By Jim Heffernan
It’s not enough that somebody seems to write a tempting book every 20 minutes, sometimes a subject will come up and I’ll think, “I read a book about that, seems a long time ago.”
I was talking recently about a “wish list” of what, deep down, we all wanted for the place we live, and this book came to mind. I read it 5 years ago but only dimly remembered it. I decided to read it again.
The author is a young Finnish journalist who falls in love with an American journalist from New York. They marry and she moves to New York. The “culture shock” of moving became the subject of this book. It seems longish at 437 pages, but it never feels strained like the author just wants to bulk up the book
The book mainly concentrates on the differences between Finnish and American practices of taxation, child-raising, education, and health. I could be wrong, but I feel America seems to be falling short on all these areas.
The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) says tax rates in Finland are 42.7%, compared to 24.3% in the U.S. Considering Finland has free childcare, free healthcare, free college, free paid maternal and paternal child-birth leave, paid universal sick leave, 4 and 5 week vacations for everyone, and free eldercare, it’s a trade I think a lot of us would be glad to make.
The simplicity of their tax system is very appealing to me this time of year. Finland has no differentiation between joint, single, or head of household. Once a year, they send you a card that shows what you made and what your taxes are. If the figures are correct, you sign the form and you’re done. I’m still looking for my 1099’s so I can complete my schedule B or is it schedule C.
437 Pages Published June 28, 2016
Available Cloud and Leaf Bookstore, Manzanita, Tillamook Public Library, most other booksellers.
Goodreads 3.86 out of 5 6,964 ratings
