Informative and hilariously funny at times, Michael Booth’s, ‘The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia’ is an insightful read for those who have traveled, or ever wanted to travel, in Scandinavia.

I am something of a Scandi fan--contemporary books, great looking landscapes and was intrigued by the author's premise that the Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden) are very near to being great places but-----. I definitely agree with his feeling that most of the world has only a vague idea of the differences between these countries. All that info was very interesting and he is a very funny writer. The many surveys, indices and writings he sites to support his feelings about the countries are not directly connected to something that could easily be checked. A mention here, a claim there. Are these really trustworthy? Seems a little doubtful to me. GDP for instance is a controversial method of deciding economic health. I came away feeling a little disappointed. Do I really want to travel in those countries. Are the people a little too mediocre and boring? Are they drunken louts and bigots? Lazy welfare cases???