Happy Friday! And if you're looking for ways to make all of your days a bit happier, Kelly's current read, The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell, attempts to dissect the contributing factors to Denmark's famed happiness.
I don't remember what caught my attention about this book, but it was evidently enough that I downloaded it from the public library. I enjoy learning about different cultures through the eyes of long-term visitors, and the writer of this book (Helen Russell) is a London native who moved to a remote area of Denmark for a year so her husband could pursue a dream opportunity at Lego. As a freelance lifestyle writer, she knew that Denmark regularly ranks as the world's happiest nation, and she wanted to take an up-close look at the aspects of Danish life that contribute to this contentment.
The author's time in Denmark begins, inauspiciously, in January. Russell is horrified by the "baltic" temperatures, which made me feel smug after I converted the numbers to Fahrenheit. The Danish are all holed up at home with their families and friends at this time of year, doing hygge things. She and her husband gradually learn more about their adopted land, furnish their rented home, and have an unfortunate run-in with the neighbors over recycling protocols.
Russell terms her year in Denmark her "Danish happiness project." Though I don't think she references it by title, this book is clearly inspired by and patterned after Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. Each month of her year is devoted to learning about and experimenting with one particular aspect of Danish life and culture. January, for instance, delves into the concept of hygge and the impact of interior design. In February, she looks at corporate cultures and workplace expectations. In March, she explores the importance Danes place on being involved in clubs.
I doubt this book is going to be lifechanging for most, but it's an easy read and gives a glimpse into life in a country most of us probably know little about.
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