When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do: The Clued-In Guide to German Life, Language, and Culture | 
 enlarge | Author: Hyde Flippo
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
Buy New: $5.80
You Save: $7.15 (55%)
New (40) Used (26) from $4.89
Avg. Customer Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 28285
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 176
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.5
ISBN: 0844225533
Dewey Decimal Number: 306.0943
UPC: 639785400783
EAN: 9780844225531
ASIN: 0844225533
Publication Date: June 28, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New and Factory Sealed Item Fast Shipping
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Product Description
Never feel like a stranger in Germany again! On entering a restaurant, should you find your own table or wait to be seated? What is a suitable topic for small-talk with a stranger? In what circumstances might you ask to borrow ein Handy? All these answers and more can be found in When in Germany, Do As the Germans Do, a fun and intriguing book that teaches you about Germany's culture, language, and people. It features 120 intriguing multiple-choice questions that are cross-referenced to fascinating articles on pop culture, customs, behavior, history, consumer trends, literature, tourist sights, business, language, and more. Also included are key terms and useful expressions, informative charts, and websites for further reference.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Undertones of disdain towards the German culture October 22, 2006
25 out of 29 found this review helpful
Having lived in Germany for a year now, I decided to finally flip through this book, given to me as a parting gift in April 2005. As I read, I was appalled at Mr. Flippo's seeming dislike for Germans. The book is more of a warning for all the traveling American's to be on their guard rather than an informative guide. My favorite quote is, "This "pushy" behavior is not limited to Germans. It's a European thing" (p.31). This extraordinary generalization is quickly followed by the warning that you must either bring your own shopping bags or purchase one in a German grocery store and, as stated by Flippo, "to add insult to injury, you usually have to bag your own groceries". Gee, reducing waste by encouraging the reuse of shopping bags and keeping prices low by simply putting your Muesli in your own bag instead of hiring some prepubescent bag boy to do it for you is a pure abomination and should be henceforth considered "insult to injury" (I'm hoping you're noting my sarcasm). The book continues in this fashion, with hardly a bright comment to be had about this amazing culture. The only reason I'm giving this two stars instead on one is because the author does have a few nuggets of truth and interesting observations woven within his cleverly placed one-liner biases. If you still purchase this book, remember to read critically and differentiate opinion from facts.
 60% of contents are useless facts. June 29, 2006
7 out of 14 found this review helpful
just on principle, i have returned the book even though it was only $9. it's definitely not for someone looking for a guide to german ways; the book should have been updated since 2002.
 Useful June 16, 2006
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
This book is a good reference for anyone planning on spending any time in German Europe. At the very beginning of the book there is quiz to test your knowledge, of which the answers are provides at the back of the book. Flippo uses culture and history to explain the German way of life. He covers all the main travel subjects such as entertainment, food and drink, language, and transportation. He also talks about other topics not often found in the common travel book; such as business and economy, health and fitness, and education.
Flippo makes it very easy to read. I would suggest reading the whole book because although some areas may not interest you, the articles are brief and provide a good cultural understanding of the German way of life. Due to the variety of topics discussed in this book, I would recommend it to anyone who plans on spending a little extra time submersed in the German culture. While the book is very enlightening and should be read by everyone traveling to Germany, it covers more than just the basic travel information.
 Nice stories but it reinforces stereotypes and urban legends February 20, 2006
16 out of 18 found this review helpful
I have lived in Germany for more than 20 years and am currently residing in the United States.
I bought this book as a gift for a friend. Browsing through it myself I found that some things pointed out in the book are on-spot (for example the "Sie und Du" section on how to address people, or insights on dining out).
However, some things covered in the book describe a Germany of 100 years ago (the "Hauptmann von Koepenick" episode, while factually correct, fails to point out that today's Germany fortunately has little resemblance to the Prussian-style military culture of yore described here).
And the chapter on "Kehrwoche" - purportedly an institution of cleaning the hallway in front of one's apartment - is an urban legend to me. Visitors to the town of Stuttgart have told me that they heard of people subjected to such neighborhood rituals. But in all my years in Germany I have never had anybody confirm such facts to me so it is a regional oddity at best. And again the author fails to put this into proper context, thus making today's Germans seem like some cleanliness-and-orderliness-obsessed oddballs to a much greater degree than they deserve.
So while there is some truth in all hyperbole I encourage you to buy a book written by somebody who has seen more than one or two cities and who has been to Germany recently.
A Charming Little Book January 27, 2006
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
This book presents short snippets of cultural information about Germany and Germans. Each topic covers a single page and is written in a brief newspaper article style. I found out a lot of interesting little things. For example, if they put rolls on the table, they aren't free. You pay for every roll that you eat. It's little tidbits like this that make for some very interesting reading.
It's a very light read, and you can probably finish it on the plane ride to Germany. The topics are mainly cultural in nature, so you won't find any hard travel advice in this book. I recommend it for those who would like to learn a little more about the people they will visit when they arrive in Germany.
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