New Swedish Books, Spring 2018 1
New Swedish Books 30 The Lay of the Land In Swede
n, the depopulation of rural areas has been going on for almost 100 years, and today 85% of the population lives in and around the big cities, with 15% in rural areas. What are the political and economic consequences of this? And what does it do to the image Swedes have of themselves and each other? Taking reference from the USA and the UK, the journalist and author Po Tidholm sketches an image of a divided nation in which rural life is at odds with the way the modern nation is put together. The book presents political perspectives in 89 short sections – often with an ironic tone – in which the text is not only carried by its thorough factual basis, but also by the author’s own experience of living in a depopulated rural area. Po Tidholm (b. 1971) The Lay of the Land Publisher Teg Publishing www.tegpublishing.se Rights Teg Publishing anders@tegpublishing.se Selected Works Celebrating the Swedish Way. Traditions and Festivities (with Agneta Lilja) 2005 Norrland. Essäer och reportage 2012 Järnburen (sound essay) 2017 Selected Literary Prizes Ludvig Nordström-priset 2015 Hedersledamot vid Norrlands nation i Uppsala 2015 Årets lantis 2017 Photo: Peter Hoelstad