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Showing posts with the label Michael Booth

Blogging Anniversary - 10 years

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A while ago I checked when I did my first blog post, in order to celebrate with an anniversary post. Well, that day came and went without any reaction from me. Better late than never, so here a reminder of my very first blog post from 24 October 2012.  The book was New Finnish Grammar  by Diego Marani. Marani is an Italian novelist, translator and newspaper columnist. While working as a translator for the European Union he invented a language ‘Europanto’ which is a mixture of languages and based on the common practice of word-borrowing usage of many EU languages. It was a suitable book to start with, being a book about letters, languages and memories. With a beautiful prose, the novel went directly to my heart.  "One night at Trieste in September 1943 a seriously wounded soldier is found on the quay. The doctor, of a newly arrived German hospital ship, Pietri Friari gives the unconscious soldier medical assistance. His new patient has no documents or anything that can ide...
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The Almost Nearly Perfect People - Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia by Michael Booth

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This book was a gift from my husband! First of all the title is very appealing, and it is also interesting to read books about your own country, analysed by foreigners living there. Michael Booth is mainly a travel and cook-book writer, married to a Danish and have lived in Denmark for some years. This is a very witty and funny book to read, as well as interesting in finding out the characteristics of the Nordic people. Although one think that we are almost the same, there are actually huge differences in our approach to life. Having read this book, I am starting to believe that the differences are even bigger than I realised! Hmm… He starts in Denmark, continues with Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden. I must say that I did learn a few things I did not know about each of the countries and peoples, including Sweden. It might be that I have not lived in Sweden for over 30 years, so I am not anymore a typical Swede (although my husband still think I am! Which is probably why he boug...
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