Swissness in a Nutshell

by Gianni Haver, Mix & Remix (Illustrator)

What is Switzerland? The answer lies in the alpine nation's myths and landscape, its products and its icons, its embarrassing mistakes and its deserved successes. In this accessible guide's more than two hundred full-colour cartoons, photos and works of art you'll find everything Swiss, from William Tell to Heidi, Swiss army knives to cheese, litter-free streets to punctual trains.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Pep Bonet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and informative, this book will clarify your doubts about Switzerland. Much more complex than the simplistic sentence about Swiss prosperity and cuckoo clocks (check The Third Man, cited in the book), Switzerland is a fascinating country that could develop world-class industry out of a poor geography.
Highly recommended.

[James Dillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction to Swiss culture and history.

I'm an American living in Zürich, Switzerland and I've definitely become smitten with my host country. My wife got this book for me as a gift.

This book brings Swiss culture to life. It takes things that you see — the statue of Helvetia at the Zürich main train station, crossbows on Swiss products, all the chocolate — and helps you understand the story behind them. Beyond the physical things, it helps you understand the cultural and political institutions / myths behind the country.

I'd absolutely recommend this book for anyone who is interested in learning more about Switzerland.

[isabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

now i know everything there is to know abt this nothing burger of a country <3
jk ily swiss ppl don't kill me. the 2 things i know about switzerland that were not in this book are 1. those goats(?) where the legs on one side are shorter than the other side and 2. moutarde benichon. (i know that one is fribourgeois and not swiss but shhh). also, i liked looking at the pictures.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lighthearted yet informative, this is a book for anyone who wants to take a peek behind the myths and legends of Switzerland. It is by necessity only a brief introduction to topics such as Swiss symbols, Swiss watches, Swiss neutrality and, of course, Swiss cheese. The illustrations, many of them vintage postcards and posters, are a real bonus. I would have liked to have seen a section on Swiss German language, and how it helps enforce Swiss exceptionalism. All in all, a fun tour through (nearly) everything Swiss.

[Sandrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, simple introduction to everything swiss!

[Enthusiastic Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely read! Efficient and super informative.

[Arsène Caron-Leblanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super résumé de la Suisse avec humour et beaucoup d'informations !

[Olga Ramirez P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, concrete and funny, very well structured, very Swiss 😉

[Cora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious. I loved the book. The Swiss Embassy Cultural attaché gave it to me, the fact that the Swiss Embassy had it shows that they have a sense of humor! There were other Mix and Remix books that I want to get too but cannot find. I strongly recommend this book.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bien conçu et les iconographies en fin de chapitre apportent une valeur ajoutée.