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The Book of Hygge
Book

The Book of Hygge

The Danish Art of Contentment, Comfort, and Connection

Louisa Thomsen Brits
Plume, 2017
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Ready for hygge? First, say it as the Danes do: “hoo-gah.” Then embrace this ancient Danish approach to a healthy, happy everyday life. Hygge activities – savoring a cup of coffee, tending a garden, hosting your friends for a dinner or an overnight stay, sitting in front of a fire, and much more – free you from a stressed life of electronics, deadlines and competition. Louisa Thomsen Brits explains how to return to what really matters: comfort, security and your relationships with others. Non-Nordic readers may find some comparisons puzzling and may have to reread to grasp the concepts underlying hygge, which – as this beautifully produced book will show you – turns out to be a comforting way to interact with yourself, others and your environment. getAbstract recommends this attractive introduction to a calmer lifestyle.

Summary

The Secret to Danish Happiness

The Danes are among the happiest people on Earth. Their secret is hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) – the sensation of feeling “warm, safe, comforted and sheltered.” If your life is hectic, stopping to enjoy a hyggeligt moment can help you achieve a sense of calm. To hygge might include cuddling up with someone you care about; enjoying a soothing, candlelit bath; or relaxing with a great read. Hygge is an invitation to share feelings of “humanity and warmth” at home, in your workplace, and in your town or country.

“Belonging”

Hygge helps you feel “firmly located – secured and present.” Calming hyggeligt experiences occur in times of great connection, such as when you share a glass of wine with a friend, or spend time in nature, leaning against the trunk of a tree. Hygge uses small rituals to help you appreciate everything around you. When you savor such moments, you feel a sense of belonging.

Hygge can disappear in an instant, so treasure it when it occurs. You needn’t focus exclusively on hygge and drop all else. Danes don’t ask you to forgo your electronics, for example. They encourage...

About the Author

Louisa Thomsen Brits is of English and Danish heritage. Hygge is the language of belonging that she learned from her Danish family as a child when she spent vacations with her relatives in Denmark.

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