This book helped me see the big picture of life in the United States as opposed to life in a Nordic country. We Americans like to say that the U.S. is the best country in the world, but Anu Partanen shows us at great length why this is not true anymore. The chaos of our healthcare system, our convoluted tax system, and rising school tuition are just a few of the obstacles to our success and happiness.
The author also explains why the Nordic countries enjoy being what she calls "well-being states," as opposed to what we often hear-- that they are undesirable socialist "nanny states," stifling creativity and enterprise. She explains that Finland is not a socialist state, but an advanced capitalist state.
I thought her chapter on education was stimulating and her chapter on heath care systems was passionate and extraordinary. You would think a book about social structures would be weighed down with heavy language, but that is not so. It is very simply and clearly written.
