The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia

Michael Booth’s book is almost nearly exactly what the title implies – a witty and lighthearted look at the culture, politics, and economic systems of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Booth is generally laudatory, but he also explores some of the countries’ weaknesses — the poor integration of new immigrants into society, high levels of political extremism, an overreliance on natural resources, and a smug superiority that leads their people to write books like this one.