Flipping through the book itself is kinda cozy, it's a pleasant physical artifact. Don't think it's terribly helpful about anything beyond that. Has a few Danish recipes, I guess. Fills up the rest of its pages with advice like buy candles and warm socks, drink hot beverages, and hang out with friends. ( )

Just listening to this audiobook had me smiling the entire time. ( )

Essentially, this is a spiced-up coffee table book. The concept of hygge is as hip and easy to understand as fengshui and still made more mysterious. It is all very obvious what makes people feel good.

The author refers to herself as a "happiness researcher" and the book is all about well-being and what makes people feel comfortable. The concept is linked to warmth and cosiness, and clearly pronounces that oysters are not hygge.

One does get the feeling that the author was uder some stress to make the book thicker, as the concept is approached from different angles, such as throughout the seasons. In such sections many things are repeated, as in tables and other statistics.

Recipes for meals and drinks also seem to be fillers. ( )

An overall introduction to what we will know as hygge. Inspiring and encompassing. Made me miss the simple, luxurious life I had in Germany.
List and ideas are provided throughout the book to inspire adding a bit more hygge into your life. ( )

Well, well, well, if it isn't the Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. First off, let me tell you, this book is not about some fancy designer drug or a new way to pronounce "hug". Hygge (pronounced "hoo-ga") is a Danish concept of coziness, warmth, and contentment. And let me tell you, this book is as cozy as a fluffy unicorn in a hot tub full of marshmallows. Meik Wiking does an excellent job of explaining how to achieve hygge in your life, from lighting candles to indulging in comfort food. So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, snuggle up under a blanket, and give this book a read. It's like a warm hug from a Danish grandma, except without the weird smell. ( )

Happiness is closer than you think

Cute and insightful. I found this inviting little book encouraging and inspiring. Since reading the first few pages I've found myself constantly evaluating my daily interactions looking for ways to inject a little hygge. ( )

Hygge is me.

Heard of it? It's that Danish word that's been everywhere this last year (by "everywhere" I mean, it's all over Pinterest and Lifehacker and it's been the theme of an hour-long program on BBC Radio, and even my local bookstore has a yarn display with magazines promising that you can knit your own hygge stuff)...yeah, it's to the point where many people have turned cynical and decided that it's just a scheme paraded by clever marketers who want us all to invest in a lifestyle and buy all the accessories.
Well, I do think that's true. In the U.S. and U.K. at least, it IS a marketing scheme at this moment, and it's reaching saturation point...

But I also think that it's an awesome concept, and reading this book makes me think that "hygge" is what I've always aspired to, and sometimes attained.
Here are a few key points from this book that I really enjoyed:
* "Hygge" can't perfectly be translated by one English word, but it carries the ideas of coziness, harmony, comfort, shelter, equality, gratitude, togetherness, atmosphere, and taking pleasure in the moment. These are concepts that most people love, but in this context you're taking them all and turning them into an art.
* Hygge is socializing for introverts. It often means devoting social time to loved ones that you know well and can have meaningful conversations with...it's kind of halfway between socializing and relaxing.
* Hygge does have certain common accessories in Denmark...mellow lighting (heavy on candles), warm drinks, comfort food, blankets or furniture pleasurable to the touch, books, etc.
* Hygge is also about how people interact. Rather than one person hogging the limelight (or the conversation), it's more of a casual equality. No drama.
* Hygge is a feeling that usually exists next to some sort of more intense environment...like being cozy in the middle of a thunderstorm, or chilling with your friends after a long day of activity. A "hyggeligt" evening is the reward for whatever went before.

Here is a great quote from the book:
"In many ways, it is like a good hug, but without the physical contact. It is in this situation that you can be completely relaxed and yourself. The art of hygge is therefore also the art of expanding your comfort zone to include other people."

Yup, that's what I like. ( )

Let me break down this incredibly padded book for you. Want to live hygge? Make sure you have:

Candles (fireplace if you can, low lighting if you can't)
Knitted woolen socks
Warm drinks
Scarves, sweaters, blankets etc. etc.
Books (can be anything, but *wink wink nudge nudge* Tolstoy ammirite?)
Wooden things lying about
Vintage things lying about
Cakes. Cookies. Jam. All of it.
A functioning, loving family (Group of friends in the same sentiment)
A raging storm of mild white classism going on outside, just to highlight how cozy and quaint it is. Everyone needs a croquet break and trip to the alps to forget about our stressful, high paying jobs, right?

Basically, live every day like it's a Christmas.
__

(I really liked the sentiments of the book and the message of warm inclusivity if I'm being honest, I just think the length does not warrant the few things they concretely told me. My roommate is excited to plan our room accordingly, and honestly? Excited. Don't let my bitter little review take away your own hygge when reading it. It's worth a good skim.) ( )

Really loved the ideas behind this book. I could identify with it far more than I did with minimalism. If cosy is one of your favourite words, this is the book for you! ( )

Part picture book, part cultural exegesis, part self-improvement, Meik Wiking explores all the dimensions of the Danish word Hygge and its implications on happiness. It's a celebration of all things Denmark, from candy consumption, furniture arrangement, and social etiquette to prove the point that happiness comes from the aggregate of the small things to provide a state of Hygge.

The book doesn't strive to take itself too seriously(for a book on happiness, who would?), but simply tries to tickle the mind towards being intentional about peace and happiness. Even if you disagree with the application of its principles or politics, it strikes a fire(dare I say candle?) to imagine the spaces and places in your life of how Hygge can be achieved both individually and systemically. A fun read you can knock out in a day or three. Maybe even over seven cups of coffee. ( )

M.p PM

This book was so much better than I'd hoped it would be!!

I have a best friend who is Danish and my previous job was with a company based in Denmark so I've been lucky enough to visit; naturally both of these things peaked my interest in learning more, so for several months I've been eyeing a few books due for publication. I thought I'd ordered this months ago - I even wrote in down in my 'books ordered' notebook - but when I went to check on the order status, there was no order.

Luckily, my local had it in stock, along with a few other books on Hygge. I was in a hurry, so I just flipped through what was there and was disappointed at how many of them were just a book of decorating tips and recipes, so I stuck with this one because, frankly, the cover was the prettiest.

Let's hear it for judging a book by its cover, because this is exactly the book I was looking for. Meik Wiking (which is pronounced Viking and gave me no end of happiness in and of itself) is a researcher at The Happiness Research Institute at Copenhagen and he comes at the whole concept of Hygge from a social and anthropological point of view, backing up his speculations with current research. Yes! And, the cherry sauce on this risalamande (a rice dessert with, you guessed it, cherries) is that Wiking is funny. His humour sneaks on you as he has no trouble at laughing at himself or his culture in an honest but good natured way.

This is a highly readable book; I finished it easily this afternoon, but it includes all the elements of what makes hygge, hygge. He includes a few really incredible sounding recipes, a craft project for woven hearts, suggestions for making an emergency hygge kit and simple, everyday ways that anyone, anywhere can bring more hygge into their lives for not much more than the cost of a candle.

This truly is a little book of hygge. ( )

I love learning about ancestral traditions, and since my Nana's whole family is Danish, this book was a must-read for me. But it's also must-read material for everyone, because the Danes are notoriously a happier people than most, and this book outlines how to replicate a Danish lifestyle in small (and some bigger) ways. Loved it. Includes recipes and a small craft, and the overall graphic design of the book is fantastic. ( )

This is interesting, but not likely something I will apply to my life. ( )

Mildly interesting. Mostly reinforces stuff people want to hear like eat cake! Burn candles! Wear comfy clothes! Now you are hygge. ( )

Meik Wiking, CEO of Copenhagen-based Happiness Research Institute, outlines why Danes are some of the happiest people in the world. Covering topics from lighting to food, and including recipes and twelve must-have Christmas traditions, Wiking shares the concept of hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) with the rest of the world.

The Little Book of Hygge was pleasant enough, but as an introvert, I found very little new information here. I try to maintain a cozy, welcoming home and I’ve always preferred low lighting. I love candles (although not to the extent that Danes apparently do), sweets, comfort food, and Christmas. My list of close friends is small but I try to see them every time I visit home. I’m apparently already living a hygge lifestyle.

The one idea that I really hope to incorporate when my husband and I stop traveling with his job is hosting a regular night for friends to come over. We tend to meet everyone at restaurants, which limits our time together. A game night or potluck is more personal. Well, it’s more hygge.

I found the book to be repetitive. I was truly tired of the word hygge and all its variations by the time I finished reading this. Every fifth word was hygge (that’s probably an exaggeration). Mr. Wiking frequently cross references his topics. Considering that it’s only 225 small pages with numerous illustrations, I found that curious. I read it in one sitting so there was absolutely no need to tell me that candles were mentioned on other pages every time they came up.

The book itself is a pleasure to hold. It’s just the right size to fit my hands, lightweight, with illustrations in a style that I can only describe as Scandinavian. I found myself just enjoying the feel of the paper.

The Little Book of Hygge does have good ideas and I recommend it for people who want to foster a slower, more cozy and intimate lifestyle. Since that’s already my preference, others, possibly extroverts, may find more new ideas to adopt than I did. ( )

This is about a way of living that leads to happiness. Everything seems small and makes sense. I'm going to try to take some of this to heart and make some changes. ( )

The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking is essentially your go-to introduction to all things hygge. Mr. Wiking takes the time to define hygge, which is not an easy feat given that it really has no clear definition. He also breaks down each important element of hygge to help readers better understand the concept.

Given that the Danish are the happiest in the world, the logical conclusion is that this concept of hygge, which is such a vital part of their cultural identity, must be a contributing factor. Mr. Wiking furthers this theory by providing data that help corroborate his point. As we remain in the throes of winter and almost one year into the pandemic, The Little Book of Hygge will help you combat the winter and pandemic blues. ( )

Ho scoperto che le mie tendenze più deleterie: l'amore per le luci fioche, quello per le stagioni fredde e le giornate piovose, la passione per le coperte e la comodità, la mia propensione ad evitare le occasioni sociali intense, ad alcune latitudini non solo sono socialmente accettate, ma sono considerate addirittura parte del costume nazionale, tanto da meritarsi anche un nome specifico: la Hygge.
Hygge (non ho idea di come si pronunci questa parola), è un termine danese intraducibile in altre lingue che denota tutto ciò che ci da conforto, ci fa sentire protetti, è morbido, caldo, dolce e familiare, insomma qualunque cosa faccia impazzire di gioia l'introverso medio.
Il libro non è uno studio sistematico del concetto di Hygge come mi aspettavo, ma una raccolta di consigli su come rendere più "hyggelig" la propria vita. Niente di particolarmente approfondito, ma risulta comunque una lettura piacevole, soprattutto quando scopri che da qualche parte nel mondo, esiste un posto in cui il concetto di felicità corrisponde esattamente al tuo.

This could have been a 4-5 star long form magazine article, but even as a short book, it was just too long and devoid of content to be good.

Essentially, Hygge is the Danish concept of (difficult to translate directly, but hominess, comfort, relaxation, belonging, warmth, etc.). This isn’t exactly an alien concept to most humans, even if the Danish version is unique in some way, so a book length analysis of why candles and not chocolate are nice is probably not necessary. ( )

Meh. Only need to read the first chapter.

Extra star for the recipes - although I haven't tried any of them yet. ( )

Informative, but nothing new or different than I'd already read online. ( )

Well, that was fun. I remember admiring the sense of “gemutlich” while living in Germany. This Danish concept is a related. I will test the idea that 4-6 people is the best number for feeling comfortable. It might be! I certainly am going to be more intentional about feeling good. ( )

I wanted a short, fun book that I would be able to get through really quickly, and that’s exactly what I got. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to slow down for a moment and enjoy an easy read. I think this book is best enjoyed with a warm beverage, sitting in your comfiest chair, wrapped up in your coziest blanket.

There isn’t a whole lot to say about this book other than I enjoyed listening to it and learned some interesting concepts that are found in the Danish culture (as well as some from other countries). It was really interesting to see how important the concept of Hygge is to the Danish and I was surprised that the “hygge-factor” was influential in choosing a restaurant and such.

While I already enjoy some aspects of Hygge, I hope to implement some more into my life. It’s easy to forget how important the environment you are in can affect your mood, and this book does a good job reminding you that you need a happy space in your life. ( )

Aspects of a hygge way of being discussed in this book affirmed my own life and inspired me to adopt more hygge-ish practices. ( )