Sweden: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

by Charlotte DeWitt

Don't just see the sights—get to know the people.

Sweden is a strikingly beautiful country with a reverence for the natural environment. Its extremes in geography, climate, and history have given rise to a population that values honesty, self-sufficiency, and harmony. Swedes are a rights-driven, modern, and tech-savvy people who also retain a deep respect for their own cultural legacy. A good background knowledge of the beliefs and values that make up the Swedish way of life will prove invaluable for anyone hoping to do more than just scratch the surface.

Culture Smart! Sweden offers insights into the lives and personalities of the Swedes today, along with tips on socializing, communication, and how to make the most of your time there.

Have a richer and more meaningful experience abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on history, values, attitudes, and traditions will help you to better understand your hosts, while tips on etiquette and communicating will help you to navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Genres: Travel, Cultural, Nonfiction, Reference, Sweden

168 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

These Culture Smart editions are always fun to read: brief but informative, giving you just the right amount of introduction to a new culture. This one concentrates, and rightly so, on Sweden's reputation as one of those rare places that holds to traditions while also creating a model modern society. One question: When does the next plane for Stockholm depart?

[Lauren Fairbanks · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m serving a mission in sweden in a few months, and i read this book to try and help me prepare. i felt it was pretty informative. it’s hard for me to say how accurate it is as i haven’t been to sweden yet, but it seemed to be well researched. it had some interesting facts and provided a lot of useful links and resources.

[Mark Zodda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well done brief look at Sweden, its people and culture. I wish I had this book quite a long time ago when I met my Swedish wife, but better late than never. Even though I've been in Sweden many times, I found a lot to learn from this primer. Somewhat British centric, it still provided a lot of interesting information on the people, the culture and the country. Recommended.

[Johan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book by chance, and it provides a wealth of information on Swedish culture and customs. It’s highly recommended for anyone planning to visit the Kingdom of Sweden, offering valuable insights into the country’s traditions and way of life

[Correen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise, factual, easy to understand, and appears to be very useful. I will carry it with me when I travel there.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book, just enough information.

[Awallens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware
of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport
with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and
develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.
I am so glad Bookshare has acquired so many of these books from this series. There is also another series on there, if I am not mistaken. These are short little books on different cultures. I always am interested in different cultures so this is perfect for the curious, like me. I will definitely be picking up more in this series.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the subtitle suggests, this is "a quick guide to customs & etiquette." It seems to be designed primarily for business travelers, but even though I don't fit into that category, I found it very interesting. It has a lot more information about social systems, living in Sweden, customs, and so forth than travel books.

[Sonja Isaacson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was good and helpful and quick to read through, but might be a little outdated. I think If we were staying longer and actually tried to be social or I got a job there, this would be worth re-reading. It did seem to keep re-hitting the same couple points. But I felt this was a good book and I would expect other items in the series to be worth-while as well.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in preparation for my upcoming trip to Stockholm. I found Swedish culture to be really interesting and I was even more convinced that I'd love Sweden.

Now to find a Swedish man so I can immigrate to the country!

[Kelsey Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting. I learned quite a lot about their culture.