Modern Perspectives on Foreign Countries

November 5, 2012 10:00 AM

What books/articles offer the same intimate, current-day view of a foreign country as Rosecrans Baldwin's Paris, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down?
posted by boombot to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Have you read Sarah Turnbull's Almost French?
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 1:24 PM on November 5, 2012

It's about fifteen years old, but when I was a teenager I read Shalom Japan, which is by a woman who was the wife of the Israeli ambassador (?) to Japan at the time. I remember it as being extremely interesting, funny but respectful, and well-composed. I don't know what Baldwin's book is like, but this one is more about cultural differences than socio-political matters.
posted by threeants at 7:39 PM on November 5, 2012

Oh, also, one I picked up at a thriftstore and read about 75% of that fits the bill: Black Earth: A Journey Through Russia After The Fall by journalist Andrew Meier. In contrast to the one I just mentioned, this book is quite topical, taking as its central conceit four post-Soviet social changes/conflicts in the North, South, East, and West of Russia.
posted by threeants at 7:42 PM on November 5, 2012 [1 favorite]

Also (sorry), I'm currently reading Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds. I've only read about one-fourth of it so far, but I'm enjoying it and it seems silly to withhold it from mention until I'm done, because I'll forget!
posted by threeants at 7:44 PM on November 5, 2012