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The Xenophobe's Guide to the
Austrians
by Louis James
A guide to understanding the Austrians that
delves into the cultural curiosities and peculiar
characteristics of this land-locked nation.
The
Xenophobe's Guide to the Austrians
is now available on Kindle
CLICK HERE FOR KINDLE
STORE UK
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KINDLE STORE USA
| We cannot be
moved |
| The Austrian
needs lots of persuading to have his traditions
tampered with in the name of modernisation and
efficiency. He is attached to his sausage, his
insipid beer, and the young white wine that
tastes so remarkably like iron filings. He
prefers the familiar, tried and tested to the
novelty, the latter almost certainly being an
attempt by persons unknown to make money at his
expense. |
| Kitschy,
kitschy, koo |
| Home life for the Austrians
is a never-ending quest for Gemütlichkeit
or cosiness, which is achieved by accumulating
objects that run the gamut from the pleasingly
aesthetic to the mind-blowingly kitsch. |
| Austrian
autonomy |
| In Austria detonating
pretension is a national pastime. It has to do
with attitudes to power that date back to an
absolutist form of government and with the
self-irony developed by people who were (or
thought they were) more talented than the
authority to which they had to defer. |
| A grave issue |
| The paradoxical character
of the Austrian mingles profoundly conservative
attitudes with a flair for innovation and
invention. This creative tension usually takes
the form of official obstructionism to good
ideas, but sometimes the other way round. For
example, the population were outraged by Josef
II's attempt to make them adopt reusable coffins
with flaps on the underside for dropping out the
corpses. (The Emperor was forced to retreat,
grumbling as he did so about the people's
wasteful attitude.) |
| A good little book, providing a
quick traveler's introduction to the Austrians.
It is written with a pervasive sense of humor,
and offers insights into local custom and
character. It is not a substitute for either a
true guide book or for a good history (both of
which we would strongly urge one to have). Read
this first, then consult the travel guide books
and read The Austrians. |
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Newport, OR, USA
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| An enlightened new series, good
natured, witty and useful. The Xenophobe's
Guides to different nations deserves a real
cheer. |
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The European
|
| Light-hearted guides well worth
reading before you visit any of the countries
or, if you have relatives that hail from those
parts of the world, they can explain a lot. |
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Burton Mail
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Nationalism and Identity
Character
Attitudes and Values
Happy Families
Manners and Behaviour
Leisure and Pleasure
Drinking and Eating
Custom and Tradition
Sense of Humour
Culture
Systems
Culture
Systems
Business and Commerce
Government
Language |
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| Author: Louis James |
| Format: 96 pages,
pb |
| Published: 01/02/10 |
| Updated: New
edition |
| Price: £4.99 |
| ISBN: 978-1-906042-21-9 |
| Online eBook. Click on
button below to sample. |
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