The Social Guidebook to Norway: An Illustrated Introduction

by Julien S. Bourrelle

This is your Social Guidebook to Norway. It takes you through an illustrated Norwegian journey. This guidebook is not about typical Norwegian behaviours. It is about behaviours that are peculiar to Norwegians. Foreigners will fast forward their adaptation. Norwegians will learn how their behaviours may be perceived

The guidebook is rooted in the author's experience helping Norwegian organizations benefit from diversity. Julien S. Bourrelle held several board positions in Norway. He is educated as a rocket scientist and lived in a variety of cultures. He is on leave from his doctoral degree to hold lectures, workshops and courses around the country bridging cultural gaps in businesses and universities.

«This is a book providing a roadmap to Norway.
It presents Norwegian behaviours in an entertaining and purposeful manner»
- Birgit Skarstein, Curator of Global Shapers Oslo and World Champion

«Funny and good insights into the complicated Norwegian culture. Recommend - also for Norwegians!.
- Maria Amelie, journalist and writer

«Concise, entertaining and eye-opening. You see your own behaviours from the outside.»
- Erik Villum, Alarga Founder and Chairman

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Comics, Travel, Psychology, Graphic Novels

182 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently visiting Norway. Found this in a village gift shop. Came in handy. Many things in Norway are backwards from the US and even other European countries. I couldn't figure out, for example, why people yesterday didn't want us to pet their super-friendly teddy bear of a dog; now I get it. The world is a strange and interesting place.

[Line · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading books about norwegians. It is an entertaining reminder of how weird we are/must seem to people from other countries. Like the disclaimer at the beginning of the book says: it is full of stereotypes. Some of them (most) are awkwardly spot on, though.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little book that we read at a Mikeller bar in Oslo.

[Cari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing read. Some accurate, some not so much. Norwegians as a whole are different than Norwegians as individuals, but it was insightful.

(And I learned that I shouldn't have blown my nose in public..)

[Elise Bårsaune · Rating 5 out of 5]

For any norwegian that wants a good laugh about themselves or to any forgreiner that finds it difficult to understand the Norwegian culture, read this book! It may vary around the country, but all of these applies all around our small land. I had a good laugh reading this myself :)

[Marit Torp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amusing read on the plane back to the UK from Norway. Didn't agree with absolutely everything, but lots of it was very, very familiar XD

[Mina M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny. Surprisingly accurate.

[Abhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should've read this last year.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to a really great bookish friend for gifting me this!

[Emi Yoshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explains the basics of Norwegian socializing and culture, and I find elements are applicable to appreciating other foreign cultures as well, Germany in particular. Received this as a gift from my non-typical Norwegian friend, who I've had the joy of hanging out with in Los Angeles, Berlin, and Stavanger over the years. While I've learned that our friendship does not adhere to the rigid Norwegian rule of sharing frame activities, I see that this book gift is quite Norwegian in that it is thoughtful and serves a purpose. My Norwegian friend, this book, and its illustrations are all hilarious. I hope to get back to Norway again soon where I fully intend to look for Volume 2: Friendships and Relationships.

[Sissel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. Not very funny. I laughed at maybe one illustration and that was it. I am a Norwegian and I know how weird we are, but this book didn't quite capture it.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick read which I recommend to everyone before coming to Norway!

[Yubing Yang]

- I’m ready now.

[Hind Al-Qahtani · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a humorous attempt at the Norwegians culture and way of thinking/behaving. it is written by a rocket scientist who lived/lives in Norway. I found it incredibly humorous and spot on if one doesn't take themselves too seriously. as a half Norwegian who showed it to fellow Norwegians, we thought it was a good laugh and insight on what different one can expect when coming from another non scandinavian country.

[Melissa Helton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has lived in 6 different countries and found the social transition in Norway to be the hardest. The book does a good job explaining the reasoning behind Norwegians' behaviors, which interpreted by the foreigner, can seem rude, cold, or standoffish. The author explains very clearly how these behaviors stem from a politeness centered on pragmatism, not wanting to bother other people, and a social commitment to equality. I look forward to reading the next installment.

[sim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny how I relate to Norwegian's behaviours lmao, I must be Norwegian deep down inside.
A really interesting book that helps to understand Norway's social codes in a funny way. Of course there are a lot of stereotypes but that's what makes us enjoy this book more.
I will definitely re-read it again and again, to bring back memories from my journey in Norway...

[Alicja · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. It's funny and most of the observations are relatable, based on my own experience. It's nice to see some of the Norwegian behaviors spelled out and explained in an entertaining way. I really liked the way social bobbles and the dating culture were presented!

[Bill Jordan 4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book of Julen's I have read. Very quick reads but extremely informative. We recently visited Norway and after reading the book, a lot of social aspects made more sense. Love being able to respect another culture more!

[Olga · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is much better to hear him speak if you have the opportunity. The book was like a summary of his lecture. But on the whole, it was very insightful and changed the way I view Norwegians.

[Wendy Weissner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read. Makes me think I should be living in Norway because I share many of their "peculiarities"!

[Gladys Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it in less than a day, lended by friends and help a lot to make sense of subtle cultural things that you notice and can have a different meaning. Cute illustrations!

[Manon Scholte · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fun book, lots of illustrations and I learned a thing or 2.

[Huyen Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should have read this book 5 years ago 😅 it feels so true, in a funny and practical way

[Annamarie Ogunmola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, and I think I found my people!

[Ángel Muñoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeg hadde hørt om denne boken, men aldri har jeg lest den. I dag var jeg på Stormen bibliotek i Bodø og så boken her. Det var veldig morsom og interessant. Tegner er vakker også.

[Roger Morgan-Grenville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful guidance in amusing form for those planning to spend a few days in Norway, and wondering what makes the Norwegians tick.

[Наталя Іліщук · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Norwegians need two things in order to feel comfortable communicating with others:
A reason to speak
And an opportunity to escape”

I bet everyone of us feels sometimes being Norwegian a bit.

Nothing very special, but tbh it’s probably the best book in its genre I’ve read about the Norwegian social culture (though it seems there are quite many of them nowadays).

[Isabel Mateus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book serves as a friendly invitation to understanding the world of norwegians.
Having interacted with norwegians, it helped me frame some behaviours and understand where they came from. I would say it is pretty accurate in its remarks (with the little knowledge I have).
The book is fun, has cute illustrations and is easy to read.

[Itai · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit overly simplistic but gets the point across. It goes over several sore points of trying to behave in a non-Norwegian way around Norwegians, how it might be interpreted, and how to adjust your behavior and your conception of others' behavior to better suit Norwegian culture and costumes.

[Natalie Sinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny and accurate coffee table-type book that someone brought into my office this week (I work for a Norwegian company, and many of them were in town for an event).

I would have to make some major behavioral adjustments to social succeed in Norway. 🇳🇴