a clash of cultures Having lived in Denmark, and being of Italian blood, I can understand all too well the clash of cultures between the passionate, enthusiastic, warm-hearted French artists and the stern, depressed, controlled, rigid Danes. "Achille Papin fell in a sort of melancholy, all of a sudden he felt like an old man, at the end of his career".... this is exactly how I felt in this country, without joy, friendship, enthusiasm, communication. I believe that the author of the book, Karen Blixen, having traveled a lot and seen cultures so different from the Danish, finally wanted also to criticize the excessive control, indifference and lack of passion of her own culture.