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Boken om lagom

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Lagom, det svenska uttrycket för "inte för mycket, inte för lite", sprider sig som en löpeld över världen. I en tid där tidsbrist och strävan efter perfektion regerar har lagom kommit att hyllas som ett sätt att leva balanserat och hållbart.

Här går Göran Everdahl på djupet med begreppet lagom och vilka uttryck det tar i våra liv. Det är underhållande, intelligent och med ett särskilt öga för detaljer i våra traditioner, populärkultur och historieskrivning.

Everdahl beskriver Landet Lagom med milstolpar som mellanöl, nigstrejk och kärnkraftsomröstning. Själv kommer han ut som jojobantare och lydig sopsorterare samt granskar vårt förhållande till svenska hjärtefrågor som fikabröd, Ingmar Bergman och fredagsmys. Han tar upp aspekter på rättvisa och privatmoral, beskriver demokratiseringen av svenskt mode och ger en mängd praktiska tips, till exempel på hur man kan vara lagom miljösmart.

Everdahl liknar lagom-tillståndet vid en personlig livsstilstermostat. Långt från perfektion, men med en okej balans mellan jobb och hemliv, hälsa och frosseri, glädje och allvar. Just så blir lagom bäst.

Boken kommer även att ges ut på engelska med titeln "The Book of Lagom".

188 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2018

8 people are currently reading
61 people want to read

About the author

Göran Everdahl

10 books2 followers

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5 stars
25 (13%)
4 stars
49 (26%)
3 stars
75 (40%)
2 stars
27 (14%)
1 star
8 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for mina.
731 reviews264 followers
February 18, 2019
I expected… well, I don’t know what I exactly expected. I saw the cover and found it interesting and fun, naturally I picked it up. I hoped to find more about Lagom since the only thing I knew about it was it means not too much, not too little. However I’m not so sure I learned something new, it was too facty and it had parts were it was repetitive. The usage of the word lagom is not very lagom, at least for me.
12 reviews
February 11, 2019
Så himla rolig!!! Göran Everdahl berättar på ett mycket bra sätt om hur lagom vi är i Sverige, varvat med lite historia om hur allting till slut alltid blir lagom i Sverige.
Profile Image for Réza Cinka.
202 reviews9 followers
January 20, 2019
Čekala jsem asi něco jiného. Dostala jsem vtipně napsaný exkurze do švédské historie, designu a kuchyně.
Profile Image for Maha Garf.
14 reviews8 followers
January 25, 2020
A well structured and straight to the point book that makes it a very easy read. It was not the first book for me about Swedish mentality or lifestyle but was definitely the best!
Profile Image for Janine.
11 reviews
March 4, 2019
Although the books contains a lot of curious information, there are several facts that are a pure lie, like good wine in Systembolaget and a good health system. I have lived in several countries and I can say that this is not true at all.
Another point that annoys me is that it seems to be a book of national propaganda. The ones who buy this book is for learning. We are not interested in the spread of ideas of the political party in the power
Profile Image for Janelle Bailey.
828 reviews16 followers
August 18, 2022
50: The Book of Lagom by Göran Everdahl.

I read the English edition…but that doesn’t show up with this pretty cover.

This book was a treasure of a birthday gift from my Swedish cousins four years ago, when we celebrated my birthday IN Stockholm, Sweden…such a splendid soirée.

I’ve been saving it for just the right time. And this was just the right time!

“Lagom” is the Swedish way for living “just right”: not too, too excessive much…not stingy scant…but just right.

Being pleased but not overly proud or bragging…about one’s children, accomplishments, etc.

Developing the term “Mellanmjölk” for the 1.5% fat milk that is not the fat “whole” milk nor the watery .5% skimmed…because “1% milk” didn’t sound as good.

Loving fika…but not having to truly present seven different pastries, as called for by the tradition, but enjoying a afternoon coffee, cardamom bun, and cheese.

Living simply environmentally…making choices like carpooling, walking when one can, etc.

Basically finding the happiest “medium” in all things.

I so enjoyed revisiting things I’d learned by experience or teaching while there for three weeks with fantastic family, compassionate and generous cousins…and reminiscing as well as feeling smart for knowing, already, some of what the book shares.

And there are recipes!!

There’s a teeny typo near the end of my edition, where an “och” has been left…instead of being translated to “and,” which I know thanks to my 11-day DuoLingo streak.

And there are some places where incomplete sentences occur…which is also easy to understand for its being a translated work. So even that I find interesting…not upsetting.

I learned a lot of Swedish history and not “painfully” at all…but rather relevantly to my life and existence and leave the book thinking: “maybe when I REALLY retire…we move “home” to Sweden. The world is smaller now…and I think my heart, in part, lives there.

So it’s Everdahl’s style and organization of this book that is compelling to me in its accessibility and easy “digestion” of content that is to me completely compelling. It made for a delight-filled read. And I might need to go find a cardamom bun to celebrate!
Profile Image for Hadi Ali.
20 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2020
A unique take on the word lagom and its implications on the Swedish society, that includes fashion, architecture, art and living style. The book illustrates how lagom is the underlying motif that formed the subsequent eras in Swedish history.

Boken om lagom is full of facts, full of witty commentary and a visually appealing layout.

Recommended for: anybody who is interested in understanding lagom thoroughly

Not recommended for: People who are fairly new to Sweden and language beginners, the book does a lot of referencing when explaining an idea, thus making the content of the book much richer and extended more than 184 pages.
Profile Image for Kinga (oazaksiazek).
1,448 reviews174 followers
February 23, 2020
Mam wrażenie, że ta uroczo wydana książeczka jest tak naprawdę o niczym. Autor ciągle wracał do tych samych kwestii, sam gubił wątek tego, co w danej chwili próbował wytłumaczyć. Niestety nie wiem, czy to wina tłumaczenia, czy Everdahl najzwyczajniej w świecie się nie popisał. Ilustracje, rysunki i samo wydanie są super i mają duży potencjał, jednak treść nie powala. Czytałam lepsze książki w podobnym stylu. Rozczarowała mnie ta pozycja. Nie zliczę nawet, ile razy pojawia się w niej słowo lagom.
278 reviews
September 15, 2018
The Book of Lagom: The Swedish Way of Living Just Right

I read this in English but couldn’t find the English version in Goodreads.

I always love books that are gifts from friends because in addition to enjoying the book, you learn a little about the giver.

In this case, a lot about the giver—because he is Swedish.

“Not too little; not too much.” Clearly I am not Swedish at all.

But the best thing about friends is you don’t have to be alike at all.

Skal!
Profile Image for Sonia  Belviso.
40 reviews
October 7, 2018
I have to say I immensely enjoyed this small book. It's actually quite packed with information and historical background of different areas : government, design, architecture, .. but most of all, how these aspects translate into the way Swedes conduct themselves on a regular day. It's amazing how a society of particular features forms in a certain geographical area as, and this text actually pinpoints the key influences. In a nutshell,of course. It's a great intro into all things Swedish.
Profile Image for Jelena.
93 reviews
April 22, 2019
Žao mi je što to moram da kažem, ali prevod je potpuna katastrofa. Mnogo rečenica nema apsolutno nikakvog smisla, za neke se vidi da su doslovno reč po reč prevodjene sa engleskog. Pritom, transkripcija imena je loša i nekonsekventna.
Što se same knjige tiče, nije preterano zanimljiva i ima dosta pogrešnih/netačnih informacija.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
223 reviews4 followers
September 20, 2018
Pleasant read and of course it was not too much or to little in content. Very amusing at spots considering all the Swedish family members and three visits there. I should say that it explains a few things I hadn’t thought about before. 🤔
324 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2018
A lagom rating for a lagom nice book that goes into lagom depth in a lagom funny way. Being swedish and living abroad, I enjoyed this touch of Sweden in my reading and it reminded me of all things swedish, swedish history and swedish culture. A fun read!
Profile Image for Lilly.
77 reviews1 follower
June 13, 2019
Ganska bra bok. Presenterar lite roliga och intressanta fakta om Sverige. Finner dock boken lite smått tråkig ibland vilket drar ner betyget, kanske är en bättre bok att läsa om man är nyfiken på Sverige även om människor som bor i Sverige kan glädjas av boken.
903 reviews2 followers
August 11, 2019
"The Book about Lagom" had a few pieces of interesting information and a few interesting views on what this cultural concept means to/for Swedes and in Sweden. Beautiful graphic design throughout. But a little short on content.
Profile Image for Eivina.
7 reviews
December 28, 2019
Labai gražiai iliustruota (todėl vertinu daugiau nei 3), parašyta su humoru, bet sausokų faktų knyga. Apie tai kaip pasisemti švedų lagom gyvenimo būdo įdėjų rasit mažai, bet "pritempti" galima.
Tack för boken, Olof!
52 reviews
April 25, 2021
It covered broad aspects of Swedish society and culture, so it was interesting. There were some parts I didn't agree to, but it was especially good learning basic knowledge about history, well-known people, companies, concepts etc.
Profile Image for Balázs Suhajda.
32 reviews8 followers
October 19, 2018
Tempted to rate it lagom, but it was actually an entertaining book delivering good insight into swedish culture and history! :)
106 reviews4 followers
February 10, 2019
I love books about other countries and foreign cities and their customs and this was my cup of tea - loved the intelligent sentences, self-deprecating humor, and visual elements!
Profile Image for Sara Lo.
9 reviews
November 24, 2019
Страхотно оформление на самата книга, но съдържанието не успя да ме впечатли, особено ако я сравняваме с "Малък наръчник по хюга" . Не бих я препоръчала на никого.
Profile Image for Jiří.
159 reviews7 followers
January 5, 2020
Easy read explaining the Swedish term "Lagom" - something like "about right" in basically any context. Except from this brings also nice insight into the life and society of Sweden.
Profile Image for Irina.
17 reviews22 followers
March 28, 2020
what an interesting and relaxing read
Profile Image for David Rejzl.
3 reviews
March 20, 2022
Příjemná knížka na nedělní čtení.
Plna pop kulturních zajímavostí ale i rad do života.

Pokud vás zajímá kouzlo vyrovnaného švédského života, není lepší knížka kde začít.
Profile Image for Monika Otto.
25 reviews
June 30, 2022
A compendium of knowledge about lagom. I consider it an introduction to the subject.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews

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