Product Description

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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71162 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-05
• Released on: 2006-09-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 168 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781857333312
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"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, Easy Jet Magazine -...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world, New York Times."

About the Author
LINDA MARCH is a writer with a special interest in issues affecting expatriate families. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, into a Royal Navy family, she has spent much of her life on the move, living and working in Europe and the USA. A graduate of Hull University, she is a former head teacher and has also worked in the computer industry as a programmer and trainer. Linda lived in Stavanger, Norway, for six years, during which time she was on the Board of the Women’s International Network (WIN).

Customer Reviews

A Decent Introduction to Norwegian Culture
My wife and I took a trip to Norway over the summer and we found the Norwegian people to be very intriguing. We noticed that the Norwegians often behaved in ways that were very different from the other Europeans we had encountered on our travels. An Oslo bookstore had a copy of Culture Smart Norway for sale and we bought a copy.

Culture Smart Norway is a decent introduction to the country. Author Linda March helps those who know little about Norway to improve their basic knowledge. Those seeking in-depth information, however, will want to look elsewhere.

The book has several strong sections. I particularly like the chapters on values and attitudes, social life, home life, and business etiquette. March also provides information on Norway's history that helps explain why Norwegian culture evolved into its present state.

Through Culture Smart, I learned several interesting things, including the following:
a) Norwegians enjoy telling jokes about their Swedish neighbors. (March provides some samples: "A Swede called the airline and asked how long it would take for a plane to get from Stockholm to Paris. 'Just a minute,' replied the clerk. 'Thank you' replied the Swede, then hung up").
b) Foreign nationals often find that it is very different to make friends with Norwegians, owing to the fact that Norwegians are reserved and very wary of strangers.
c) Norway has twice turned down membership in the European Union. March attributes Norwegians' reluctance to join the EU to the fact that Norway has been an independent country since only 1905. She says that Norwegians are reluctant to give up their sovereignty after such a short period of time.

Much of the material is mediocre, however. March wastes time on material that goes somewhat far afield of culture; too much of the book focuses on basic information that one might find in any travel guide. Some of the sections, moreover, are simply not interesting. March includes long, boring sections on Norway's holidays, transportation systems, and its oil industry. The book is also a bit short at just over 160 pages.

Culture Smart Norway is not a bad book. But after I finished I felt as though it could have been much better.

Good insight for the Norwegian culture
Norway - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (Culture Smart!) by Linda March provides a series of useful hints for those willing to get into the Norwegian culture. I have been dealing with Norwegian people for more than eight years and been to Norway twice so I can support many of the articles in the book. I don't remember finding any misconception at all, what is pretty rare when it comes to this kind of books. The only drawback are the pictures and illustrations, hence the 4-stars. Although it is not meant to be a photo album, maybe if the images were not monochrome, it would become more appealing to the reader. Minor flaw, though. All in all, I recommend it.

Great Book
I love this book. It's written like someone talking to you. It's a great concept and I'm thinking of purchasing books from other countries.