Profile of nations and nationalities

LiamMc

Has anyone read books on the profile of a nationality or a nation. There tends to be a regular dose of them for leisure or political reading. Some are mere observations and others claim to get under the skin of the culture.


The Italians by Luigi Barzini used to be the definitive one for the Italians but I think it's a little dated.

Karlusss

That's a bit of a shady genre to be getting into, or it seems like it could be.

Off the top of my head I can think of:

Tim Pat Coogan - The Irish: A Personal View
Paul Johnson - A History of the Jews (not what you're talking about, but a really really comprehensive history from pre-Biblical to now, and really interesting)
Bill Bryson - Down Under (not what you want either, but fun)

LiamMc

Karluss, apologies if I led you astray. Perhaps the first two books you mentioned are political and are part of my question.
But Karluss mentioned Down Under by Bill Bryson.
I would add Notes from a Small Island and The Mother Tongue are attempts to get under the skin of a culture.

Does Captain Corelli's Mandolin come into this catogory or is this book now just Travologue.

Am I trying too hard to push past the recommended reading of the usual travel guides. I don't mean to. I mean to ask what books attempt to/ or define a culture or nation.

The example in the first post is exceptoinal, what other examples are there? But Travelogues which hit the nail on the head are accepted also.

EamonnKeane

"The Dark Heart of Italy" is excellent also.

Esmereldina

LiamMc wrote: »

Has anyone read books on the profile of a nationality or a nation. There tends to be a regular dose of them for leisure or political reading. Some are mere observations and others claim to get under the skin of the culture.


The Italians by Luigi Barzini used to be the definitive one for the Italians but I think it's a little dated.

I read The Italians too, and found some of what Barzini said quite funny and true, but most of it just struck me as very dated. Actually I stopped reading it about half way through... He was also very obviously writing it for a non Italian readership, which make the whole genre a bit strange really.
I would second The Dark Heart of Italy, for Italy. I haven't read it yet, but I'd imagine Beppe Severigni's book on Italy (can't remember exact title bit it's a very recent book) would be good, in a not too serious way I imagine, if this is what you're looking for.