cover image Where We Stand

Where We Stand

Michael Wolff, Michael Wolfe, World Bank Research Team. Bantam Books, $24 (347pp) ISBN 978-0-553-08119-0

Full of surprising insights, this fact-filled pictorial compendium uses charts, tables, zippy cartoons and textual insets to compare and rate 27 nations in health care, work, politics, military spending, sexual equality and behavior, schools, debt, standards of living, culture, leisure, marriage and divorce. Germany tops lists as the wealthiest, smartest and most productive nation. South Korea has the world's longest work week (54.8 hours). France, land of butterfat, is the place where heart disease is least likely to kill you. Japan turns out to be the healthiest and least auto-fixated society, and the safest as well. The U.S. press, arguably the freest in the world, is hardly the most read. A global tout sheet of leaders and stragglers, this enlightening survey opens a window on nations' priorities, passions and shortcomings. Wolff ( White Kids ) is a contributor to a PBS series based on this survey. (May)