The Year of Living Danishly cover art

The Year of Living Danishly

Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

The Year of Living Danishly

By: Helen Russell
Narrated by: Lucy Price-Lewis
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £13.54

Buy Now for £13.54

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 Denmark Europe Scandinavia Funny Village Inspiring Witty Feel-Good Happiness Thought-Provoking Socialism Denmark History
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

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)
All stars
Most relevant
To start with the overly 'arch' reading got on my nerves - read too fast and with too much comic emphasis - it was all a bit 'Bridget Jones' and over-egged. However, I got used to it as the narrative was so compelling. Just incredibly fascinating story of burned-out London couple's relocation to Denmark. Despite the fact she is a journalist, it comes across as pseudo researched, and a bit cliched, everything taken at face value, defined and tied up neatly - assumptions and massive conclusions seem to have been built on minimal experience/research about 'how things are' - but non-the-less incredibly interesting as a memoir of a first year in the land of 'Cosy'.

Completely fascinating and bonkers

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I really have no interest in Denmark and I've never heard of the author but something told me to give it a go and I was glad I did. Always looked forward to getting time to listen to it again.

Enjoyable

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

A great listen for a long car journey. It made me reflect a lot on my own life and where I could make changes. By taking each month at a time it was easy to dip in and out of, and it was nice to experience another country through all 12 seasons.

What did you like best about this story?

The personal style of the audiobook made me really connect with the author. I identified with her reasons for making a life change and embracing new opportunities. The ending was so warm and happy that it really made me cry!

Have you listened to any of Lucy Price-Lewis’s other performances? How does this one compare?

N/A

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The final chapter and epilogue is really heartwarming and a fantastic ending.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommended if you are interested in Denmark, happiness, or making a few changes in your own life.

Fantastic, uplifting and funny book. A ++

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a great story; very entertaining with accurate reflections on everyday modern life. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in travel or self help.

Funny and Inspirational

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I love the Scandi life as it is but this book confirms for me. I love hearing it like a memoir very easy listen x

enjoyed this a lot

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews