South Africa - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Culture Smart / Cultuur Bewust

by David Holt-Biddle

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include


* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken


"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times

Genres: Travel, Africa, South Africa, Nonfiction, History

168 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

Reviews

[Eme Se · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book about South Africa and found it informative and mostly accurate. However, I've been spending a considerable amount of time in SA for the past 20 years or so and I don't agree with everyhing. Also, the overall narrative was sometimes pc to the extent that it ended up distoring reality. So much so that some parts of the book are simply biased and factually incorrect. With that being said, it still provides an entertaining and informative insight into the culture and everyday life of this extremely unique country.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had a few helpful nuggets. Sadly, I feel like most of the book was outdated from it's 2005 publishing date. I would have like it to cover more protocol and etiquette than it did. Most of it was dedicated to South Africa's history which is better covered in other books.

[Carolyn Harper · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book has interesting information about South Africa, it is not particularly well-written and is riddled with typos. If I weren’t planning a visit to S Africa soon, I don’t think I would have finished it.

[A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually really enjoy these Culture Smart! books, but I couldn't (and didn't want to) finish this one. The racial bias throughout the whole first half that I read was extremely off-putting. Very disappointing.

[Sara Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful book about South Africa.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

More potted history than contemporary culture.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtfully written and more readable than most guidebooks, I found this quite helpful during a first-time visit to South Africa.