Xenophobe's Guide to the Finns

The Xenophobe's Guide

by Tarja Moles

The Finns
Illuminating insights into their character and quirks.

«The Finns revel in hardship. They are at their best when circumstances are at their worst.»

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Humor, Cultural, Finnish Literature

87 pages, Paperback

First published May 13, 2011

Reviews

[Outi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about stereotypes, some true, some exaggerated of course. But what's with the fact that all Finns love the color blue and wear mostly blue? This wasn't as funny as I would've hoped but then again, Finns aren't that funny I suppose. I liked the language and curse word -sections the most. Fast and easy read but not that memorable.

[Sanja_Sanjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Elmo Ensio · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Finn living abroad, I found this book very entertainingly highlighting the stereotypes of the Finns living in Finland the Finnish life. I would recommend this to all foreigners who want to know a Finn better. Why does he do the things he does :)

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite funny and an easy quick read.
Thank you for preparing me for the Finish lol.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a funny and interesting book about Finland and Finnish culture.

[Rosario · Rating 4 out of 5]

I might have to go to Finland at some point soon, and I realised I knew nothing at all about the country. My sister, who works with quite a few Finnish people back in Uruguay, suggested I buy this book, which she'd been given as a gift by one of her Finnish colleagues.

It's basically a "guide to understanding the Finns", a cross between a guidebook and social analysis. It's very tongue-in-cheek, and written in a gently humorous style that I found very enjoyable. And if this is right, then there's a surprising amount in common between Finns and Uruguayans. Reading the section on the obsession about how they are perceived was uncanny. So true. Maybe because both have such small populations?

So, useful for the purposes I wanted it (although obviously, I'll take it all with a pinch of salt) and entertaining. What more could I ask?

MY GRADE: A B.

[Hildegunn Hodne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little super entertaining book. I laughed out loud at chapters I thought would be dry and not very interesting, and found myself increasingly taken in by the Finns. I might have to move there and stay for a spell.

[Mathieu Lemoine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny tale on who the Finns are. Hilarious in their own way!

[Mark Pedigo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little book from a Finn poking fun at the Finnish. Reminds me a bit of “The Undutchables.”

[Soobie is expired · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it was interesting and funny. I love when this kind of books don't take themselves seriously. If you do, you really risk destroying the mood you need to read such a book.

I did take a short Finnish course back in uni. I was able to say: «Minä olen Soobie. Minä olen italialainen». The book was kind of difficult, though: it was all in Finnish... I had trouble even understanding what I was supposed to do in an exercise.

I usually like the first part better, when the author is explaining how Finns see themselves and how foreigners see them. But also the part about the Finnish character was OK.

These are the perfect book to be read while sitting in the bathroom. So I'll try to read my way through all the Xenophobe's Guides...

[Doctor J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short, mildly amusing book. I am a Finnish-American; my great grandparents were immigrants, and I recognize (and possess) many of the traits revealed here.

I’m not sure who is the intended audience. Someone like myself, who chuckles at the reflections, or maybe someone planning to visit Finland? However, a reader should remember, of course, that Finns, like all other peoples, are not all the same.

I suppose if you were on your way to Finland and saw this at the airport bookstore, go ahead and buy it for the flight (it is that short). Otherwise, you may want to look for something else. It’s not a bad book, just not that inspiring.

[rameau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend wanted my opinion on the accuracy of this book. It is that, disturbingly so. Several times, I laughed at things that I recognised about myself or about my family. Still, not all Finns think exactly alike and there were things I thought were tasteless exaggerations too. The facts were presented in a humourous way whenever possible and when not, it crossed the line to tragedy as all best comedies do.

If you know nothing of Finland you can enjoy reading this book (I think), but if you know something you'll appreciate the jokes that much more.

[Curtis Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth a read.
I'm British and I've been in Finland a year. So I knew most things, but I was pleasingly surprised with a few little observations.

Fairly compact and readable. But in places the book tries too hard to be funny with digressions that are mostly clearly false; but not always so, and this might trick some readers who are less familiar with Finland.

[Ape · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this was possibly one of the better ones. It's the usual format of being a little tongue-in-cheek, but introducing you to the various quirks and traditions of a particular nation. In this case Finland, written by a Finnish woman. I do quite like the Finns and Finland and have come across the Swedish-Finland thing many a time, although more from the Swedish side of things, which isn't surprising given I lived in Sweden for a few years. I didn't think the Finns were that averse to communicating with other people (I've found the Swedes worse) but maybe I've just been meeting the chatty, crazy Finns. But there are things in here, such as the navel gazing, the melancholy, the love of nature and so on, that now I think back over conversations with people, I think yeah, I can see that coming out.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is more literal than you might believe when purchasing. I personally expected a more clever, or at least revealing, look into modern Finnish culture. It’s the same three things you read everywhere - Finland is proud of its cultural exports, the entire nation is comprised of introverts (yeah right), and Sweden and Russia can bite them (despite little attention from either large nation). Still worth a quick read, but engage your skepticism for a collection of tired stereotypes.

[Paul Findley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful way to learn about a new culture! This book doesn't go very deep into the topics, but it will give you a basic idea of what the people are like. Rather than dry recitation of facts and historical events, it's full of light teasing and humor. I have made a friend that is Finnish and I've been able to joke with them about a couple of the things in this book. It's really more of an introduction to the culture than a detailed primer... more research may be required... but it's a fun way to start learning!

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of the Xenophobe's guides I've read, and if they're all this good, then my are we in for a treat. A simple, clever, supremely insightful, hilarious little account of the Finnish people written by one of their own, but with an English that delivers with every sentence. What a feat, to delightfully depict a country and its people in so few pages.

[Hanna-Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humorvoll geschriebener Einblick in die finnische Kultur, liest sich gut weg. Natürlich trifft nicht jede beschrieben Eigenheit auf jede finnische Person zu, aber man bekommt einen guten allgemeinen Eindruck. Wenn man für längere Zeit nach Finnland reist, hilft das Buch einem, manche kulturelle Besonderheiten besser einzuordnen.

[Maria Bergman · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I am a Finn there was much in the book, which was new to me. I think it was meant to be funny. Finland is a big country and people live long ways from each other, so that can explain why I didn’t recognize all things in the book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed so much reading this.

[Sezgi Akcay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfectly funny book which I started reading on my way to Finland and once i finished it on my way back, it just made me want to go again.

[Iina Allonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hulvaton kirja

[Jogilė Ramoškaitė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Žiauriai smagus skaitalas! Peržiūrėjau daugumą serijų, deja, nėra ksenofobų tutorial'o, skirto Baltijos šalių atstovėms : / Tačiau apie Suomiją taiklu, tikrai spot-on.

[Hanna Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny!

[Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing and somewhat recognizable read, although the bold quotes throughout the book of what I just read on the same page are bloody annoying.

[Anne Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastically written and very enjoyable book, I learned a lot of fun information I was able to collaborate and share with my friend from Finland

[BooksAndFrogs (Mervi) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little funny fact book

[aasia hänia budny · Rating 4 out of 5]

DLACZEGO BYLAM TAK OBSESSED WITH FINLAND HXHDBBDB

[Katarzyna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pisane przez finkę więc humoru trzeba się mocno doszukiwać ale jest też pare ciekawostek

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

funny--especially if your of finnish descent!