Review: Why the Germans Do it Better: Notes from a Grown-Up Country

Why the Germans Do it Better: Notes from a Grown-Up Country by John Kampfner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The main thought that kept coming to mind while reading this is that someone really needs to write the equivalent of this book but for Taiwan. A country boasting the best Healthcare system in world, despite not being allowed in the WHO, the highest GDP per capita in East Asia, the first country in Asia to allow gay marriage, and one of the strongest stock markets in the world, not to mention home of the modern computer chip, and all this with China breathing down its neck. That’s a pretty impressive (or grown-up) country.

In fact, it seems to have much in common with Germany. A lack of patriotism, in the classic sense, and a continuous sense of ‘duty’, for lack of a better word, to do better.

Regardless, those are just my two cents.


This book itself is unfortunately outdated at this point, but still very interesting. The progression since the war to the Germany of Merkel certainly is an interesting one. I was always enthralled by how Germany, despite having just had 2 devastating wars, seemed like the stable country in the EU when I was growing up. However, my impression is that, since Merkel, this hasn’t necessarily been true. The trains in Italy are now more reliable than Germany’s, and after Switzerland set up its cross-Gotthard train, it is one of the only countries in western Europe without High-speed rail.


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Review: The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel

The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel by Kati Marton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm extremely glad this book was written. 

First of all, I should mention that the author seems to be quite pro-Merkel, and every now and then she slips into 1st person asides (usally in the footnotes, but not always, although I pretty much always found them informative). 

However, there is no denying she is an extraordinary person and that, without her, not only Germany, but all of Europe (and perhaps the world) would be in a very different state. She has been the voice of moderation, while demagoguery has been popping up left and right (literally, as in with Russia, China, and the US). 

This book takes us from her East German upbringing and formation as a scientist, through her political career, and the author obviously has had plenty of access to Merkel and her inner circle (at least, as much as can be said for someone as private as Merkel is). 

Now I just need someone to write a similar book about Tsai Ying-Wen...

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Review: Nathan der Weise

Nathan der Weise by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Better than I thought. I feel like a politician or two would benefit from giving this a read.

I really liked Nathan's parable with the father and the three rings as related to the three main religions in the Holy land.

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Review: Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis

Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis by Jared Diamond
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an extremely interesting book, although I'm not sure how useful it is. It is a review of the recent history of 7 countries that Diamond has some connection, experience, or ties with. The countries were Finland (extremely interesting to me, given how little I knew of their recent history), Japan, Chile, Germany (also interesting, given how much I thought I already knew), Indonesia, Australia, and the United States.

To his credit, he does mention, in the final chapter, that a quantitative study should be made of this ideas. I agree, although I think he should have done this since he was writing the book.

All of this isn't to say I disagree with his 12-part model. But that sort of is the point. This model may or may not be correct, and whether I agree or disagree makes no difference until quantitative analysis is applied to it, rather than anecdotal info taken from his non-random assortment of countries.

Having said that, I reiterate that the histories of each country were extremely interesting.

I liked his statement that if he were a dictator trying to engineer Japan's downfall, he would institute the exact policy they have right now

Some notes I took regarding the US:
- Since 2005 (especially with the advent of the tea party), there has been much less will to compromise, which means fewer laws have been passed, budgets have been late more than once, and the government has shut down more than ever before.
- Under our first 43 presidents (over 220 years), only 68 nominees for government positions were opposed by filibuster. But when Obama was president republicans blocked 79 nominees in 4 years. This forced a change in laws which means minority opinions will be less represented in the future.
- "There is no way China or Mexico can destroy the US. Only we can destroy the US"

3.5 Stars

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Review: Achtung Baby: An American Mom on the German Art of Raising Self-Reliant Children

Achtung Baby: An American Mom on the German Art of Raising Self-Reliant Children by Sara Zaske
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is basically "Bringing up Bébé" (French children don't throw food), substituting Germany for France. Both authors moved to their new country with a husband and a daughter, and then had a son while there (I think Druckerman had twin boys in France, but otherwise it was pretty similar).
At first I was a bit annoyed at the book. The author introduced her different life in Germany by talking about her experience with its bureaucracy, which basically entailed waiting in lines, having to bring many forms, and having to speak German. She also happened to be 15 minutes late for an appointment (due to snow), so she had to reschedule. None of that seems overly bureaucratic to me, quite frankly. Maybe because I grew up dealing with Italian bureaucracy, and I just went through my wife's green card process for the US, which were both nightmares in their own way.

She then talks about how and why her family ended up in Germany, as well as a general history of modern Germany and German-americans. It was probably useful and somewhat interesting, but it took some time before getting to "the German art of raising self-reliant children". However, once she did, I rather enjoyed it.

I should say, here in Charlotte things don't seem to be as extreme as Zaske makes them out to be in the US. Children are playing in playgrounds all the time, including climbing, swinging and hanging off things. You don't see children walking to and from school, but that's mainly because everything is so spread out. No one walks unless they're downtown.
Some interesting notes (I'll skip through the ones on German healthcare. Suffice to say it's better than in the U.S., which is pretty much known):
Homeschooling is illegal in Germany
Every German child from ages one to six is guaranteed a spot at a child-care center
The atheist organization in Berlin actually prefers that religion is taught in schools
The United States is the only country in the world that has not ratified the United Nations' Convention on The Rights of the Child (CRC)
Takeaways:
Leave your baby alone when she's happy
Send children outside everyday
Give them time to play without parents around

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