Name: Alice Gomes Silva's review of The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking
Item: The Little Book of Lykke
Rating: 2
Author: Alice Gomes Silva

Meik Wiking

The world has reached unprecedented levels of wealth, but while we have succeeded in getting richer, we have failed in getting happier. While many people live lives of quiet desperation, a few people find themselves at the very top of the scale when it comes to happiness. Their behaviour is different. Their outlook is different. Their priorities are different. What can we learn from the world's happiest people? Condensing years of research from The Happiness Research Institute, hundreds of interviews, and thousands of studies and experiments - including new studies and experiments on smiling and the effect of social media on happiness - into a comprehensive, easy-to-read and beautifully illustrated guide to finding everyday happiness.

The Danish Search for the World's Happiest People

The Little Book of Lykke

Alice Gomes Silva

The Danish word hygge is one of those beautiful words that doesn't directly translate into English, but it more or less means comfort, warmth or togetherness. Hygge is the feeling you get when you are cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one, in warm knitted socks, in front of the fire, when it is dark, cold and stormy outside. It that feeling when you are sharing good, comfort food with your closest friends, by candle light and exchanging easy conversation. It is those cold, crisp blue sky mornings when the light through your window is just right. Denmark is the happiest nation in the world and Meik puts this largely down to them living the hygge way. They focus on the small things that really matter, spend more quality time with friends and family and enjoy the good things in life. "The Little Book of Hygge" will give you practical steps and tips to become more hygge

The Danish Way to Live Well

The Little Book of Hygge

The Danish "secret" to being happy: candles, coffee, blankets, spending time with loved ones, and a gratitude practice. Now you don't need to read this. You're welcome.

Katelyn Caillouet

Denmark is often said to be the happiest country in the world. That's down to one thing: hygge. 'Hygge has been translated as everything from the art of creating intimacy to cosiness of the soul to taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things. My personal favourite is cocoa by candlelight...' You know hygge when you feel it. It is when you are cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one, or sharing comfort food with your closest friends. It is those crisp blue mornings when the light through your window is just right. Who better than Meik Wiking to be your guide to all things hygge? Meik is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen and has spent years studying the magic of Danish life. In this beautiful, inspiring book he will help you be more hygge: from picking the right lighting and planning a dinner party through to creating an emergency hygge kit and even how to dress. Meik Wiking is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. He is committed to finding out what makes people happy and has concluded that hygge is the magic ingredient that makes Danes the happiest nation in the world.

Rohit Arondekar

I've always had a thing for Nordic countries. They seem to be decades if not centuries ahead in terms of humanity in the way they live their lives. I guess being welfare states reduces the pressures on the population. However, it was refreshing to see that being happy is something the people strive for and give this pursuit a high priority. The photographs used in the book are beautiful and very hyggeligt. As a direct result of reading this book, I've made reading in mornings a little ritual by introducing a warm cup of coffee or tea depending on the weather. I look forward to incorporating more suggestions from the book into my life.

Lykke (Luu-kah) (n): Happiness It's easy to see why Denmark is often called the world's happiest country. Not only do they have equal parental leave for men and women, free higher education and trains that run on time, but they burn more candles per household than anywhere else. So nobody knows more about happiness - what the Danes call lykke - than Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen and author of the bestselling sensation The Little Book of Hygge. But he believes that, whilst we can certainly learn a lot from the Danes about finding fulfilment, the keys to happiness are actually buried all around the globe. In this captivating book, he takes us on a treasure hunt to unlock the doors to inner fulfilment. From how we spend our precious time, to how we relate to our neighbours and cook dinner, he gathers evidence, stories and tips from the very happiest corners of the planet. This is the ultimate guide to how we can all find a little more lykke in our lives.

Courtney

A tad repetitive but very insightful 

There’s a certain amount of fluff and elaboration in some topics but overall an edifying read about the insights of happiness!

Anthony

A quick read with a lot of interesting facts. It did get me thinking about what I could do to improve happiness in my life; we will see if I can act of any of it. There was a bit of a bias for the Nordic countries. Maybe I should pack up and head over there!

Such a comforting read about how to slow down and savor your surroundings. Honestly a treat. 

Jacque

Catherine Duplessis

A great feel good book. 

A lot of studies and little less tips and tricks on how to incorporate these into an everyday life (or maybe a lot of the tips were hard to incorporate in my everyday life). 

A lot more comparisons with the US and less about the rest of the world. As a Canadian, even if we are used to it, it was a bit annoying since our way of living can be very different in certain aspects, but I was happy when Canada was in the stats (even more when Montreal was there!) so I could see that we are a pretty happy country.

Would recommend it as a quick feel good read with great reminders, but nothing more.

Marloes

Perhaps hygge is not such a strange concept to me after all.

Izza

3.5 stars | this was a very interesting read, and I will definitely make an effort to have more hyggelig moments (I probably didn’t use that word correctly).

Natalia Hernandez

Reseña en español en mi blog: https://natified.com/2017/03/15/2017-...

I'd seen the word hygee in many places so I decided to get this book, because the cover is stunning, and find out more about it. 

Hygge is the Danish way of living well, as the title says, and it means to create cozyness and warmth, in your house, in yourself. It's about paying mind to the process, to that exquisite feeling of being in front of a fire with a cup of hot chocolate in hand. Warm, nice, wonderful. 

Denmark is a very dark and cold country so the people there have made of Hygge a daily thing, and its practice has made them become the happiest nation on the planet. Hygge is something everybody does (at home, at work, while on vacation) because people know it's the best way of living. 

I think the book is an awesome guide to learn about Hygge and adapt it to your life. You don't have to get complicated about it, and using really simple things you can achieve something wonderful and very Hygge. An example: one of the key elements of Hygge is light, so Denmark is a place where candles are always sold out. See? Candles. Super easy to find. And you can create a cozy environment anywhere with a few candles. 

I really loved the idea behind it and I think I'm going to put it to practice, especially now that it's almost winter where I live.

What an amazing little book! Really nice to read, gives you warm cosy vibes just by opening the page. Loved the pictures and graphics to break up the text. Have read and re-read this book over and over. You don't need to read it from cover to cover - you can jump around and use each section as you need. Couldn't recommend this more!

Nicola McRae 

I loved this book and everything it contained. Hygge is a philosophy I'm trying to incorporate into my daily life, as a practice of little moments with myself wherein I feel safe and warm and, well, at home. As someone who identifies as an ADHD donut with anxiety sprinkles, reading this book gave me such a comforting hug kind of feeling. Grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine, light a candle and settle in to read.

Kate B-L

Ian Brakspear

This Book & Audiobook was like receiving a Warm hug from a friend, The second the Audiobook started It felt like a warm, Safe, and cosy space to be and it made me stop and start to appreciate everything within the book itself.

I could have listened to this Book for hours and I know that I will return to it time and time again in the future its full of lots of interesting facts, stats, small anecdotes, pop culture references, language comparisons, recipes, you name it and its probably in there! It does jump from one thing to another, while remaining relevant, instead just allowing you to comprehend what hygge means and see how you could already be having a Hygge Lifestyle.

The Comparisons between the different cultures was fascinating reading and it was super interesting to me to hear about how different people live their everyday lives. How people balance work with their social life, how their homes are decorated, even down to what they eat…all these things (and more) are discussed and compared throughout.

This is a Book that Anyone and Everyone will enjoy!

Melanie Richards

A pretty quick read, finished in a day. I suspect that concepts like hygge thrive in American trends because they are so easy to commodify...however, I’m now also lying under a blanket sipping tea.

Skye Sherman

Cute, quick, easy-to-read lil book to introduce/explain the Danish concept of hygge. Really glad I read (listened) to this in the days leading up to our first-ever visit to Denmark! Taught me a lot about the culture and values of the Danes. Now to find some hygge here :) Also hoping to find and buy some hygge souvenirs (maybe even this book!) to send home to family and friends.

Sarah Ryan

Enjoyable read about how to live with more hygge in your life. The Danish are frequently ranked the happiest people in the world and the author is head of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen so the book has lots of interesting data throughout it.

Embrace Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) and become happier with this definitive guide to the Danish philosophy of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. Why are Danes the happiest people in the world? The answer, says Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, is Hygge. Loosely translated, Hygge—pronounced Hoo-ga—is a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. "Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience," Wiking explains. "It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe." Hygge is the sensation you get when you’re cuddled up on a sofa, in cozy socks under a soft throw, during a storm. It’s that feeling when you’re sharing comfort food and easy conversation with loved ones at a candlelit table. It is the warmth of morning light shining just right on a crisp blue-sky day. The Little Book of Hygge introduces you to this cornerstone of Danish life, and offers advice and ideas on incorporating it into your own life, such as: Get comfy. Take a break. Be here now. Turn off the phones. Turn down the lights. Bring out the candles. Build relationships. Spend time with your tribe. Give yourself a break from the demands of healthy living. Cake is most definitely Hygge. Live life today, like there is no coffee tomorrow. From picking the right lighting to organizing a Hygge get-together to dressing hygge, Wiking shows you how to experience more joy and contentment the Danish way.

Danish Secrets to Happy Living

Cariena

Ik vond dit zo'n fijn boekje om te lezen. Op 1 januari was ik erin begonnen, hij lag bij Rowan in huis en ik was wel nieuwsgierig. Einde van de ochtend was ik al op blz. 50 en wilde ik heel graag doorlezen. Het is een heel rustig, fijn boekje die vertelt over hoe de Deense mensen hygge toepassen in hun dagelijks leven. Een fijne afwisseling van de fictie of non-fictie die ik afgelopen maand heb gelezen.

Samridhi Garg

Sarah Vaughan

This book was beautifully-designed, with wonderful photos and digital prints inspired by Nordic life. I had never heard the term hygge before picking up this book, and now I am borderline obsessed with it - searching hygge on Pinterest and Instagram, finding ways to make our home more hygge-like, lighting all the candles and drinking all the tea and reading all the books. I've always enjoyed learning about Scandinavian culture, so learning more about the Danish phenomenon of hygge was right up my alley, but I enjoyed this book for what it taught me about hygge as well as what it taught me about myself. I have always been a fan of traditional furniture and decor over modern. I've always hated fluorescent lighting and loved lighting my home or office with only lamps, and wherever I go, I always have tea, coffee, and a book close by. I've always had people make comments about my hatred of bright lights and love of blankets and throws, but it wasn't until I understood the concept of hygge that I understood what I really love more than lamps and reading a great book with a cup of hot tea, is the coziness and comfort that those activities, feelings, and spaces create in myself. The Danish concept of hygge is just that - take as much time for yourself to enjoy life as you can and to surround yourself with good friends, good design, and good books.

Femke

Let me just buy a pair of woollen socks and the required €2.000 (?!) designer lamp, organise a board game evening with 3-4 friends and roast a chicken on a bonfire, paired with whiskey out of ceramic coffee mugs. Am I doing this right?

Just look up some hygge infographic instead of reading this. It's repetitive and just states the obvious, basically marketing a simple concept.

daisy

i love love this book!! reading this book always comforts me i dont know why and how but this book is like magic to me

Fiona Coffey

I LOVED this little book! Borrowed from the library and read over a couple days. It has beautiful little graphics and illustrations, and I loved learning about hygge and how to accomplish it. It completely describes that feeling that I didn't know there was a word for (safe/coziness... but somehow more). As an introvert, this book was a dream come true and I can't wait to start some hygge traditions as summer ends and fall begins! I will probably look into some other books on this subject as well!

Join the happiness revolution! The author of the New York Times bestseller The Little Book of Hygge offers more inspiration and suggestions for achieving greater happiness, by practicing Lykke (LOO-ka)—pursuing and finding the good that exists in the world around us every day. While the Danes are the happiest people on the planet, happiness isn’t exclusively Danish; cultures around the world have their own unique approaches to leading a contented, fulfilled life. For his work at the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Meik Wiking travels the globe from Dubai to Finland, Rio de Janeiro to Bhutan, South Korea to the United States, to discover the secrets of the very happiest people. In The Little Book of Lykke, Meik identifies the six factors that explain the majority of differences in happiness across the world—togetherness, money, health, freedom, trust, and kindness—and explores what actions we can take to become happier. As he reveals, we can deepen our blissfulness and contentment with little adjustments in our behavior, whether it’s eating like the French (sitting around a table and savoring our time) or dancing the tango like Argentinians in Buenos Aires. With his trademark warmth and wit, Meik explores the happiness gap for parents, how much money you really need to buy happiness, how we can be healthier without having to go to the gym, how we can learn to build trust and collaboration, how we can help ourselves by helping others, and why our expectations often outweigh our reality. Weaving together original research and personal anecdotes, The Little Book of Lykke is a global roadmap for joy that offers a new approach to achieving everyday happiness that not only improve our own lives, but help us build better communities and a better world.

Secrets of the World’s Happiest People

Beautiful, charming and inspiring! I'll keep my review short and sweet, just like this book.

Kayla 

This was a lovely little book. It is so interesting to think about how happiness is measured and why some countries have a higher level of happiness than others. It was not solely based on economics, it looked at other factors like time spent with family and friends and time in nature.

alaska🪐

put me in a very cozy, nice and comforting mood while reading. also the pictures are absolutely beautiful.
nevertheless, it is more of a coffeetablebook than a read with a lot of value.

Alice Gomes Silva &
The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking

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Alice Gomes Silva &The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking

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Join the club

Alice Gomes Silva &
The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking