The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country

What a joy to read!

While the title would indicate there are twelve chapters in the book (one per month), there are actually thirteen, along with a hefty prologue, a significant epilogue, and another section called "Top ten tips for living Danishly". This is much more than a quick romp through living in Denmark as a ex-pat. I love the author's writing style - humorous, honest, and introspective - and she gives the reader such great understanding of how she and her husband ended up leaving London for a year in Denmark. While treated with frequent funny asides, the factors coming together to prompt this move are actually significant and relatable. There were so many notes I highlighted while reading, but this one was very early on: "wishing away half your life in anticipation of retirement (albeit an awesome one) was verging on the medieval....the fact that I was dreaming of retirement at the age of 33 was probably an indicator that something had to change." Once in Denmark, there are a huge number of facts relevant to Danes, Danish living, and human experience in general. In the January chapter, the element of design is explored such as "research shows that great art and design can even induce the same brain activity as being in love", and "In 2011, scientists at University College London studied this phenomenon and confirmed that looking at something beautiful really can make us happier", and "Paul Henningsen's lamps are so popular here that 50 per cent of Danes have at least one in their home." In February's chapter, the work culture is explored and comparisons to the norm in London made: "Back home, answering an email at midnight or staying at your desk until 8pm was considered a badge of honour. But in Danish work culture, this implies you're incapable of doing your work in the time available." and "Because the welfare state offers a safety net, Danes can change career relatively easily. .......... 25 per cent of the Danish workforce gets a new job every year." Not all is rosy an...