22 Ambassadors Recommend One Book to Read Before Visiting Their Country
Austria
“The Tobacconist (translated into English by Charlotte Collins) is set in 1937 just before the German occupation. It follows 17-year-old Franz, who moves to Vienna to become the apprentice in a tobacco shop. Its quiet wisdom and sincerity resonated with me very deeply.” —H.E. Wolfgang A. Waldner
Azerbaijan
H.E. Elin Suleymanov recommends Ali and Nino, written in 1937 by Kurban Said, which tells the love story of a Muslim Azerbaijani boy and Christian Georgian girl in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku from 1918 to 1920.
Belgium
“War and Turpentine is a book about three generations of Belgians, focusing on the legacy of WWI and Belgium’s exceptional painters. Long-listed for the 2017 Man Booker Prize, War and Turpentine is the absolute companion book for any art and history lover traveling to Belgium.” —H.E. Dirk Wouters
Bhutan
H.E. Kunzang C. Namgyel recommends Treasures of the Thunder Dragon: A Portrait of Bhutan, which was written by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck and is a personal memoir combined with folklore, creating a portrait of the Himalayan kingdom.
Canada
“On the occasion of Canada’s 150th anniversary, we suggest the newly-released book, With Faith and Goodwill: 150 years of Canada-U.S. Friendship, edited by Arthur Milnes. It is a beautiful collection of speeches, photographs and essays from prime ministers and presidents that express our shared history.” —H.E. David MacNaughton
Chile
“La Casa de Los Espíritus depicts the recent past and memories from a landowner’s point of view, and his daughter’s, mingled with social and political issues of the 1970s.” —H.E. Juan Gabriel Valdés
Colombia
H.E. Juan Carlos Pinzón recommends 1967’s One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, which tells the multi-generational story of the Buendía family.
Denmark
“Smilla’s Sense of Snow is a fictional mystery set in Copenhagen. It is a book that touches on issues such as Danish culture versus Greenlandic and the related issues of language and identity.” —H.E. Lars Gert Lose
Estonia
“The Man Who Spoke Snakish is an exploration of alternative history by a well-loved contemporary author.” —H.E. Eerik Marmei
Finland
“The Moomin books were originally written as fairy tales for children. Their philosophic nature is universal and makes the books enjoyable for people of all ages and from all backgrounds. The carefree and friendly Moomins provide a warm-hearted reading experience, and are also an essential part of the childhood of every Finnish kid.” —H.E. Kirsti Kauppi
Germany
“Tschick is about two 14-year-old boys, both social outcasts, one from a bourgeois background, the other a Russian returnee, who “borrow” a car, take a road trip, and develop an unusual friendship.” —H.E. Peter Wittig
Greece
The Greek Embassy in Washington, headed by H.E. Haris Lalacos, recommends Nikos Kazantzakis’s Freedom and Death. Published in 1953, the novel is about the rebellion of the Cretans against the Ottoman Empire in 1889.