Customer Reviews

Sweden CB

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From the Ice Age to the assasination of Olof Palme, Scott digs into every nook and cranny of Sweden's history. The account is blissfully more than political, though that is the backbone of the book. Besides hitting the military conquests, the great kings, etc. The farming life, the culture, the art, literature, and science of Sweden are also major points in this book, perhaps more aptly a history of the Swedish people, rather than just the nation's history.

Of course, Gustav II Adolph and the tragic Karl XII and the Great Northern War are probably the two greatest contributions of the Swedish people to the development of continental Europe, and they are dealt with very well in this book. But, the shoes of an Empire always too large for Sweden, the book reflects more on the progressive and peaceful transitions and compromises that have made Sweden's politics unique in the world, and more recently, almost a miracle. From the alliance of the monarch and the people against the nobility in the policy of land reduction which forever halted feudalism, to the age of freedom in which Sweden experimented with a bourgeoise liberalism, and finally through the gradual peaceful fall of plutocracy into democracy and the welfare state, Sweden has proved itself to be an iconoclast of domestic and foreign policy.

The author(s) *the 1986 revision contains an additional Epilogue* end on a probing discussion of the Welfare state. The great progressive achievement, they find, rests almost solely on the rich culture of Sweden, a conclusion one can hardly disagree with. A great portrait of a brilliant nation!

Sweden (enlarged edition) The Nation's History is a well written and interesting book for visitors to Sweden to have a better understanding of the people, their politics, religions, every day life to better enjoy their holiday in Scandinavia. It is also a wonderful resource for genealogists needing a grasp of Swedish heritage to gain perspective toward answering family history questions and breaking down brick walls in research.

This book merges military, religious and social history. It covers all the history of the nation since cavemen times. However it is most focused on the last two centuries but without skipping any important event in earlier times. I think it is the best book on Sweden's history of ever and I sought for this type of historical source since 2004! And It is also very cheap!

This book gives a good, no a great overview of Swedish customs, religions and just a lot of important information that will make your trip to Sweden even better. Even if you don't read this book you will still have a wonderful time here. The warmth of the people and the welcoming nature would make your visit great. however, being informed about basics, makes the trip that much more interesting.

This is the only book you'll need to raed.

Vi ses!

I love traveling and history, as well as art. I always make a point of reading at least two books about my next destination and to me, seeing a place without knowing where it came from is like seeing it in the background of a TV commercial. This book was longer than what I normally look for, as I normally try to read a general History of the country/city I'm visiting plus a work on current affairs and something on the artistic traditions of a place, especially architecture. This was the only book on Sweden I had time to read. The depth and level of detail make this a fascinating volume and I never felt the author was glossing over any periods or issues. Especially useful is the fact that he has separate sections on historical figures and events such as kings and battles, and on social and cultural developments, as I find myself often more interested in the latter. On to the negative points, I would have to say the book could use some editing, as some sentences are laboured, repetitive and distracting. I got the impression that this work could have been a few dozen pages shorter. But my main complaint is the fact that the author cannot avoid referring to the United States, which is almost invariably in a tangential manner, which I found more distracting and disengaging than useful. In some cases, of course, the point needs to be made (such as in the description of the Temperance movement or when important figures establish contacts or emigrate), but in many other instances, the reference isn't even from the same period and some feel almost like off-hand comments. Plus, the relative importance of some of those detours (as in the description of contacts between Swedish and American religious groups) isn't offered as a way to gauge their relevance. In some pages this book could be about the history of the cultural and exchanges between both countries or the distinct impressions of an American about Sweden.

But the subject matter may not be quite as interesting as you'd thought. Sweden is a small country, on the periphery of Europe, and not quite as much as you may've thought has happened there.