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Folk Costumes of Sweden, a Living Tradition
English, Swedish (translation)
236 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 1, 2011
As a second generation Swede from Minnesota with relatives still leaving back in Sweden, I've always been fascinated by Swedish history and culture. After seeing my great-aunt's folk costume from Gotland, and having received training as a costumer in theater, I wanted to learn more about this part of Swedish nationalism.
The writing, while informative, is dry and ineffectively doled out, like something in a poorly-written textbook versus a critical bit of historical knowledge. If only Sarah Vowell took on folk costumes of Sweden... The photographs in the book were a treat, but formatting back in the 1970s meant that very rarely did things match up on the page with the subjects on photographs.
The tone regarding wearing and making costumes is preachy at best, daunting and nearly impossible for the layperson to follow at worst.
At the end of the day, it's a fascinating subject with much to be said and admired, and if any young Swedish writers are looking for a story to tell, it'd be this one.
The writing, while informative, is dry and ineffectively doled out, like something in a poorly-written textbook versus a critical bit of historical knowledge. If only Sarah Vowell took on folk costumes of Sweden... The photographs in the book were a treat, but formatting back in the 1970s meant that very rarely did things match up on the page with the subjects on photographs.
The tone regarding wearing and making costumes is preachy at best, daunting and nearly impossible for the layperson to follow at worst.
At the end of the day, it's a fascinating subject with much to be said and admired, and if any young Swedish writers are looking for a story to tell, it'd be this one.
Displaying 1 of 1 review