Prior to my trip to Sweden and Denmark, I wanted to do some reading to help me gain a better understanding of the culture so I could really appreciate it during my visit.
One of my classmates recommended checking out The Little Book of Hygge as a fun and light introduction to Nordic culture. While this book focuses specifically on Denmark and the Danish concept of “hygge,” it also does a great job of pointing out similarities between the cultures of Nordic countries.
The book is broken up into easily digestible chapters with an introduction that clearly illustrates what it means to experience hygge. My personal favorite description is “coziness of the soul.”
Hygge is the feeling of home, comfort, and being surrounded by people you. Most importantly though, hygge also is a feeling of safety from the outside world—you can’t curl up by a fire and enjoy being warmed by a cup of tea if you hadn’t just endured a long, cold day out in the elements. I enjoyed how the author conveyed this very subtle point about hygge because I hadn’t really grasped it before. I think it makes me appreciate the idea of hygge even more because, in a way, we are all searching for our own ultimate feeling of safety, peace, belonging, and home.
I highly recommend this quick and easy read; I’m sure you’ll find some tips on the art of living well that you’ll want to try!
Happy Reading!
-L
P.S. If you really like this book, I recommend looking up the author Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, to check out his other books and research on happiness.
leslieannramey.com 
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