The Almost Nearly Perfect People

The question of everyone's mind these days seems to be: What's so great about Scandinavia? Michael Booth, an Englishman living in Denmark, decides to explore this question and ventures out to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark and tries to put his finger on what makes the people of these countries so happy. Booth manages to take a close look at the social nets in place, the comprehensive health care systems, the amazing educational systems, and the Scandinavians' perceived happiness along with the high taxes paid, the Scandinavians' relationship with alcohol, and the problems with immigration, and he does so in ways that always make me snort with laughter, a Bill Bryson of the Norselands, if you will.