The Year of Living Danishly

When she was suddenly given the opportunity of a new life in rural Jutland, journalist and archetypal Londoner Helen Russell discovered a startling statistic: the happiest place on earth isn’t Disneyland, but Denmark, a land often thought of by foreigners as consisting entirely of long dark winters, cured herring, Lego and pastries. What is the secret to their success? Are happy Danes born, or made? Helen decides there is only one way to find out: she will give herself a year, trying to uncover the formula for Danish happiness. From childcare, education, food and interior design to SAD, taxes, sexism and an unfortunate predilection for burning witches, The Year of Living Danishly is a funny, poignant record of a journey that shows us where the Danes get it right, where they get it wrong, and how we might just benefit from living a little more Danishly ourselves.

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The Year of Living Danishly

* NOW WITH A NEW CHAPTER * 'A hugely enjoyable romp through the pleasures and pitfalls of setting up home in a foreign land.'- Guardian Given the opportunity of a new life in rural Jutland, Helen Russell discovered a startling statistic: Denmark, land of long dark winters, cured herring, Lego and pastries, was the happiest place on earth. Keen to know their secrets, Helen gave herself a year to uncover the formula for Danish happiness. From childcare, education, food and interior design to SAD and taxes, The Year of Living Danishly records a funny, poignant journey, showing us what the Danes get right, what they get wrong, and how we might all live a little more Danishly ourselves. In this new edition, six years on Helen reveals how her life and family have changed, and explores how Denmark, too – or her understanding of it – has shifted. It’s a messy and flawed place, she concludes – but can still be a model for a better way of living.

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A Joosr Guide to The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell

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The Atlas of Happiness

'A DELIGHT' Grazia 'THE GLOBAL SECRETS TO HAPPINESS THAT CAN CHANGE OUR LIVES' Good Housekeeping 'BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED AND FASCINATING' Emerald Street 'POSITIVITY JUMPS OUT OF EVERY PAGE' The Lady From the bestselling author of The Year of Living Danishly, an entertaining, reassuring and useful trip around the world, discovering the secrets of happiness from 30 countries. - Feeling terrified of that upcoming job interview? Take inspiration from the Icelanders and get some Þetta reddast, the unwavering belief that everything will work out in the end. - Lost your way in life? Make like the Chinese and find your xingfu, or the thing that gives you real purpose. - Too much on your plate? The Italians can help you learn the fine art of dolce far niente, aka the sweetness of doing nothing at all. - Overwhelmed by busyness and disconnected from nature? The Swedish have a solution - just find your smultronställe, or 'wild strawberry patch', your perfect escape from the rest of the world. From Australia to Wales, via Bhutan, Ireland, Finland, Turkey, Syria, Japan, and many more besides, The Atlas of Happiness uncovers the global secrets to happiness, and how they can change our lives.

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Leap Year

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE YEAR OF LIVING DANISHLY - How to make big decisions, be more resilient, and change your life for good. Having spent the last few years in Denmark uncovering the secrets of the happiest country in the world, Helen Russell knows it's time to move back to the UK. She thinks. Maybe. Or maybe that's a terrible idea? Like many of us, she suffers from chronic indecision and a fear of change. So she decides to give herself a year for an experiment: to overhaul every area of her life, learn how to embrace change, and become a lean, mean decision-making machine. From how to cope with changing work lives and evolving relationships, to how we feel about our bodies, money and well-being, Helen investigates the benefits of new beginnings, the secrets of decisive people and what makes changes last - and uncovers the practical life lessons we can all use thrive when change is afoot - and inject some freshness and magic if it's not.

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Gone Viking

Be bold. Be brave. Be Viking... Forget hygge, this autumn you need to go Viking. An uplifting, laugh out loud debut novel to curl up with from the bestselling author of THE YEAR OF LIVING DANISHLY. Frazzled mum Alice Ray likes to think she’s on top everything – she has FOUR bags-for-life in the boot of her car for heaven's sake. But after spectacularly embarrassing herself at work, she finally gives in to her sister’s pleas to take a much needed break. But this is not the luxury spa holiday Alice hoped for – instead, she finds herself in Denmark, in the middle of nowhere, on a ‘How to be a Viking’ getaway. Can the two sisters finally learn to get along or will learning to embrace their inner warrior just make them better at fighting? Two sisters. One Scandi holiday they'll never forget... GONE VIKING is a laugh out loud debut novel perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella's Surprise Me

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An Intentional Life

A joy-filled life is possible...And you can have it right where you are. Those desires that tug on your heart and keep you up at night—the big dreams, grand adventures, new experiences—require purpose and planning, time and effort. Is it possible to follow your passions while still finding joy and meaning where God has you right now? With the voice of a close friend, Karen Stott offers insight and inspiration from her story of juggling motherhood and multiple businesses while leading Pursuit, a global entrepreneurial community. You will be empowered to... prepare space in your day for the endeavors that matter most to you and yours discover clear ways to keep your home, family, and work in healthy balance enjoy fresh moments of grace and gratitude as you make sure you are in your life If you are aching for more than a cycle of never-ending demands and not-enough peace, be inspired by how God can help you discover your purpose and cultivate An Intentional Life.

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Gone Viking

Be bold. Be brave. Be Viking...Forget hygge, this autumn you need to go Viking. An uplifting, laugh out loud debut novel to curl up with from the bestselling author of THE YEAR OF LIVING DANISHLY.Frazzled mum Alice Ray likes to think she?s on top everything - she has FOUR bags-for-life in the boot of her car for heaven's sake. But after spectacularly embarrassing herself at work, she finally gives in to her sister?s pleas to take a much needed break.But this is not the luxury spa holiday Alice hoped for - instead, she finds herself in Denmark, in the middle of nowhere, on a 'How to be a Viking? getaway. Can the two sisters finally learn to get along or will learning to embrace their inner warrior just make them better at fighting?Two sisters. One Scandi holiday they'll never forget...GONE VIKING is a laugh out loud debut novel perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella's Surprise Me

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How to be Sad Everything I ve learned about getting happier by being sad better

We live in an age when most reality TV shows climax in a tearful finale. But feeling sad – genuinely sad – is still taboo. Yet, sadness happens to us all, sometimes in heartbreakingly awful ways. If we don’t know how to be sad, it can be isolating for those experiencing it and baffling for those trying to help loved ones through dark times.

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Starting Over

Having spent the last three years living in rural Denmark, Helen Russell is moving back to the UK and starting over. And she's a little intimidated. Luckily, studies show that when we start new things we are the best version of ourselves, from new jobs and new relationships, to how we feel about our bodies, money and wellbeing. Using her own life as an experiment, Helen investigates the science of new beginnings, and uncovers the practical life lessons we can all use to thrive when change is afoot - and inject some freshness and magic if it's not.

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How to Be Sad

We live in an age when reality TV shows climax in a tearful finale. But feeling sad - genuinely sad - is still taboo. Yet, sadness happens to us all, sometimes in heartbreakingly awful ways. If we don't know how to be sad, it can be isolating for those experiencing it and baffling for those trying to help others through dark times. Today, most of us know intellectually that 'sad' is normal. But we're not always brilliant at allowing for it, in practice. Sadness is going to happen, so we might as well know how to 'do it' right. And it's time to start facing our problems and talking about them. Positive psychology may have become more accepted in mainstream culture, but rates of depression have continued to rise. We're trying so hard to be happy. But studies show that we could all benefit from learning the art of sadness and how to handle it, well. We cannot avoid sadness so we might as well learn to handle it. Helen Russell, while researching two previous books on happiness, found that today most of us are terrified of sadness. Many of us are so phobic to averse to negative emotions that we don't recognise them.

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I Give It A Year

Her husband's moved out - and her dad's moved in... Curl up with the page-turning story full of emotion about family, marriage and second chances It's New Year's Eve, and Iris has just found out that her husband, Adam, is cheating on her. Furious, she kicks him out, and enlists her Dad to move in and help with the children whilst she tries to mend her broken heart. But her Dad soon starts to display signs of Alzheimer's, and Iris realises that if she loses her partner, she'll be managing an awful lot on her own. Soon, she realises that Adam wasn't the only one taking their marriage for granted, and for the sake of the children she decides to give him one more chance. But is it braver to stay than to run? And can anyone fall in love with the same person twice? See what your favourite authors are saying about I Give It A Year: 'Emotionally smart and thought provoking' Clare Pooley, author of THE AUTHENTICITY PROJECT 'So well-observed, with a kind eye and an open heart. It's wonderful.' Laura Jane Williams, author of THE LOVE SQUARE 'A keenly observed tale of love gone wrong and the things we do to try and make it right again. Whitaker deftly mines the complexity of long-term relationships, exposing both their fragility but ultimately leaving the reader with a real sense of hope. A triumph!' Mike Gayle, author of ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE 'Wise and warm and full of 'aha!' Moments' Helen Russell, author of THE YEAR OF LIVING DANISHLY

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How Iceland Changed the World

'How Iceland Changed the World is not only surprising and informative. It is amusing and evocatively animates a place that I have been fascinated with for most of my life. Well worth the read!' Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize-winning author The untold story of how one tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic has shaped the world for centuries. The history of Iceland began 1,200 years ago, when a frustrated Viking captain and his useless navigator ran aground in the middle of the North Atlantic. Suddenly, the island was no longer just a layover for the Arctic tern. Instead, it became a nation whose diplomats and musicians, sailors and soldiers, volcanoes and flowers, quietly altered the globe forever. How Iceland Changed the World takes readers on a tour of history, showing them how Iceland played a pivotal role in events as diverse as the French Revolution, the Moon Landing, and the foundation of Israel. Again and again, one humble nation has found itself at the frontline of historic events, shaping the world as we know it – How Iceland Changed the World paints a lively picture of just how it all happened. 'Egill Bjarnason has written a delightful reminder that, when it comes to countries, size doesn’t always matter. His writing is a pleasure to read, reminiscent of Bill Bryson or Louis Theroux. He has made sure we will never take Iceland for granted again.' A.J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of Thanks a Thousand and The Year of Living Biblically 'Egill Bjarnason places Iceland at the center of everything, and his narrative not only entertains but enlightens, uncovering unexpected connections.' Andri Snær, author of On Time and Water 'Icelander Egill Bjarnason takes us on a high-speed, rough-and-tumble ride through 1,000-plus years of history—from the discovery of America to Tolkien’s muse, from the French Revolution to the NASA moonwalk, from Israel’s birth to the first woman president—all to display his home island’s mind-opening legacy.' Nancy Marie Brown, author of The Real Valkyrie and The Far Traveler 'I always assumed the history of Iceland had, by law or fate, to match the tone of an October morning: dark, gray, and uninviting to most mankind. This book challenges that assumption, and about time. Our past, much like the present, can be a little fun.' Jón Gnarr, former mayor of Reykjavík and author of The Pirate and The Outlaw

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The Scandinavian Times

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West Africa

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New York Times Saturday Review of Books and Art

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Outlook and Independent

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New Outlook

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