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Swiss Watching: Inside the Land of Milk and Money
'A great subject for a cultural anthropologist and Bewes is a perfect guide' Financial Times, Book of the Year
A brand new edition of the international bestseller, with new sections on the Swiss elections, the Swiss citizenship test and how Brexit has affected Switzerland.
One country, four languages, 26 cantons, and 7.5 million people (but only 80% of them Swiss): there's nowhere else in Europe like it. Switzerland may be hundreds of miles away from the nearest drop of seawater, but it is an island at the center of Europe. Welcome to the landlocked island.
Swiss Watching is a fascinating journey around Europe's most individual and misunderstood country. From seeking Heidi and finding the best chocolate to reliving a bloody past and exploring an uncertain future, Diccon Bewes proves that there's more to Switzerland than banks and skis, francs and cheese. This book dispels the myths and unravels the true meaning of Swissness.
A brand new edition of the international bestseller, with new sections on the Swiss elections, the Swiss citizenship test and how Brexit has affected Switzerland.
One country, four languages, 26 cantons, and 7.5 million people (but only 80% of them Swiss): there's nowhere else in Europe like it. Switzerland may be hundreds of miles away from the nearest drop of seawater, but it is an island at the center of Europe. Welcome to the landlocked island.
Swiss Watching is a fascinating journey around Europe's most individual and misunderstood country. From seeking Heidi and finding the best chocolate to reliving a bloody past and exploring an uncertain future, Diccon Bewes proves that there's more to Switzerland than banks and skis, francs and cheese. This book dispels the myths and unravels the true meaning of Swissness.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
411 people are currently reading
1902 people want to read
About the author
Diccon Bewes
16 books52 followersDiccon Bewes was a British-Swiss author who wrote several books about the culture, society and history of his adopted home of Switzerland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
July 30, 2012
I started this book while I was in Switzerland and finished it a few days after getting home. I thought he did a really good job of mixing the history of the country with his own experiences and opinions. I certainly found some truth to his observations, and he is pretty funny too. Favorite lines...
"German words such as Unabhangigkeitserklarungen are not words, they are alphabetical processions."
Explaining that a Swiss man invented Velcro and "ended up changing the world of children's trainers and strippers' trousers."
When talking about visiting a dairy in Emmental where "It's like sticking your nose into someone else's shoe."
When talking about a local transport system in Locarno: "Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi. Never mind what it means, all you need to know is that it's shortened to a four-letter acronym written in giant letters on the back of busses,m on timetables and stations. In Ticino, a FART goes a long way."
"In some ways this makes Switzerland as fictional as Heidi, a place that exists because its people believe in it. Like heaven, only more mountainous and with better public transport."
"There is no paradise on earth, but the land of milk and money comes close."
"German words such as Unabhangigkeitserklarungen are not words, they are alphabetical processions."
Explaining that a Swiss man invented Velcro and "ended up changing the world of children's trainers and strippers' trousers."
When talking about visiting a dairy in Emmental where "It's like sticking your nose into someone else's shoe."
When talking about a local transport system in Locarno: "Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi. Never mind what it means, all you need to know is that it's shortened to a four-letter acronym written in giant letters on the back of busses,m on timetables and stations. In Ticino, a FART goes a long way."
"In some ways this makes Switzerland as fictional as Heidi, a place that exists because its people believe in it. Like heaven, only more mountainous and with better public transport."
"There is no paradise on earth, but the land of milk and money comes close."
December 26, 2014
What a great book! I’d especially recommend it to Swiss people because of the “inside joke” feeling it will give you, but it’s such an enjoyable read that I think anyone will like it.
A big part of what made the book such an enjoyable read was the British Humour with which it was written; funny, witty, cheeky, sarcastic, yet always respectful.
I am Swiss by heritage and even though I’ve never lived in Switzerland, a lot of “Swiss Things” are on my radar and part of my daily consciousness because I grew up with aspects of the culture (and I understanding the language!)
The book is so on the mark about Swissness, I feel like you have been let in on a secret. If you are not Swiss (or don’t have a close friend who is) chances are none of these things will mean much to you, but if you are you’ll appreciate this book even more because it’ll remind you of all the Swiss things you like: Blick / Cervelat / “li” / Migros / Föhn / Coop / Rösti Ditch / Aromat / G.A. / Apenzeller / Handy / Frigor… and many more!
A big part of what made the book such an enjoyable read was the British Humour with which it was written; funny, witty, cheeky, sarcastic, yet always respectful.
I am Swiss by heritage and even though I’ve never lived in Switzerland, a lot of “Swiss Things” are on my radar and part of my daily consciousness because I grew up with aspects of the culture (and I understanding the language!)
The book is so on the mark about Swissness, I feel like you have been let in on a secret. If you are not Swiss (or don’t have a close friend who is) chances are none of these things will mean much to you, but if you are you’ll appreciate this book even more because it’ll remind you of all the Swiss things you like: Blick / Cervelat / “li” / Migros / Föhn / Coop / Rösti Ditch / Aromat / G.A. / Apenzeller / Handy / Frigor… and many more!
January 17, 2014
After reading this book, I feel like I could apply for Swiss nationality; I should be able to pass the exam easily!
Seriously, a great book filled with numerous and mostly interesting facts about Switzerland, many of which I didn’t know (or wouldn’t have been able to summarize this way) even after 10 years in this country. Diccon Bewes travelled all over the country, talked to all kinds of people and apparently did some intense historical and cultural research. Some of his views were too much Englishman living in Swiss-German area for being able to claim to be true for all of Switzerland and obviously, as a German woman living in French-speaking Switzerland, I could add and change a few things.
But mostly, even when writing about facts that I considered having nothing specifically to do with the Swiss, I just loved his clear and so funny way of analyzing and describing situations. He always adds a healthy portion of self-mockery, while keeping enough respect not to ridicule anybody (mostly, anyways). Regularly, I found myself heavily grinning in the bus or metro and even laughing out more than once.
Very much recommend it, especially to all expats living in this country, even to the Swiss themselves and to people considering moving to this “land of milk and money”.
Seriously, a great book filled with numerous and mostly interesting facts about Switzerland, many of which I didn’t know (or wouldn’t have been able to summarize this way) even after 10 years in this country. Diccon Bewes travelled all over the country, talked to all kinds of people and apparently did some intense historical and cultural research. Some of his views were too much Englishman living in Swiss-German area for being able to claim to be true for all of Switzerland and obviously, as a German woman living in French-speaking Switzerland, I could add and change a few things.
But mostly, even when writing about facts that I considered having nothing specifically to do with the Swiss, I just loved his clear and so funny way of analyzing and describing situations. He always adds a healthy portion of self-mockery, while keeping enough respect not to ridicule anybody (mostly, anyways). Regularly, I found myself heavily grinning in the bus or metro and even laughing out more than once.
Very much recommend it, especially to all expats living in this country, even to the Swiss themselves and to people considering moving to this “land of milk and money”.
January 14, 2013
This is almost required reading for non-Swiss residents of Switzerland, but I found it disappointingly shallow and not particularly insightful. The volume includes some light popular history, and a lot of descriptions of the author's trips around Switzerland. The descriptions are occasionally mildly amusing, but more often full of less than useful details. There is no overarching narrative, and reads like a random collection of snippets. For a book on Swiss culture, it contains very little discussion of culture, and a whole lot of stereotypical summary of Swiss habits and glib assumptions about Swiss "character." Serious readers will find the book more annoying than informative.
February 17, 2011
This book was okay. I really would only recommend it for someone who is moving to or is living in Switzerland as an expat. Even then, I would still caution anyone who reads it to keep an open mind beyond how the author describes things. After living in Switzerland for several months, all of the author's generalizations just aren't true.
March 20, 2023
Написана сухо и без никаква емоция.
July 21, 2010
Admittedly I’m not a fan of these types of books, no matter how informative (or not) a, say, Bill Bryson is, the person usurps the writing, and more often than not, that person comes across as a twat.
This book is hardly and exception.
Aside from random clichés and stereotypes (which, oddly, the writer shows his loathing for when one is used upon him), with such nonsense as “the Swiss are obsessed with” and “the Swiss love nothing more than”, other parts seem taken right from the writers imagination (red shoes _may_ have been a fad at the time of the writing (although I doubt it), but the Swiss certainly were not, let alone continue to be “obsessed” with them), while other situations are clearly exaggerated to extreme lengths.
Guffawing over words like “fahrt” and “wankdorf” and three Harry Potter references make one at times think the writer is 10 years old.
The writer also has too much of a religious fixation and his own “beliefs” are rather proudly worn and are evident all too often, most notable with misusing a term “anti-Darwinism” (about transportation, no less).
Closing out with some rubbish about “Swinglish”, of which there is no such thing, seems to be solely and area to slightly make fun of the way some Swiss speak English. Totally pointless.
Sadly an editor could have done some serious trimming, chiselling away the writer/personality of the book, and making way for other interesting things that were omitted. No mention of James Joyce? Or HR Giger (even when there is an Alien reference!).
All in all maybe worth a read as there is no other book like it, but better to just take a tour around the country and experience it for yourself. And leave the stereotypes and clichés on the bookshelf.
This book is hardly and exception.
Aside from random clichés and stereotypes (which, oddly, the writer shows his loathing for when one is used upon him), with such nonsense as “the Swiss are obsessed with” and “the Swiss love nothing more than”, other parts seem taken right from the writers imagination (red shoes _may_ have been a fad at the time of the writing (although I doubt it), but the Swiss certainly were not, let alone continue to be “obsessed” with them), while other situations are clearly exaggerated to extreme lengths.
Guffawing over words like “fahrt” and “wankdorf” and three Harry Potter references make one at times think the writer is 10 years old.
The writer also has too much of a religious fixation and his own “beliefs” are rather proudly worn and are evident all too often, most notable with misusing a term “anti-Darwinism” (about transportation, no less).
Closing out with some rubbish about “Swinglish”, of which there is no such thing, seems to be solely and area to slightly make fun of the way some Swiss speak English. Totally pointless.
Sadly an editor could have done some serious trimming, chiselling away the writer/personality of the book, and making way for other interesting things that were omitted. No mention of James Joyce? Or HR Giger (even when there is an Alien reference!).
All in all maybe worth a read as there is no other book like it, but better to just take a tour around the country and experience it for yourself. And leave the stereotypes and clichés on the bookshelf.
July 9, 2013
I picked this book up from an English book shop in Berlin to prepare for the Swiss-leg of my holiday, having realised that I knew nothing about Switzerland, except armed neutrality, cheese, mountains and chocolate! I found the book really enjoyable with lots of Bill-Bryson-like bon mots and facts and figures. To me, the fact that Bewes is an Englishman in Switzerland, made the book relevant to travellers, especially those who are English or from cultures similar. I found-out a lot, gained some real insights into how Switzerland works and I also laughed a lot! Furthermore, as another reviewer noted, yes there are lots of generalisations, but it's pretty hard to write a book about a country and avoid doing so - and I also found much of what he said, pretty spot-on!
August 2, 2013
Although I learned some things about the history of CH, the generalizations were overwhelming. At times the stereotypes do ring true, but I have issues with people stereotyping. I think the book is good for non Swiss who choose to live in CH. I've been here over a decade and admittedly had many moments when I read something and nodded my head in agreement with the author. However, a few times I shook my head in disagreement.
May 28, 2016
The funny thing is how people from 2 different cultural backgrounds (author - British, me- Romanian) can notice and be puzzled by the same Swiss particularities: train rides with soldiers who carry their guns in plain sight in the prototypical neutral country (I admit to being a bit worried when I first noticed it & immediately opening a news page to see if I had missed the latest news), the serene littering of streets with cigarettes when I desperately search where to throw mine (in a country that otherwise seems to brush the grass during the night), the apologies you hear on trains when they are 5 minutes late (apparently in 2009 the punctuality of Swiss trains had decreased by 0.1% and this hit the news!), the long greeting process at gatherings (I am still completely out of my comfort zone there). And if you did not know this, as I didn't: 1kg of Emmentaler needs 12l of milk, the only women who hit the "top 10 Swiss people" in 2010 were fictional, Helvetia and Heidi, and Rousseau was Swiss. I also got a written confirmation that the best chocolate here is Cailler, if you care about that (luckily I was really eating one when I read that part). There's not much more you get out of this book (maybe except an idea to go for a Wanderung along the Swiss path and to read the Bergier report one day), as it tried to cover too much with too little detail to my taste. And it also got me laughing out loud while being alone in my daily commute, which I still believe to be quite un-Swiss :))
September 13, 2021
I picked up this e-book on a whim for little or no money. I then sat on it for seven years. Finally, I was in the right mood, said "What the hell," and started reading. Guess what? I loved it! I found it endlessly engaging. I drove my wife crazy by sharing snippets as I read them. It's that fascinating (or I'm that annoying). I knew nothing (or next to nothing) of Switzerland and the Swiss before picking it up. Now, I see the attraction. Switzerland is a very interesting place, and not just geographically. Who knew? This is not really a travel book. Bewes is a British ex-pat who has lived among the Swiss long enough to know them well. He's a keen observer and a wonderful guide to the country's history, culture and people. His style is matter-of-fact, accessible, funny, and informative. He hits all the high points and then some. Transportation, geography, food, politics, leisure activities, daily life--you name it, you'll find Bewes has covered it. By the time he was through he had me wanting to learn even more. My only experience of Switzerland was a few hours in Zurich over forty years ago on my way somewhere else. Bewes has interested me in making a return trip and staying this time for a week or two. If, like me, your mind has been largely a Swiss-free zone, give the man a chance to fill it up with a ton of the good stuff. You won't regret giving this one a read.
June 1, 2016
If you are interested in Switzerland and its people, read this!
As a Swiss citizen, it is very funny but also very intersting as I found out about habits Swiss people actually do have, that I did not know before. But whilst reading this amazing book, I noticed them and I find myself very strange now.
There is a great deal of sarcasm in this book, but I never felt as if the author is making fun of "the Swiss Way of doing stuff". It is just a perfect represention of Switzerland!
Diccon Bewes tells you about different places, about politics, about Swiss legends, about their way of life and after reading this book you will know more about "the Swiss" than the actual Swiss citizen.
An amazing book!
As a Swiss citizen, it is very funny but also very intersting as I found out about habits Swiss people actually do have, that I did not know before. But whilst reading this amazing book, I noticed them and I find myself very strange now.
There is a great deal of sarcasm in this book, but I never felt as if the author is making fun of "the Swiss Way of doing stuff". It is just a perfect represention of Switzerland!
Diccon Bewes tells you about different places, about politics, about Swiss legends, about their way of life and after reading this book you will know more about "the Swiss" than the actual Swiss citizen.
An amazing book!
Read
November 5, 2022 "Швейцария -сърцето на Европа" ,книга пълна с множество интересни факти за Швейцария.
Автора Дикън Бюс пише забавно и увлекателно за пътуванията си из страната.
Книгата е много подходяща за хора ,които обичат да пътуват по света физически или виртуално. След прочита ѝ разбирам ,че Швейцария е много интересно място за живеене.
Авторът е живял там и познава доста добре народа и културата им. Стилът му на писане е доста информативен и достъпен. Той ни разказва за различни места, политика, легенди, разхожда ни из Швейцарската култура.
Най- добрият начин да се запознаем с културата на страната без да я посетим е тази книга.
Хората ,които живеят в Сърцето на Европа се сливат с няколко култури,няколко езика и много интересни факти.
Автора Дикън Бюс пише забавно и увлекателно за пътуванията си из страната.
Книгата е много подходяща за хора ,които обичат да пътуват по света физически или виртуално. След прочита ѝ разбирам ,че Швейцария е много интересно място за живеене.
Авторът е живял там и познава доста добре народа и културата им. Стилът му на писане е доста информативен и достъпен. Той ни разказва за различни места, политика, легенди, разхожда ни из Швейцарската култура.
Най- добрият начин да се запознаем с културата на страната без да я посетим е тази книга.
Хората ,които живеят в Сърцето на Европа се сливат с няколко култури,няколко езика и много интересни факти.
June 20, 2016
Quite a terrible read - only made it through because I hoped to learn something about Switzerland. I did, but the price was an overall feeling of disgust about the book.
April 29, 2016
Not sure why a guy who's obviously never been anywhere near Switzerland feels he has to write about the country?!
Surely he can't seriously be expecting people to believe he's living there, after filling a whole book with Swiss clichés and random facts - some with references, others just made up for the fun of it - constantly slagging off the Swiss lifestyle... not much of a surprise that he would find it hard to socialise with the locals!
Never mind that most of his "so very Swiss" observations apply to other countries as well, including and especially England.
As to the "Swinglish".... - which more accurately should be called "Germanglish" since all the so-called "Swinglish" words are used in the German language - I just refuse to believe he seriously thinks there's such a thing as that!
He's trying too hard to be funny, which is making him sound very patronising, writing a whole book belittling a nation, doesn't really need talent and certainly doesn't teach you much about Switzerland's residents, unfortunately what it does is making people believe all the stereotypes, the Swiss expert" said they're true so they must be!
Of course this book might be one of those ironic creations, where nobody but the author knows he's actually making fun of the people believing what they read, how else could you explain him agreeing to every Swiss cliché under the sun, but getting his panties in a twist at the mere mention of all the English stereotypes out there?
Surely he can't seriously be expecting people to believe he's living there, after filling a whole book with Swiss clichés and random facts - some with references, others just made up for the fun of it - constantly slagging off the Swiss lifestyle... not much of a surprise that he would find it hard to socialise with the locals!
Never mind that most of his "so very Swiss" observations apply to other countries as well, including and especially England.
As to the "Swinglish".... - which more accurately should be called "Germanglish" since all the so-called "Swinglish" words are used in the German language - I just refuse to believe he seriously thinks there's such a thing as that!
He's trying too hard to be funny, which is making him sound very patronising, writing a whole book belittling a nation, doesn't really need talent and certainly doesn't teach you much about Switzerland's residents, unfortunately what it does is making people believe all the stereotypes, the Swiss expert" said they're true so they must be!
Of course this book might be one of those ironic creations, where nobody but the author knows he's actually making fun of the people believing what they read, how else could you explain him agreeing to every Swiss cliché under the sun, but getting his panties in a twist at the mere mention of all the English stereotypes out there?
August 4, 2012
I tried, I really did. I saw this book in the sale section of Amazon's Kindle downloads and I should have remembered the old adage, "You get what you pay for." It sounded interesting. Switzerland is a country that I don't know much about and I generally enjoy good travel writing. But the author's tone (which alternated between, condescending and trying to be funny) drove me insane. Here's a hint to writers everywhere: Comedy is hard. Leave it to the professionals. I made it through the first three chapters (about a quarter of the book) before I gave up. It is quite possible that the author's chapter on religion actually made me dumber from reading it.
Imagine you knew somebody who lived in an interesting place. But they were a know it all who thought they were much smarter and more clever than everybody else. If the idea of reading a book this person had written appeals to you, then go ahead and read this one.
Imagine you knew somebody who lived in an interesting place. But they were a know it all who thought they were much smarter and more clever than everybody else. If the idea of reading a book this person had written appeals to you, then go ahead and read this one.
December 23, 2013
A very enjoyable book about a country that most Americans know far too little about. The only drawback to the Kindle edition is that the maps are difficult to read see and the photographs are missing, but I enjoyed the book and will probably re-read it some day as visiting Switzerland is on my travel bucket list.
December 28, 2014
A good overview of what makes the Swiss...erh...tick. Like the Swiss the book is well-ordered and easy to navigate. The author's light, cheeky humor keeps the more tedious topics of history and politics engaging. It is a book similar in style and character to T.R. Reid' book on Japan "Confucius Lives Next Door." A perfect book for gaining insight to Switzerland either before or after a visit.
June 6, 2014
Ich habe dieses Buch auf Deutsch gelesen. Als Schweizer sind halt viele Sachen, die Ausländer bei uns merkwürdig oder eigenartig finden, einfach normal. Man macht sich da gar keine Gedanken darüber. Aber wie er die Charaktereigenschaften und generelle Eigenschaften der Schweizer im Allgemeinen umschreibt, finde ich interessant. Vieles würde ich sogar unterschreiben.
February 12, 2013
Quite complete essay about Swiss people in their Swiss country. I've enjoyed the ideas of a so obvious Englishman talking about the others. Very fun, now that I am living in Switzerland I dare say he's right in almost everything...
March 27, 2013
My sister highly recommended this book to me, as our father and our grandparent were very Swiss. I enjoyed some parts of the book that described the Swiss "personality" to a T. But I don't care for authors who make fun of other cultures. This was the tone of this book.
March 23, 2014
An interesting book written by a British journalist describes another amazing country - Swiss, which I, personally, have little knowledge about. I fancy the views and words the author applies in this book. I recommend it to all my friends, especially who love travelling.
October 14, 2014
Bewes does a great job of offering insight into Swiss society based on its history and cultural peculiarities, often done with a good amount of humor. This book gave me a better sense of Switzerland and its people while entertaining me along the way.
Read
October 4, 2015A good romp through most of Swiss culture. Some stereotyping but usually fairly accurate and in good fun. A times positively helpful to the Auslander. Some of the historical parts a bit patchy but there are others out there which cover this very well.
November 9, 2016
Un peu trop orienté suisse-allemand. La plupart des généralisations ne fonctionnent pas en Romandie. Malgré tout, j'ai appris pas mal de choses et ça m'a donné envie de visiter d'autres régions chez les alémaniques :-)
November 18, 2017
Excellent book. I got it as a gift from a Swiss friend before leaving Switzerland (after living in Geneva for six years). I enjoyed a lot reading the book. I smiled and laughed several time (mainly I was reading the book on the bus on my way to work or on planes) Very entertaining and funny (a bit stereotyping in a funny way) . Strongly recommend to all friends living in Switzerland (and the Swiss ones as well). Now I want to go back to Switzerland and go to all the fantastic places mentioned in the book which I missed.
December 12, 2022
I picked up the book when I found out I am moving to Switzerland. The book provides a humour-filled summary of everything Swiss! I found out many little bits about the history of the country, the political system, Heidi (I did not know I passed the author’s resting place during my morning run during the first week!).
May 29, 2018
Written from a British expat perspective, occasionally untrue, not deep enough. Some entertaining facts are there, however.
October 1, 2020
A very entertaining, Bill Bryson-esque commentary on Swiss history and culture. I would definitely recommend it to any expats living in Switzerland.
February 23, 2025
Enjoyable and breezy kind of read. Published now almost 15 years ago, the author, a British expat, provides a tour of all things Swiss touching on history, culture, travel, interpersonal etiquette, politics, and of course chocolate and cheese.
Read it as background for an upcoming trip and was not disappointed. Would recommend.
Read it as background for an upcoming trip and was not disappointed. Would recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews