The Year of Living Danishly

Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country

By: Helen Russell

Narrated by: Lucy Price-Lewis

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 child care, 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.

Helen Russell is a journalist and former editor of MarieClaire.co.uk. She now lives in rural Jutland and works as a Scandinavia correspondent for the Guardian as well as writing a column on Denmark for the Telegraph.

©2015 Helen Russell (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"A lovely mix of English sensibility and Danish pragmatism. Helen seems to have understood more about the Danish character than I have! My only worry is that it will make everyone want to have a go and my holiday home area will get overcrowded." (Sandi Toksvig)

"Russell is possessed of a razor-sharp wit and a winning self-deprecation - two of the things that make this book such a delight." ( The Independent)

A Hilariously Honest Account of Life Abroad

Would you listen to The Year of Living Danishly again? Why?

Yes, I would absolutely listen to this story again. It is filled with great facts about Danish life which are both interesting and likely a stark contrast to many other societies. The narrator does an excellent job of delivering the humor in the story as well as presenting the author's experiences in a way that makes you ponder them even after you've stopped listening.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Year of Living Danishly?

There were many, but I think the most memorable moment was when the couple decides to fly the Swiss flag without knowing the strict rules concerning flag flying, which the elders of the town then printed, laminated, and presented in unison to the unknowing foreigners. Very reminiscent of life abroad for many who have done it!

What about Lucy Price-Lewis’s performance did you like?

The narrator did a great job of capturing the charm of the author, delivering jokes and retelling stories quite brilliantly. She also had a great Danish accent!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed countless times while listening to this book, partly due to the author's stories and partly due to personal experiences that were almost identical when I lived in Japan for three years.

Any additional comments?

I would absolutely recommend this book! Highly entertaining and filled with lessons that I will continue to try and filter into my own American life.

humor and hubris mixed with real insights

This book had some good insights into what makes a culture unique and overall very happy with their life. It takes the author 10 months out of the first year to really get a feel and adapt to the foreign culture and I don't expect that I would be any different. There are certainly some contradicting points and the author gets carried away on a few of the personal tangents but on the whole a great read

Equally entertaining and educational

Narrator does a great job capturing the sarcastic tone and playful energy of the author.

Wanderlust

This book makes me want to move to Denmark! Excellently written and I enjoyed the narration as well! I learned a lot about the Danish culture that I had no idea about prior.

The use of -gate is disappointing

The book is pretty great. I really enjoyed it. However the author use the word -gate (such as insurance-gate or pastry-gate) frequently. GamerGate was a huge traumatic event for a lot of women who still suffer from the abuse. It feels like she’s making fun of that, or being ignorant about it so that her little joke will work.

Well Researched

Five stars in spite of too much cinical & negative attempts at humor.

The author did a good job researching, reporting and analyzing her findings.

Jim Fuqua

Comforting Read

Warm hearted, enjoyable ride along with Helen Russell and her first year in Denmark. Facts about Denmark broken up nicely into each chapter

Very enjoyable, quick pace.

Well written and well read, I enjoyed this story. A great prospective on starting over, as well as some very well presented statistics on life, happiness and other things. The narrator did a good job, and kept a nice pace throughout the story.

Nordic Life detailed

Loved this book! It was witty, well written and although not a documentary, it was so informative. As a huge fan of Nordic Noir I had to give this a try. When a youngish British couple gets a chance to relocate to Denmark, they say yes and begin a one year trial. The story brings you through their day to day struggles, joys and woes as they begin to learn about their new home. They dive in learning everything from language, to food, taxes, weather, work and family life. Told with a humor that will keep you listening and sorry to see it end. You may also learn a bit as well!

Insight with humor

This book addresses a serious matter: socialism and how it affects the human condition. The narrative does not come at this issue with a pre-conceived notion, and the pros and cons of the Danish system are fairly presented.

But the political and social and economic analysis is found within the very human and amusing narrative of the author’s sudden move to Denmark, dropped into a very different world from the one to which she was accustomed.

The narration is fabulous, giving us the book with a sense of whimsy. In the end you really care about the author, foibles and all.