Book Recommendation: Culture Shock! Czech Republic

Discussion in 'Culture' started by My Czech Republic, Jan 7, 2005.

  1. My Czech Republic

    My Czech Republic Administrator

    I agree, this is a great book, it's entertaining and most of the information in it is accurate and up-to-date. You'll learn about the Czech dining etiquette, standards of appearance, Czech body language, doing business in the Czech Republic, and lots of other things. I'm Czech myself and have enjoyed reading various sections of the book, sometimes laughing out loud and thinking, wow, this is right on!

    I included links to buy the book on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. My Czech Republic is an affiliate of Amazon, so any purchases made through the links below will help support myczechrepublic.com and these boards!

    Culture Shock! Czech Republic - Amazon.com
    Culture Shock! Czech Republic - Amazon.co.uk

    Update: Links to the 2008/2009 edition are provided here and on the bottom of page 2 of this thread.

    Dana
    My Czech Republic
     
  2. brigitte

    brigitte Well-Known Member

    I found quite a bit of the book amusing - the author has a witty way of describing some of the situations he's been in. There is a quiz at the back which gives different situations a foreigner may find in CZ and a selection of responses in which the reader has to guess the appropriate one!

    Tim writes of various situations he has been in, including an Easter Monday custom involving birch branches - difficult to put it here exactly, but as a male American, he explained that if he'd done that in his country he'd have lost his job! The author is an English teacher and let's just say he was baffled at a particular custom that promised fertility! He explained how he was stumped when he realised his duty!

    I found the most interesting as to how to behave if you are a foreigner and you are invited into a CR home, or inviting CR people into yours. Quite a good bit of information to avoid embarrassing gaffes. It would be good read up stuff for someone visiting a CR partner/friend's family where there may be the possibility of meeting up with conservative or older relatives.

    A very good buy for someone planning to visit or live.
     
  3. czechlover34

    czechlover34 Member

    Hi,
    I am very happy to now know that that Czech version of the Culture Shock is for the most part accurate and up-to-date. I received it for Christmas from my sister. Although the book is on backorder on Amazon.com and I am still waiting to receive it. It should come in any day now. :D I am anticipating its arrival. Thanks for the positive reviews!

    Theresa
     
  4. brigitte

    brigitte Well-Known Member

    Not sure who can get to a store, but I got mine from Borders in the UK - so I know they stock it. So if anyone has a branch nearby.. :wink:
     
  5. Paint

    Paint Well-Known Member

    I have the book Culture Shock: Czech Republic as well... I was paging through it at the bookstore and found it so insightful that I read several chapters of it right there. That is when I decided to purchase it. I was hoping it would be of help as I am visiting friends in Prague this coming spring.
     
  6. silverkinguk

    silverkinguk Well-Known Member

    Hi,
    Nice I put an order for it today on Amazon.

    :D
     
  7. iluvuma1

    iluvuma1 Well-Known Member

    I've got bad news for y'all..... I ordered this book 2 weeks ago on Amazon, and got an email earlier this week that is is on back order, and I probably won't get it until early March... Everyone of you must have placed an order- :lol:
     
  8. brigitte

    brigitte Well-Known Member

    Considering it was me that first mentioned this book, I'm glad to see others are trying to get hold of it too! :? I often have a look in the same place as I found that for other gems!! Same shop I found the cookbook - Borders is quite good for international stuff.
     
  9. Qcumber

    Qcumber Well-Known Member

    I am impatiently waiting for the English version to be reprinted. I have always learned a lot of things about Anglo-Saxons when they write write books about other peoples. :lol:
     
  10. brigitte

    brigitte Well-Known Member

    Did I put the ISBN number for the book on another thread? If not I will put it here - so long as you have this number, you should be able to order from any bookstore - not necessarily use Amazon!

    ISBN 1-85733-190-7 (publisher Kuperard)

    Just give this number to any bookstore, and they can probably get it in.
     
  11. Jeff

    Jeff Well-Known Member

    Hi Brigitte,

    I think the ISBN# for the latest edition of the book is 1558686169.
     
  12. Paint

    Paint Well-Known Member

    The last time I checked http://www.powells.com had Culture Shock Czech Republic (2001 edition) in stock... they are a bookstore in Portland, Oregon USA but do sell online. Good luck getting a copy...
     
  13. brigitte

    brigitte Well-Known Member

    Cheers for that Jeff. I just looked inside the cover of my copy and it says 1997 as the latest. I only got the book in the past 6 months or so, so it is possible there is a later edition!

    Is the ISBN number the same internationally, wherever you buy it? I think it stands for International Book Standard Numbers or similar, I 'm pretty certain the I is correct. In that case the number probably would be the same internationally, therefore a more current edition is around, hence a different number. (above post, 2001!)
     
  14. uuspoiss

    uuspoiss Well-Known Member

    Yes, it's the same internationally. ISBN stands for "International Standard Book Number". According to isbn.org, 159 countries and territories are officially ISBN members.
     
  15. brigitte

    brigitte Well-Known Member

    Wonder why my outlet had an earlier edition out... Unless updated versions are only available in certain countries. Apparently the publishers are a London company, according to the inside cover - but possibly this could just be their London office. If the publishers have an office in the UK, I'm surprised the newest edition isn't on the shelves.

    Wonder what the updated differences are! :wink:
     
  16. allieanne

    allieanne Member

    :eek: wow thank you !
    I have been looking all over for the right kind of reading material
    for my trip tp CR - Prague and i think this will help alot.
    allie
     
  17. JednaPusu

    JednaPusu Member

    Another good book, which I totally enjoyed, and would recommend to anyone studying the Czech culture or going to visit, is "Pink Tanks and Velvey Hangovers". This was a great book. I enjoyed it because I had been to nearly all of the places talked about in the book.
     
  18. morrmusic

    morrmusic Member

    Yeah,
    The culture shock book was really helpful for my understanding of the Czech Republic. It's especially good if you're going to Prague because the author lived there.
     
  19. My Czech Republic

    My Czech Republic Administrator

  20. gementricxs

    gementricxs Well-Known Member

    Anybody knows where I can buy this book in the Czech Republic?
     

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