Four Books to Read Before You Visit Switzerland
Switzerland is a magical destination that boasts of rolling hills, cheese and chocolate-filled days, snow-capped mountains, freshwater fountains, and unparalleled natural beauty that seems to go on for miles and miles. Considered amongst the premier travel destinations of the world, Switzerland attracts tourists in the thousands every year. For those planning a visit to this stunning land, it's never too early to start learning about its people and places. To help you along, here are four non-fiction books you need to read before planning a trip to Switzerland.
1. Slow Train to Switzerland by Diccon Bewes
Slow Train to Switzerland is a captivating look at the country, its history, the changes it has endured, and its present state in the world. Diccon Bewes, whose previous book, Swiss Watching, is another brilliant work worth picking up, takes on a more touristy approach to the country this time around. In this book, he follows Jemima Morell's journal from when she traveled in 1863, as part of Thomas Cook's first group tour to Switzerland. What Bewes does is share historical trivia about Switzerland with a slight inclination towards the country's relationship with Britain. Moreover, the book is unique, as it gives the reader a glimpse into how people toured in the late 1800s and the favorable impact of tourism on Switzerland's economy over time. Slow Train to Switzerland showcases the country in a praising light and is equally enjoyable to read for travelers who know Switzerland and those who plan to visit it soon.
2. Xenophobe's Guide to the Swiss by Paul Bilton
The entire collection of Xenophobe's Guides is a bit of a hit or a miss. Depending on who you ask, they either keenly capture the peculiarities of a particular country or misunderstand them entirely. The Swiss edition by author Paul Bilton, though, is one of the best, in that it manages to underline the distinctive culture of the country that outsiders sometimes find a bit odd. Xenophobe's Guide to the Swiss is an informative, witty, and brutally honest quick read, one that guides you on how to tackle the locals and their quirky personalities, based on which part of the country they reside. However, as is the case with most guides, you ought to take everything written in the book with a pinch of salt.
3. Swiss Life: 30 Things I Wish I'd Known by Chantal Panozzo
The title of the book might sound like a click-bait blog post one finds on the internet, but that's partly because Chantal Panozzo is a blogger, who has been documenting her move from America to Switzerland for a while. The 30 short essays in the book, some previously published elsewhere, are a delightful insight into how the country and its people function, and especially their attitude towards foreigners. There's no structure to the essays, and it takes a little getting used to. Still, Chantal's writing is candid enough to keep the reading light and breezy. There is also the charm of having Chantal share personal moments, often bursting with humorous incidents, but the generalizations are sometimes based on limited experiences she has with a select few locals. Swiss Life might not intrigue the everyday traveler but is an interesting book on Switzerland for anyone planning a move to the country, in the hope that the likely culture shock isn't too much to handle.
4. The Gilded Chalet by Padraig Rooney
Did you know that Lord Byron wrote his infamous The Prisoner of Chillon after visiting Château de Chillon in Montreux? Not only that, but he also etched his name on one of its dungeon's pillars. Also, Robert Louis Stevenson finished Treasure Island in Davos. Or that the sights around Lake Geneva influenced Mary Shelley's Frankenstein? The Gilded Chalet is thus one of the most extensive and well-researched books about Switzerland's many literary connections, making it an essential read for bookworms irrespective of whether they have an interest in Switzerland or not. Padraig Rooney undertakes the topic of his book with much enthusiasm, sharing amusing anecdotes and important literary moments while simultaneously incorporating stories behind Switzerland becoming a playground for writers from across the globe. The chapters are not just about classic novels, but more so their authors, with a comprehensive look at how Switzerland and its impressive landscapes were a noteworthy inspiration behind many popular books. An educational read for history aficionados, travel junkies, and lovers of good books, there is something to relish in The Gilded Chalet for everyone.
