- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: Granta Books (1 July 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1862079951
- ISBN-13: 978-1862079953
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 407,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
The Economist
'Mr Brown's prose is as clear and bewitching as the lake waters which he learns to fish.'
The Observer
'He writes eloquently about the Swedish countryside, the shining lakes the long summer days.'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The author spent some time in Sweden as a child,and again
in his 20's when he was married to a Swedish woman,and working
in a timber mill.When his marriage broke up ,after the birth
of his son, he moved back to England.In this wise and balanced
book he returns to Sweden to explore his relationship with the
country.As he endeavours to define Sweden we learn of his childhood experiences,his working class life in the timber mill,his fishing,
and of the desolate beauty of Northern Sweden.He considers
Sweden's 'social experiment' portraying its faults as the country,like many others in Europe tries to come to terms with immigration and the disintegration of rural life.He does this -respectfully-and despite its shortcomings ,he regains his affection for much of what is Swedish. A wonderfully written fascinating read.
in his 20's when he was married to a Swedish woman,and working
in a timber mill.When his marriage broke up ,after the birth
of his son, he moved back to England.In this wise and balanced
book he returns to Sweden to explore his relationship with the
country.As he endeavours to define Sweden we learn of his childhood experiences,his working class life in the timber mill,his fishing,
and of the desolate beauty of Northern Sweden.He considers
Sweden's 'social experiment' portraying its faults as the country,like many others in Europe tries to come to terms with immigration and the disintegration of rural life.He does this -respectfully-and despite its shortcomings ,he regains his affection for much of what is Swedish. A wonderfully written fascinating read.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Fishing in Utopia is a relatively short and easy book to read. It is in part autobiographical, a tribute to fishing, and a series of journalistic essays told in a 'journey' form to find Sweden's past, present and possible future. It is written in recollection of the author's youthful heydays, and interpreted with the mature discernment of a man some years on that has now a measure of accorded wisdom and seniority as a well known Fleet Street writer. All these different aspects are artfully interlaced into a well-written and unique style that gave me the impression I was reading a mysterious travelogue or cult road movie, forever moving towards the ultimate clue that would unlock the cultural secrets of this fascinating country.
Andrew Brown tells his story of living in Sweden with a Swedish partner (who he met in England) in the 1960s, after the break-up when his career as a British journalist took off, to the near present day when he re-journeys in a Saab to discover if Olof Palme's dream had sustained. Throughout a chronological structure, is weaved a passion for fishing - the author's commune with nature, and possible existentialist and cosmological solace. I am sorry to admit that I found my concentration slipping at repeated references to the finer intricacies of fishing technology.
Though the book is in essence an autobiography, Brown's writing style appeared to shield his personal reflections and those close to him, which has a somewhat noble aspect. However a blanket of privacy seemed to pervade the book, and I was left with the impression that the author is an intensely insular man, in love with his fishing retreats, and still an outsider.
Where this book excels is in its journalistic leanings that provide many commentaries on Swedish life. Much societal dirt is dug up in a loosely investigative manner, but never enough to blemish his (or mine) utopian dream. There is for example an interesting section on the impact of immigration especially as 1 in 9 of the population have settled in Sweden, which was interesting to note in the sense that such a progressive and idealistic nation still has its own issues to deal with in this area.
Worshipful acts at the gills of fishing apart, I also enjoyed the many poetic descriptions of the natural landscape. If like me, you have only ever visited Stockholm, then Fishing for Utopia explores the 'way out' parts of Sweden, where the midges and mosquitoes know how to make you welcome, and the light and temperatures of the summers and winters are taken to their polar extreme.
The book's attention to nature is lyrical and inspiring, and I would definitely recommend reading it for this reason alone. If you are more historically and culturally driven (like me) then there are many insightful history lessons to digest, particularly the impact on the demise of rural life in an under-populated country and the bold attempts at shaping a democratically responsible society during Palme's reign.
Andrew Brown tells his story of living in Sweden with a Swedish partner (who he met in England) in the 1960s, after the break-up when his career as a British journalist took off, to the near present day when he re-journeys in a Saab to discover if Olof Palme's dream had sustained. Throughout a chronological structure, is weaved a passion for fishing - the author's commune with nature, and possible existentialist and cosmological solace. I am sorry to admit that I found my concentration slipping at repeated references to the finer intricacies of fishing technology.
Though the book is in essence an autobiography, Brown's writing style appeared to shield his personal reflections and those close to him, which has a somewhat noble aspect. However a blanket of privacy seemed to pervade the book, and I was left with the impression that the author is an intensely insular man, in love with his fishing retreats, and still an outsider.
Where this book excels is in its journalistic leanings that provide many commentaries on Swedish life. Much societal dirt is dug up in a loosely investigative manner, but never enough to blemish his (or mine) utopian dream. There is for example an interesting section on the impact of immigration especially as 1 in 9 of the population have settled in Sweden, which was interesting to note in the sense that such a progressive and idealistic nation still has its own issues to deal with in this area.
Worshipful acts at the gills of fishing apart, I also enjoyed the many poetic descriptions of the natural landscape. If like me, you have only ever visited Stockholm, then Fishing for Utopia explores the 'way out' parts of Sweden, where the midges and mosquitoes know how to make you welcome, and the light and temperatures of the summers and winters are taken to their polar extreme.
The book's attention to nature is lyrical and inspiring, and I would definitely recommend reading it for this reason alone. If you are more historically and culturally driven (like me) then there are many insightful history lessons to digest, particularly the impact on the demise of rural life in an under-populated country and the bold attempts at shaping a democratically responsible society during Palme's reign.
Format:Hardcover
I haven't yet finished the book (have three more chapters to read) and I'm already writing a review! This book is a brilliant and extraordinary portrait of one man's view on Sweden both present and past. You have to be a native of Sweden to really be able to appreciate this book. It introduced me to a Sweden I remember so well (I grew up here in the Seventies) yet it taught me many things that I didn't know, about life in the factories and the truth about "Child A." The Swedish media seldom gave you all the details. It's a small country and one's personal integrity must at all cost be protected.
His portrait of a classless society was interesting. I grew up thinking there was no such thing as class, but realized one day it had all been an illusion, like a lot of other things here. But Sweden was a great country to grow up in - we were all so sheltered and happy. Today's Sweden is quite different; we're now like any other Western European place with commercials on TV, fresh vegetables at the grocery store, and a crime rate that has doubled if not tripled.
Brown has one big passion, fishing. He writes almost poetically about it. Fishing is also a big part of many Swedes' lives. Although I didn't fish as much as Brown did, I still remember the joy of catching a fish, gutting it, frying it in the pan in our "stuga" and then savoring it.
His portrait of a classless society was interesting. I grew up thinking there was no such thing as class, but realized one day it had all been an illusion, like a lot of other things here. But Sweden was a great country to grow up in - we were all so sheltered and happy. Today's Sweden is quite different; we're now like any other Western European place with commercials on TV, fresh vegetables at the grocery store, and a crime rate that has doubled if not tripled.
Brown has one big passion, fishing. He writes almost poetically about it. Fishing is also a big part of many Swedes' lives. Although I didn't fish as much as Brown did, I still remember the joy of catching a fish, gutting it, frying it in the pan in our "stuga" and then savoring it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Self-indulgent and not particularly insightful
As an expat living in Sweden, I'm rather interested in the history of my host country. I've therefore read a few books, in particular those focusing on recent history and the... Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2009 by Richard S.
A good way to put yourself off Sweden
This book will teach you a little about a very interesting subject, viz. modern Sweden, and a good deal about a very uninteresting subject, viz. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2009 by R. A. Williams
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