"Journalist Michael Booth has lived among the Scandinavians for more than ten years, and he has grown increasingly frustrated with the rose-tinted view of this part of the world offered up by the Western media. In this book he leaves his adopted home of Denmark and journeys to all five Nordic countries to discover who these curious tribes are, the secrets of their success, and, most intriguing of all, what they think of one another. Why are the Danes so happy, despite having the highest taxes? Do the Finns really have the best education system? Are the Icelanders as feral as they sometimes appear? How are the Norwegians spending their fantastic oil wealth? And why do all of them hate the Swedes? Michael Booth explains who the Scandinavians are, how they differ and why, and what their quirks and foibles are, and he explores why these societies have become so successful and models for the world. Along the way a more nuanced, often darker picture emerges of a region plagued by taboos, characterized by suffocating parochialism, and populated by extremists of various shades. They may very well be almost nearly perfect, but it isn't easy being Scandinavian"--Provided by publisher.

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