A short reading list for travelers to Switzerland, from practical guides to fiction and history.
The White Spider by Heinrich Harrer (1959) is the classic account of the first ascent of the Eiger's north face in 1938, one of alpinism's most dangerous routes. Harrer writes with the matter-of-fact intensity of someone who survived something that killed many others. Required reading if you are going anywhere near Grindelwald.
A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain (1880) includes a long and very funny account of his time in Switzerland, including a description of ascending the Riffelberg above Zermatt that is mostly fiction but highly entertaining.
Heidi by Johanna Spyri (1881) is the defining Swiss novel, set in the Graubünden Alps. It shaped the international image of Switzerland more than any other book and is worth reading as a cultural artifact even if the sentimentality is not to your taste.
Asterix in Switzerland by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo (1970) is the Asterix album set partly in Switzerland, featuring a satirical portrait of Swiss bankers, cuckoo clocks, and fondue. Accurate enough in its caricature to remain funny.
The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann (1924) is set in a tuberculosis sanatorium above Davos and is one of the great European novels of the 20th century. Heavy going but rewarding; it captures the peculiar suspended time of mountain resort life better than anything else written.
Rick Steves Switzerland is updated regularly and remains the most practical English-language guidebook for independent travelers on a moderate budget. Strong on train itineraries and honest about costs.