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Meet the author – personally or virtually

July 15, 2012, 4 Comments

 Got a question about Switzerland? Want your book signed? Then come and meet me in London. From previous posts you might already know that I will be at the House of Switzerland in central London from Friday and all during the Olympics. I’ll be there to show the lighter side of living in Switzerland, with various events, presentations and interviews during the 24 days.

So that you can have a chance to come and ask me questions about Swiss life, bring your books along to be signed, or even buy the newest one, Swisscellany, the House has created some fixed ‘Meet the Author’ times over the next few weeks. All will take place on the Terrace (so I’m hoping that summer returns sometime soon) and be open to everyone. On each date, starting on Saturday, it will be from 2pm to 3pm:

  • Saturday 21 July
  • Wednesday 25 July
  • Friday 27 July
  • Monday 30 July
  • Friday 3 August
  • Tuesday 7 August
  • Saturday 11 August

So feel free to come along to one of those, or to Swiss National Day in 1 August when there will be a whole day of entertainment on offer in the square outside the House. I use the word entertainment lightly as at 5pm I’m included in the programme on stage! We will even have a live video link to Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest railway station, which is celebrating its 100th birthday that day.

Until then, or if you can’t make it to the House of Switzerland at all, here’s the clip from Kulturplatz last week. It’s the regular culture progamme on SF1, the main Swiss German channel, and the current series of programmes is about ‘Switzerland in 100 Things’. I was asked to be part of it, so here’s me talking in German about red shoes, Toilet Ducks and chocolate. All the important Swiss things.

Kulturplatz vom 11.07.2012

4 Comments on "Meet the author – personally or virtually"

  1. Willy Hersberger Tuesday July 17th, 2012 at 09:45 PM · Reply

    Dear Mr Dewes
    I am just about through the first third of Swiss Watching … I find the book very well researched, extremely well written, bref: enjoyable reading. One point I disagree, though: multiculteralism is not a new concept for Switzerland. Agreed, we have not had colonies for centuries (the old “13 Places” did: Ticino, Vaud, Argovia etc.), but for a country with 4 official languages and far more than 26 different “cultures” (Argovia has at least four) multiculturalism is in the genes.

    I am sure I shall thoroughly enjoy reading the rest of your book. Thank you very much!

    Willy Hersberger
    mayor
    5453 Remetschwil (Argovia)
    [email protected]

  2. Françoise B. Thursday July 19th, 2012 at 10:08 PM · Reply

    Hello there,
    We moved to Switzerland from the States about 9 years ago and have encountered much of the “otherness” you describe. We also read quite a bit of history to understand the “defense-defense-defense” attitude and mentality. Now two things:
    In Zurich, were we live, no red shoes, I spent almost a week bumping into poles and other street furniture trying to see red shoes, must be a Bern thing.
    Secondly, do you have a theory why we have quite a good number of small Thai restaurant with genuine Thai cuisine but only mediocre Chinese restaurants?
    Thailand is a favorite destination with almost guaranteed good weather and reasonable prices. Many young ladies are delighted to get to marry a lonely Swiss. They are clever and industrious and open quickly their restaurant with their mother, aunts and sisters who readily join.
    China has so far not yet granted individual visas easily hence the shortage we think….
    We will try to see you this week-end in London (June 21st) but we do not wish that you sign our iPad or Kindle 🙂
    Cheers

  3. John Hathorn Wednesday September 5th, 2012 at 03:49 AM · Reply

    What an amazing book! i have been married to a Swiss woman for 20 years and we live in the states. Despite many trips to CH I never understood many things about the country and, as I read your book, everything that I have learned and every trait that my wife exhibits, is brought out in “Swiss watching”. If you ever write another book in English about this fascinating country and it’s people I will be eager to read more. Super job….I Thanks again for enlightening me.

  4. David Mac Wednesday September 12th, 2012 at 11:56 PM · Reply

    Great read. Picked it up in the bookshop in Zürich. I actually live in Italy but work has had me here most of the last 3 months. I’ve been passing through for years and always known the Swiss were odd and had determined to make use of my prolonged stay in order to probe the national psyche. You saved me the bother!
    A lot of the oddness you pick out in the book is not swiss-specific – just generally continental or Germanic – but the potted geography and history lessons are priceless. I’ll definitely be spending a weekend round the Vierwaldstättersee this month (can I get a train to Liverpool St. from Stansstad?)
    Thanks for an amusing and informative week’s reading.

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