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Scandinavia
Tony Griffiths' Scandinavia is a compact, sharp, and accessible introduction to the history, politics and culture of Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark, from the Napoleonic era to the present. His lively narrative brings to life the modern history of the region, demolishing national stereotypes in the process. No other book illuminates so tellingly the salient events and personalities of modern Scandinavia, including artists, musicians, and intellectuals such as Ibsen, Bergman, Kierkegaard, Munch, and Sibelius. This combination of a detailed look at Scandinavian culture and politics within a concise and thorough history makes this book the first and only of its kind, and unravels the mysteries and misunderstandings of this region and its people.
298 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 12, 2013
The promise of three centuries of integrated Scandinavian history, as filtered by an Australian, was enough to make me pick this one up off the library shelf. Sadly, not even a tenuous analogy involving Jansson's Moomintroll family helped it live up to the promise.
The book was predominantly full of dates, names, war, politics, and economics. Lots of detail, but very very dry, superficial, and living down to the bad reputation that history often gets. There were gems scattered throughout: such as the history of the Finnish Fazer company; Norway's Ibsen sulking and drinking in Italy for a decade or two; or Sweden's Alfred Nobel and his talent for making things go boom, including the odd sibling! I would have loved a few more of those 'tighter focus' social histories, a bit more depth in the broader sociology, and a bit less of the geopolitical manouvering.
I think that what I've ultimately gotten from the book is a better sense of just how entangled Scandinavia has been and is, both within its borders, and outside with other powers such as Russia and Germany. Some of the cultural stereotypes and jokes of Scandinavia and the World have a it more context now, but I know which I enjoy reading more. One for the people who really need to read it.
The book was predominantly full of dates, names, war, politics, and economics. Lots of detail, but very very dry, superficial, and living down to the bad reputation that history often gets. There were gems scattered throughout: such as the history of the Finnish Fazer company; Norway's Ibsen sulking and drinking in Italy for a decade or two; or Sweden's Alfred Nobel and his talent for making things go boom, including the odd sibling! I would have loved a few more of those 'tighter focus' social histories, a bit more depth in the broader sociology, and a bit less of the geopolitical manouvering.
I think that what I've ultimately gotten from the book is a better sense of just how entangled Scandinavia has been and is, both within its borders, and outside with other powers such as Russia and Germany. Some of the cultural stereotypes and jokes of Scandinavia and the World have a it more context now, but I know which I enjoy reading more. One for the people who really need to read it.
December 22, 2012
Somehow Scadinavian history wasn't showed here very much.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews