Preparing for a visit to a foreign country can often be overwhelming, with no shortage of things to learn before you go. Where should you eat? Where should you stay? What do you tip? More so than this service information, though, is a sense of cultural understanding that’s hard to put your finger on. With this in mind, language learning app Babbel asked foreign ambassadors to the U.S. to pick the book they believe first-time visitors to their country should read before they arrive. Their answers may surprise you. Note: “H.E.” stands for His or Her Excellency, the official title for ambassadors to the U.S.
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
This is a repost from Condé Nast Traveler. To see the full list, visit the original article here: www.cntraveler.com/gallery/22-ambassadors-recommend-the-one-book-to-read-before-visiting-their-country.
Condé Nast Traveler is a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by Condé Nast.
