Swiss Watching, 3rd Edition: Inside the Land of Milk and Honey Paperback – September 25, 2018

The author is a journalist and travel writer who was given the opportunity to move to Switzerland and learn about the country and its people. His book covers everything from chocolate and cheese, to politics, history, and ettiquette. It isn't a guide for living in Switzerland only - it is for anyone who is interested in traveling to Switzerland or just learning about the country. He gives a light, whimsical telling that I think anyone would enjoy.I learned quite a bit about the country I still haven't picked up even living here. I knew a lot of it, but the ins and outs of the government, or some of the back history of the country was new to me. I have loved living in Switzerland, and it is always great to read a book from an expats point of view. I agreed with much of what he said - that the Swiss really do run on time 99% of the time, they are formal and quiet, but they are also kind.I encourage you to read this one. I am, of course, bias becuase I do love Switzerland and have loved living here. You really will learn a lot about one of the richest countries in the world.

An interesting account of the culture of Switzerland. Covers customs, government, commerce, and regions. Written by an American expat.

I originally started SWISS WATCHING: INSIDE THE LAND OF MILK AND MONKEY before my first trip to Switzerland. Finishing it post-trip has been a nice way to process and appreciate my experience.Author Diccon Bewes is a queer British expat turned resident of Switzerland & naturalized citizen. The book is focused primarily on modern Switzerland, with Bewes talking about everything from Swiss democracy & federalism, the banking, watch, and chocolate industries, to beloved literary icon Heidi (spoiler: she might not be as Swiss as you think). Bewes' writing is insightful and humorous in that oh-so cheeky British way, but his affection for Swiss cultural history and its people is what anchors this read.Strongly recommend! 🇨🇭

We were in Switzerland while reading the book on our iPads. Made the trip more interesting and valuable in many ways. Have been to the country many times before, even lived there as a child, but almost everything in the book was either new information or a touching reminder of past experiences and perceptions. The writer's unique style makes it easy to keep going. Lots of laughs!I don't believe another book like this exists. Even if you don't have a trip to Switzerland planned, read the book anyway, just in case. And to impress your friends.Lots of history and "insider" info here, but so much contemporary lore that after reading this book Switzerland seem like the best place in the world. Go often, stay long.

Most of the time I really enjoyed reading this book. There were a few sections that were a bit trying to finish, and the author's jokes were sometimes a little to "hammy" for my taste (but I did get the occasional chuckle). The opperative word in that last sentence is "few". In general, I found the book pleasurable and easy to read.Swiss Watching covers a variety of different topics, so in that sense the book is good for a rather large audience. This is not simply a guide for living in Switzerland, nor is it a history of the country. It combines elements of both in an artful way that leaves the reader feeling better informed about life in Switzerland. I learned a lot from this book.I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is planning to move to or at least travel in Switzerland. But, I also feel that someone who merely has an interest in Europe or other cultures could get a lot out of this book.

The book is based on the author's life in Switzerland and we'll get a sneak peek into the country through his experiences. The first few chapters are a bit annoying to read through. He appears to have an air of sucking up to the Swiss, which makes it sounds as if doing things in a Swiss way makes you God. His writing makes him sound really submissive to the culture. Eventually, you'll realize that he just likes Switzerland. After all, he lives in Switzerland for quite some time (and we picked up the book because we are more or less interested in the country too). You'll have to bear with him for his ostensible submissiveness for the first few chapters. Once you get used to his writing, his wicked sense of humor will keep you entertained througout.While all these facts mentioned in the book are enjoyable to learn, there is barely any exposition of the reason behind them. The Swiss are reserved, private, punctual, neutral and democratic and there are chock-full of examples to show those qualities of theirs throughout the book. And these examples are very convincing as they are based on the experiences of an expat. But then there is hardly any explanation or speculation on why. Take punctuality for example. The author states that the trains run on time even in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland, in stark contrast to nothern Italy right across the border. Sure, it is interesting to know that but what is it that makes the Swiss so punctual? Apparently, it has nothing to do with the language because they share the same one to the south of the border. The same lack of reasoning applies to almost everything examined in the book. Why are they so private? Neutral? Democratic? I still have no clue after I finished the book, which is disappointing. I thought I would gain at least some idea of why the Swiss act the way they do. For that I have to say the book is shallow and scratches only the surface of Swiss mindset, eloquently but nonetheless superficially.You might want to read the conclusion first if you have never been to the country before. The conclusion explains the typical Swiss family life, which I think should be in the introduction. Everything sounded rather vague and fictional until I reach the conclusion segment. Other than that, you don't want skip any chapter because each chapter builds on the previous one.A little caveat is that the author is British. When he makes a comparison between Switzerland and another country, that another country is almost always the UK. Any references he makes is therefore not familiar to the US readers. In fact, with Switzerland being a collection of independent cantons, I think it would be interesting to compare the country to the United States, which is also a collection of rather independent states. But then, unlike the US, there is no single conspicuous figure like the President of the United States in Switzerland and no presidential election shenanigans like we are having right now, according to the author. I'm guessing US/Switzerland comparison would be quite intriguing.Overall, an interesting but not substantial collection of what's without explanations of why's.