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Made in Sweden: Le parole che hanno fatto la Svezia
Con la sua società aperta, accogliente e tollerante, il suo welfare collaudato, il civismo proverbiale e l’ambientalismo d’avanguardia, la Svezia è da tempo un modello che si osserva con ammirazione e stupore: uno stato che sa coniugare la ricchezza con la redistribuzione, la libertà con l’eguaglianza. A questo idillio politico-sociale si sono aggiunti il design, la moda, il cibo, la cultura, ma ancor più la sensazione che lo stile di vita scandinavo sia quanto di più desiderabile, sofisticato ed evoluto ci sia al mondo. Ma dove affonda le radici questa idea di società? O meglio, come sono nate le idee che hanno reso possibile questa sorta di utopia? O peggio, e se invece non fosse che una bella favola che gli svedesi raccontano a se stessi (e agli altri)? Con divertita intelligenza, in un caleidoscopio di storie e salti nel tempo, Elisabeth Åsbrink – svedese di nascita ma di origini anglo-ungheresi – ci accompagna in un viaggio tra cinquanta parole, eventi, persone e personaggi che hanno fatto la Svezia. Dall’ambizione di Linneo di catalogare la natura intera all’esuberanza del leggendario primo ministro Olof Palme, deciso a rendere la Svezia la prima «superpotenza morale» della storia, dalla rivoluzionaria visione pedagogica di Ellen Key – fonte di ispirazione sia per Astrid Lindgren e la sua Pippi che per Maria Montessori – al divismo di Zlatan Ibrahimović, tanto inviso a inizio carriera per l’individualismo sfacciato quanto poi celebrato come icona della nuova «svedesità», Åsbrink affascina con collegamenti sorprendenti mentre infrange miti indiscutibili, come può permettersi solo una patriota la cui solidità intellettuale è fuori discussione: «Amo il paese in cui mi è capitato di nascere, ma non ciecamente.»
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2018
56 people are currently reading
540 people want to read
About the author
Elisabeth Åsbrink
18 books107 followersElisabeth Katherine Åsbrink is a Swedish author and journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
July 14, 2019
A slim read at 149 pages. Åsbrink provides some brief history followed by the occasional question. No personal insights provided, no more than a cursory glance made at controversial issues, no profound opinions given or conclusions drawn. There’s not as much meat here as was anticipated.
December 21, 2020
Lite trög i början men blev riktigt intressant så småningom. Mycket insiktsfullt och ironiskt - och inte utan ömhet - om Sverige och svenskarna genom tiderna, massor med ny information. Skrattade högt flera gånger. En faktabok till min smak!
May 22, 2020
Czytanie w oryginale książek po szwedzku staje się dla mnie coraz łatwiejsze i mam wrażenie, że postęp, który zrobiłam w ciągu tych (prawie) trzech lat w czytaniu po szwedzku jest dla mnie poniekąd ważniejszy niż treść książki. Muszę jednak przyznać, że dla miłośników Szwecji, dla ciekawych i chętnych poznania innej kultury niż nasza rodzima, polska, jest to naprawdę dobra i pełna ciekawych opowieści książka, którą czyta się szybko, płynnie i zaangażowaniem. (nie mówię o przekładzie, bo miałam z nim bardzo mało do czynienia)
Read
August 26, 2019Challenging and stimulating on Swedish words … In common with Orwell she condemns chauvinism, but leaves room for patriotism, as love for a specific place, or language, matters as such one would not want to force upon others.
Göteborgs-Posten
Åsbrink as ever writes with clarity, sometimes incisive and poignant, and always with a great curiosity…The chapter on what the Swedes knew or did not know of the Holocaust is one of the most eloquent literary executions of Jan Guillou that has ever been written, this on his quite recent assertion that the Swedes did not hear of the genocide until after 1945.
Expressen
Åsbrink’s book is a singular achievement. It reveals more about the Swedes than it does Sweden. More on values, more on language and the world of ideas than on dates, or regencies and their length. The line of thought is unrestrained, leaping between different eras as it stumbles across parallels, the broad strokes of narrative freely punctuated with anachronism and digression, and as a work of reference for those of us who mostly spent our history lessons looking out of the classroom window, it is unbeatable.
Västerbottens-Kuriren
I hope Made in Sweden becomes a widely read book.
Smålandsposten, Barometern
This quirky inventory of Swedish values explores the shades of grey behind the branding of Sweden as the shiny home of ABBA and Volvo ... But it’s not all Bergmanesque gloom. Åsbrink also celebrates Swedes’ sacred relationship with nature, the achievements of its social reformers and the indefatigable biologist Carl Linnaeus.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
This handsome little book surveys the things that have made Sweden the place it is today, from the suffragette who was Jane Austen’s “literary soul sister” to the “interesting lie” of Swedish neutrality during World War II.
The Weekend West
Göteborgs-Posten
Åsbrink as ever writes with clarity, sometimes incisive and poignant, and always with a great curiosity…The chapter on what the Swedes knew or did not know of the Holocaust is one of the most eloquent literary executions of Jan Guillou that has ever been written, this on his quite recent assertion that the Swedes did not hear of the genocide until after 1945.
Expressen
Åsbrink’s book is a singular achievement. It reveals more about the Swedes than it does Sweden. More on values, more on language and the world of ideas than on dates, or regencies and their length. The line of thought is unrestrained, leaping between different eras as it stumbles across parallels, the broad strokes of narrative freely punctuated with anachronism and digression, and as a work of reference for those of us who mostly spent our history lessons looking out of the classroom window, it is unbeatable.
Västerbottens-Kuriren
I hope Made in Sweden becomes a widely read book.
Smålandsposten, Barometern
This quirky inventory of Swedish values explores the shades of grey behind the branding of Sweden as the shiny home of ABBA and Volvo ... But it’s not all Bergmanesque gloom. Åsbrink also celebrates Swedes’ sacred relationship with nature, the achievements of its social reformers and the indefatigable biologist Carl Linnaeus.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
This handsome little book surveys the things that have made Sweden the place it is today, from the suffragette who was Jane Austen’s “literary soul sister” to the “interesting lie” of Swedish neutrality during World War II.
The Weekend West
January 15, 2019
Intressanta historiska och nutida fakta om den svenska självbilden. Med humor och skärpa, som alltid när det skapats av Åsbrink. Mitt favoritavsnitt är ”Om jag ska lyckas måste hela laget göra sitt jobb” sagt av Zlatan som var för svensk för svenskarna. Till en början.
June 6, 2020
Personligen om de svenska värderingarna. Perspektiven blir ibland annorlunda och det gillar jag. Jag har lärt mig så mycket om den svenska historian. Fint och intressant.
March 24, 2023
Spodziewałem się przewodnika, dostałem zbiór historycznych esejów. Lubię.
December 30, 2022
Bardzo interesujące spojrzenie na Szwecję. Właściwie ta książka to taka Szwecja w pigułce.
January 29, 2023
Un libro interessante per conoscere un popolo che spesso identifichiamo con alcuni luoghi comuni (e chiaramente se ne hanno a male per questo). Una storia ricca e un presente che non sempre è in linea con quanto era stato auspicato nel passato.
February 28, 2023
IKEA, ABBA, Astrid Lindgren, Volvo to pierwsze przychodzi mi do głowy, gdy myślę o Szwecji. Elisabeth Åsbrink wybrała subiektywnie słowa, zdania, postaci, zdarzenia, które według niej, dziecka imigrantów, są esencją Szwecji. Zaczyna od dawnej historii, prowadzi nas przez kształtowanie się państwa i narodu, aż do współczesności. Niejednorodne (pierwsze eseje nieco nużące), ale bardzo ciekawe teksty, chociaż ABBY nie było ;)
November 6, 2020
Elisabeth Åsbrinkin edellinen kirja 1947 teki sen verran hyvän vaikutuksen, että uusi Made in Sweden pääsi lukulistalle. Tässäkin on kiinnostava aihe – ketäpä suomalaista eivät ruotsalaiset kiinnostaisi. Lähestymistapa tuli iloisena yllätyksenä, kun aloin lukea kirjaa.
Åsbrink nimittäin lähestyy ruotsalaisuutta sanojen ja sanontojen kautta. Kirja koostuu kymmenistä pienistä luvuista, jotka lähtevät jostain sanonnasta, sitaatista, hokemasta tai säkeestä ja kertovat sitä kautta sitten jotain olennaista ruotsalaisuudesta. "Jo joutui armas aika" kertoo ruotsalaisten luonto- ja uskontosuhteesta, "Du gamla, du fria" teitittelystä ja sinuttelusta, "Ordinance concerning the treatment & police of negroes & coloured people" ruotsalaisten osuudesta orjakaupassa, "Ikea" Ikeasta ja Ingvar Kampradin natsimenneisyydestä ja niin edelleen.
Kuten nähdään, Åsbrink ei kaihda ikäviäkään aiheita. Ruotsalaisten (ja suomalaisten) eugeniikkainto, suhde vuodenaikoihin Sommaren är kort -biisin kautta, puritanismi, juomalaulut, hyvinvointiyhteiskunnan rakennuspalikat, Zlatan... aiheiden kirjo on laaja ja kiehtova. Ruotsalaisuus tulee valotettua monesta kulmasta. Valinnat ovat paikoin ilmeisiä, paikoin yllättäviä – esimerkiksi ABBA ohitetaan tyystin popmusiikista puhuttaessa - mutta kautta linjan mielenkiintoisia.
Made in Sweden on kiinnostava kirja naapurista ja kuten Kjell Westö esipuheessaan toteaa: voi kun joku kirjoittaisi tällaisen Suomesta. Westöllä onkin esipuheensa lopussa jo hyvä lista, jolla pääsisi mukavasti alkuun.
Åsbrink nimittäin lähestyy ruotsalaisuutta sanojen ja sanontojen kautta. Kirja koostuu kymmenistä pienistä luvuista, jotka lähtevät jostain sanonnasta, sitaatista, hokemasta tai säkeestä ja kertovat sitä kautta sitten jotain olennaista ruotsalaisuudesta. "Jo joutui armas aika" kertoo ruotsalaisten luonto- ja uskontosuhteesta, "Du gamla, du fria" teitittelystä ja sinuttelusta, "Ordinance concerning the treatment & police of negroes & coloured people" ruotsalaisten osuudesta orjakaupassa, "Ikea" Ikeasta ja Ingvar Kampradin natsimenneisyydestä ja niin edelleen.
Kuten nähdään, Åsbrink ei kaihda ikäviäkään aiheita. Ruotsalaisten (ja suomalaisten) eugeniikkainto, suhde vuodenaikoihin Sommaren är kort -biisin kautta, puritanismi, juomalaulut, hyvinvointiyhteiskunnan rakennuspalikat, Zlatan... aiheiden kirjo on laaja ja kiehtova. Ruotsalaisuus tulee valotettua monesta kulmasta. Valinnat ovat paikoin ilmeisiä, paikoin yllättäviä – esimerkiksi ABBA ohitetaan tyystin popmusiikista puhuttaessa - mutta kautta linjan mielenkiintoisia.
Made in Sweden on kiinnostava kirja naapurista ja kuten Kjell Westö esipuheessaan toteaa: voi kun joku kirjoittaisi tällaisen Suomesta. Westöllä onkin esipuheensa lopussa jo hyvä lista, jolla pääsisi mukavasti alkuun.
November 29, 2021
This was a really fascinating book that taught me so much about Sweden - which, unsurprisingly, I knew little about. It was a fast read clocking in at 150 pages, which made it a short time commitment considering the knowledge gained.
My only complaint is that it was extremely surface level. I would have preferred longer coverage on many of the topics to give me a more complete sense of the ideas being explored - that aspect felt lacking.
Overall, this book was incredibly unique & interesting and I would recommend to anyone interested in Sweden, Scandinavia, or learning about cultures that differ greatly from the US.
My only complaint is that it was extremely surface level. I would have preferred longer coverage on many of the topics to give me a more complete sense of the ideas being explored - that aspect felt lacking.
Overall, this book was incredibly unique & interesting and I would recommend to anyone interested in Sweden, Scandinavia, or learning about cultures that differ greatly from the US.
August 12, 2019
The concept of this book is really great and ambitious. To choose words/ ideas that formed a society is an explicit hard task. Åsbrink did a great deal of research and preparatory work but (for me) failed in the storytelling aspect.
I personally miss affluence of perspectives, uses of words/ concepts, problematization of those key concepts that formed the Swedish society. The result became a boring lesson.
I personally miss affluence of perspectives, uses of words/ concepts, problematization of those key concepts that formed the Swedish society. The result became a boring lesson.
February 4, 2022
Alcuni capitoli molto interessanti, altri a mio parere noiosi: per chi non conosce nel dettaglio la storia nordica di difficile comprensione
February 17, 2025
Genialne.
June 15, 2025
Started this book nearly two years ago, as it was a gift from my dear friends Martina (Goodreads user) and Liam (non-Goodreads user).
I finished it up today and can say I have learnt a lot from it. As a Swedophile (careful how you pronounce that), I learnt quite a bit about the dark and unspoken side to modern Swedish history - such as the forced sterilisation of special needs people and women who had abortions, and sympathy for Nazi ideologies. It was very interesting to learn that this Nordic ‘centre of moral excellence’ we see isn’t build on the foundations of complete liberalism.
A good read.
I finished it up today and can say I have learnt a lot from it. As a Swedophile (careful how you pronounce that), I learnt quite a bit about the dark and unspoken side to modern Swedish history - such as the forced sterilisation of special needs people and women who had abortions, and sympathy for Nazi ideologies. It was very interesting to learn that this Nordic ‘centre of moral excellence’ we see isn’t build on the foundations of complete liberalism.
A good read.
February 28, 2022
Med engagemang, humor och ett mycket pedagogiskt anslag går Elisabeth Åsbrink igenom de historiska händelser, ord och talesätt som har varit med att forma den svenska självbilden så som den brukar presenteras. Även om upplägget är känns bekant från det putslustiga "Historiens största misstag"-formatet som jag alltid luras att köpa på bokrean (och blir besviken på) så är den här boken betydligt djupare och mer genomtänkt än så. Jag tycker att hon prickar väldigt rätt i orden hon väljer att lyfta fram och jag köper hennes bild av vad de representerar. Resonemangen är personliga och utgår inte sällan från Elisabeth Åsbrinks egna erfarenheter, vilka ofelbart är både relevanta och intressanta. Något som kanske vittnar om hur författarens skrivprocess har sett ut, är att boken börjar med att rada upp berättelser på ett traditionellt och lite stolpigt sätt, som en tydlig punktlista som jag i det läget kände mig ganska säker på att jag snart skulle tröttna på. Men mot mitten och slutet av boken, kanske för att allt kommer närmare den självupplevda nutiden eller att hon bara har blivit varm i kläderna, blir språket betydligt mer målande, filosofiskt och rent av fängslande. En klar fyra på min betygskala.
May 25, 2021
- Essenziale
- Esaustivo
- Storia
"Conosci il tuo pensiero, la tua luce e le tue ombre. Conosci le tue contraddizioni e conosci le tue menzogne: conosci la tua storia."
"I giovani egiziani annuivano con interesse, e io di colpo ho preso coscienza della mia svedesità. Prima di allora, ero stata consapevole solo della mia estraneità."
"La Storia è fatta di diversi sentieri, ed è tutt'altro che scontato quale sia quello che conduce al nostro presente."
- Esaustivo
- Storia
"Conosci il tuo pensiero, la tua luce e le tue ombre. Conosci le tue contraddizioni e conosci le tue menzogne: conosci la tua storia."
"I giovani egiziani annuivano con interesse, e io di colpo ho preso coscienza della mia svedesità. Prima di allora, ero stata consapevole solo della mia estraneità."
"La Storia è fatta di diversi sentieri, ed è tutt'altro che scontato quale sia quello che conduce al nostro presente."
August 22, 2020
This book isn’t what quite I expected. I was expecting 25 Swedish interventions or creations described and analysed with Swedish ideologies. However, this book is more about a female of two immigrants to Sweden, viewing Sweden with her own identity crisis. Rather on a critical side, and with a heavy emphasis on history and politics. Totally not what I expected to read...
February 21, 2019
En intressant och tankeväckande bok om vad som format oss som kallar oss svenskar idag. Då och då vrider hon om kniven ordentligt
August 28, 2019
In this fascinating book, in just 150 pages, Swedish author Elisabeth Åsbrink makes us re-think the assumptions that we tend to have, about Sweden. This is the blurb:
Each chapter consists of 5-6 pages that interrogate an idea. It begins by reminding us that Sweden as a nation state is a comparatively new idea, and its history is vague. And in reminding the reader about this, we are reminded of something else that we ought not to forget. Noting the scanty historical sources that mention peoples who might, or might not be Swedes, Åsbrink writes:
Indeed. (We're just as guilty here in Australia, where until comparatively recently, we've acted as if our history began in 1770. We didn't even acknowledge European landfalls, much less our Indigenous history).
The second chapter is about Beowulf, the English epic poem about a hero who comes from afar to rescue the Danes from a savage monster. Because it's set in Scandinavia, with a hero who might have come from present-day Sweden, it's regarded as a national epic there too. But the fact is, nobody actually knows where the Geats lived. Maybe Götaland in Sweden, maybe not. (The Danes, says Åsbrink, use Beowulf to entice people to visit Viking museums.)
[caption id="attachment_96076" align="alignleft" width="300"]
The Øresund or Öresund Bridge (Wikipedia*).[/caption]
Apparently the Danes and the Swedes do not Get On. Later in the book she uses the word 'hate' to describe the relationship, and there were major conniptions over a bridge linking the two countries. They can't even agree on the spelling of its name. Now that it's been built (commercial imperatives usually win) it looks as if they had a tiff during construction and both sides went home in a huff, but in fact it drops down into a tunnel from that artificial island so that shipping can get through. The bridge was supposed to end passport control but Sweden reneged on this to prevent refugees coming in from Denmark.
Perhaps because I've never been to any of the Scandinavian countries, I'd never really investigated their history so the murkier aspects of their society came as a horrid surprise.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2019/08/28/m...
What are the real Swedish Values? Who is the real Swedish Model?
In recent times, we have come to favour all things Scandi — their food, furnishings, fiction, fashion, and general way of life. We seem to regard the Swedes and their Scandinavian neighbours as altogether more sophisticated, admirable, and evolved than us. We have all aspired to be Swedish, to live in their perfectly designed society from the future. But what if we have invested all our faith in a fantasy? What if Sweden has in fact never been as moderate, egalitarian, dignified, or tolerant as it would like to (have us) think? The recent rise to political prominence of an openly neo-Nazi party has begun to crack the illusion, and here now is Swede Elisabeth Åsbrink, who loves her country ‘but not blindly’, presenting twenty-five of her nation’s key words and icons afresh, in order to give the world a clearer-eyed understanding of this fascinating country.
Each chapter consists of 5-6 pages that interrogate an idea. It begins by reminding us that Sweden as a nation state is a comparatively new idea, and its history is vague. And in reminding the reader about this, we are reminded of something else that we ought not to forget. Noting the scanty historical sources that mention peoples who might, or might not be Swedes, Åsbrink writes:
Spurred by a general longing for logic in the random events we call history-leading-up-to-the-present, historians and nationalists use Tacitus and the others as if they were suppliers of indubitable facts, when it would be more accurate to describe them as isolated sources of light in a compact historical darkness. (p.2)
Indeed. (We're just as guilty here in Australia, where until comparatively recently, we've acted as if our history began in 1770. We didn't even acknowledge European landfalls, much less our Indigenous history).
The second chapter is about Beowulf, the English epic poem about a hero who comes from afar to rescue the Danes from a savage monster. Because it's set in Scandinavia, with a hero who might have come from present-day Sweden, it's regarded as a national epic there too. But the fact is, nobody actually knows where the Geats lived. Maybe Götaland in Sweden, maybe not. (The Danes, says Åsbrink, use Beowulf to entice people to visit Viking museums.)
[caption id="attachment_96076" align="alignleft" width="300"]
The Øresund or Öresund Bridge (Wikipedia*).[/caption]Apparently the Danes and the Swedes do not Get On. Later in the book she uses the word 'hate' to describe the relationship, and there were major conniptions over a bridge linking the two countries. They can't even agree on the spelling of its name. Now that it's been built (commercial imperatives usually win) it looks as if they had a tiff during construction and both sides went home in a huff, but in fact it drops down into a tunnel from that artificial island so that shipping can get through. The bridge was supposed to end passport control but Sweden reneged on this to prevent refugees coming in from Denmark.
Perhaps because I've never been to any of the Scandinavian countries, I'd never really investigated their history so the murkier aspects of their society came as a horrid surprise.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2019/08/28/m...
August 15, 2023
Made in Sweden taught me that hate is not good. Appreciate instead. Do not follow the crowd. Blaze your own trail instead and follow your own values and convictions and not the values and convictions of those around you. Stand up for yourself and what you believe in in order to get what you want out of life. No one can change your life but you. People can give advice but the ultimate decision is up to you so choose your experiences and govern yourself wisely.
Govern yourself as a tree that flourishes with time
In nature's grand tapestry, there stands tall
A timeless marvel, noble and enthralled
A tree, whose presence in the world sublime
Embodies wisdom, growth, and strength through time.
Oh, govern yourself as a tree, dear soul
A beacon of resilience, you shall behold
Rooted in the earth, anchored deep and true
Unyielding 'gainst life's storms and trials that ensue.
In youth, you sapling, timid and serene
Gleaming leaves poised for journeys unforeseen
With each passing season, may you embrace
The winds of change, and let thy spirit chase.
As spring awakens, with its gentle breeze
Unfurl your tender buds, with grace and ease
Let sunlight's warmth caress your eager limbs
As whispers of new beginnings stir within.
Then summer dances, vibrant and aglow
Your foliage lush, a verdant taste of woe
Stretch out your branches, in a joyful dance
And bask in life's abundant, golden chance.
Autumn's arrival, with its fiery hues
A symphony of colors, a grateful muse
Let go, oh tree, of what no longer serves
And celebrate the gifts, life generously preserves.
And when comes winter, naked and serene
Embrace the stillness, let your past convene
For in this dormancy, strength is renewed
A reflection of the journey you've pursued.
So, govern yourself as a tree, dear heart
With resilience and wisdom as your art
Through seasons passing, let your spirit soar
And flourish with grace, forevermore.
Govern yourself as a tree that flourishes with time
In nature's grand tapestry, there stands tall
A timeless marvel, noble and enthralled
A tree, whose presence in the world sublime
Embodies wisdom, growth, and strength through time.
Oh, govern yourself as a tree, dear soul
A beacon of resilience, you shall behold
Rooted in the earth, anchored deep and true
Unyielding 'gainst life's storms and trials that ensue.
In youth, you sapling, timid and serene
Gleaming leaves poised for journeys unforeseen
With each passing season, may you embrace
The winds of change, and let thy spirit chase.
As spring awakens, with its gentle breeze
Unfurl your tender buds, with grace and ease
Let sunlight's warmth caress your eager limbs
As whispers of new beginnings stir within.
Then summer dances, vibrant and aglow
Your foliage lush, a verdant taste of woe
Stretch out your branches, in a joyful dance
And bask in life's abundant, golden chance.
Autumn's arrival, with its fiery hues
A symphony of colors, a grateful muse
Let go, oh tree, of what no longer serves
And celebrate the gifts, life generously preserves.
And when comes winter, naked and serene
Embrace the stillness, let your past convene
For in this dormancy, strength is renewed
A reflection of the journey you've pursued.
So, govern yourself as a tree, dear heart
With resilience and wisdom as your art
Through seasons passing, let your spirit soar
And flourish with grace, forevermore.
November 15, 2019
Like many people, I probably had a distorted view of Sweden. I thought of minimalist fashion trends, Ikea furniture, and beautiful music, or if I had recently watched a Swedish television Krimi, I thought of it as a place with too many sleazy motorcycle gangs or petty drug dealers. But, Made in Sweden aims to provide a more accurate look at what makes Sweden the community and nation it is today. The author seeks to explain that while we might think of the country as a tolerant, open, and friendly one, that wasn't always the case, and with the rise of the far-right may become less so in the future.
This is an intriguing and well-written book which covers 25 topics that help shed light on what it means to be Swedish and how the country developed into the nation it is today. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about Carl von Linnaeus, whose classification system of nature is still with us today. I was also a little shocked to learn that between 1928 and 1976, around 63,000 Swedish citizens were sterilized to preserve what was most desirable in the population.
As the book shows, the making of a nation is something that happens over time and a process that is continually evolving. For those who want to see another side of this interesting country, this is a good place to start.
Thanks to LibraryThing and Scribe Publications for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
More reviews at: www.susannesbooklist.blogspot.com
This is an intriguing and well-written book which covers 25 topics that help shed light on what it means to be Swedish and how the country developed into the nation it is today. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about Carl von Linnaeus, whose classification system of nature is still with us today. I was also a little shocked to learn that between 1928 and 1976, around 63,000 Swedish citizens were sterilized to preserve what was most desirable in the population.
As the book shows, the making of a nation is something that happens over time and a process that is continually evolving. For those who want to see another side of this interesting country, this is a good place to start.
Thanks to LibraryThing and Scribe Publications for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
More reviews at: www.susannesbooklist.blogspot.com
January 25, 2020
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in a LibraryThing giveaway in exchange for a review.
This is a charming little book full of short essays on various Swedish topics. That's not to say that some of the topics aren't serious - in fact, most of them are. The author has clearly tried for a light hand with her tone, however, and the cover certainly adds to the charm. There are no attempts to discuss solutions to any of the issues tackled, so it's more of an opportunity just to learn that they exist.
I'm probably not the average American reader the publishers have in mind for this book, because I have more than a passing familiarity with Sweden and its culture. I speak Swedish, have lived in Sweden, have an undergraduate degree in Swedish, etc. Still, while some of the topics weren't new to me (such as Sweden's recent history of forced sterilization), others were (that the first known example of Swedes self-identifying themselves with the word "Swede" (or its etymological ancestory, rather) is from graffiti carved onto a statue in Greece ca. 1050).
I still think modern Sweden is a great place to live. The fact that it has problems isn't surprising: people aren't perfect, and neither are the societies we create.
This is a charming little book full of short essays on various Swedish topics. That's not to say that some of the topics aren't serious - in fact, most of them are. The author has clearly tried for a light hand with her tone, however, and the cover certainly adds to the charm. There are no attempts to discuss solutions to any of the issues tackled, so it's more of an opportunity just to learn that they exist.
I'm probably not the average American reader the publishers have in mind for this book, because I have more than a passing familiarity with Sweden and its culture. I speak Swedish, have lived in Sweden, have an undergraduate degree in Swedish, etc. Still, while some of the topics weren't new to me (such as Sweden's recent history of forced sterilization), others were (that the first known example of Swedes self-identifying themselves with the word "Swede" (or its etymological ancestory, rather) is from graffiti carved onto a statue in Greece ca. 1050).
I still think modern Sweden is a great place to live. The fact that it has problems isn't surprising: people aren't perfect, and neither are the societies we create.
August 11, 2019
Liksom Åsbrinks tidigare bok 1947 skapas i Orden som formade Sverige en historisk exposé som drivs av författarens person, förmåga att skildra motsatta perspektiv och kritiska penna. Man kan tycka att det personliga inte hör hemma i en bok med ett namn som gör anspråk på att vara en uppslagsbok. Uppslag som ger oss nycklarna att förstå vår dåtid, samtid och hur vi kan forma en framtid. Men det personliga belastar inte boken det minsta. Var och en måste själv söka sin identitet och den som, likt författaren, vill bygga sin identitet på landet Sverige bör läsa boken. Perspektiven kanske blir annorlunda, men det vi har gemensamt är orden som formade oss.
En liten svaghet finns möjligen i de avslutande ordens aktuella status. Där framstår utläggningen mer som ett debattinlägg. Men jag tror dock inte det kommer belasta boken i det långa loppet.
En liten svaghet finns möjligen i de avslutande ordens aktuella status. Där framstår utläggningen mer som ett debattinlägg. Men jag tror dock inte det kommer belasta boken i det långa loppet.
August 15, 2019
This was an interesting, concise book - short essays on 25 different aspects of what ideas make up "the Swedish." It was interesting to read about the not-much-talked-about love for the Germans (and the Nazi party) in the lead up to, and during, WW2. I was surprised to learn that the founder of IKEA came from a Hitler-loving family and, during WW2, belonged to Sweden's Nazi party.
Many art forms are discussed, Scandi Noir, Ingmar Bergman films, and Astrid Lingren's championing of violence-free child-rearing in her speech when she won the German Booksellers' Peace Prize in 1978. All that and Pipi, too.
Many art forms are discussed, Scandi Noir, Ingmar Bergman films, and Astrid Lingren's championing of violence-free child-rearing in her speech when she won the German Booksellers' Peace Prize in 1978. All that and Pipi, too.
August 7, 2020
Detta är en lysande bok, vackert och intelligent skriven, av en vettig person. Det är på många sätt precis en sån här bok jag har varit på jakt efter ett tag nu. Dels för översikten över kulturellt förankrade uttryck och var de kommer ifrån, och också inte minst för en snabb överblick och klara neddyk i svensk samhällshistoria. I princip alla avsnitt får också en tydlig relevans kopplad till något aktuellt idag.
Som Yuval Harari säger om att lära sig historia, "to free yourself of the past and imagine alternative destinies." Nu har jag en bättre grund att bemöta och diskutera idéer om vad Sverige är, var Sverige kommer ifrån och vart Sverige är på väg.
Som Yuval Harari säger om att lära sig historia, "to free yourself of the past and imagine alternative destinies." Nu har jag en bättre grund att bemöta och diskutera idéer om vad Sverige är, var Sverige kommer ifrån och vart Sverige är på väg.
February 10, 2023
Jag gillade den! Men svårt att säga om det var ett bra urval av ord eller så, den var rätt vänster kändes det som och det är ju jag också. Men var intressant att få orden utvalda från nån som är halvsvensk, man har ju en annan look på det som är svenskt och faktiskt inte internationellt. Hon lyckas lirka upp den osynliga svenskheten som sitter i oss och lägger den platt för alla att titta på. Tror att hon var typ historiker också så det get credibility.
Boken var inte tråkig! Varje ord kändes väldigt genom researched men texten var inte stabbig, det var som chips, man ville bara läsa mer.
Boken var inte tråkig! Varje ord kändes väldigt genom researched men texten var inte stabbig, det var som chips, man ville bara läsa mer.
November 5, 2020
Got this book to read via my sister-in-law, who got it from relatives in Sweden. As my sister-in-law said, this book does not simply get all nostalgic for the good things in Sweden. We Swedish descendants in America tend to look at Sweden through rose-colored glasses. The author explains a number of not-so-nice things about the country, which provides for much-needed balance. No country is perfect.
September 13, 2021
+ Z książki można się dowiedzieć bardzo dużo referencji, mam na myśli smaczki, o których wiedzą Szwedzi, ale nie wyszły one poza mocno zainteresowanych tą kulturą.
- Niezbyt przekonało mnie podejście autorki, czasami wychodzi naprzód jej zdanie, a nie ogólna opinia o jakiejś sprawie. Miałem też wrażenie, że niestety czasami była to książka dla Szwedów o Szwedach/Szwecji, a czytelnikowi zagranicznemu trudno było się przez tę ścianę niezrozumienia przebić.
- Niezbyt przekonało mnie podejście autorki, czasami wychodzi naprzód jej zdanie, a nie ogólna opinia o jakiejś sprawie. Miałem też wrażenie, że niestety czasami była to książka dla Szwedów o Szwedach/Szwecji, a czytelnikowi zagranicznemu trudno było się przez tę ścianę niezrozumienia przebić.
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