How to Hygge: The Nordic Secrets to a Happy Life

by Signe Johansen

The “Danish coziness” philosophy is fast becoming the new “French living” in terms of aspirational lifestyle books and blogs. There are countless viral articles comparing the happiness levels of Americans versus Danes. Their homes are more homey; their people are more cheerful. It’s an attitude that defies definition, but there is a name for this slow-moving, stress-free hygge (pronounced “hoo-ga”). Hygge values the idea of cherishing candlelight, bakeries, and dinner with friends; a celebration of experiences over possessions, as well as being kind to yourself and treasuring a sense of community.

How to Hygge by chef and author Signe Johansen is a fresh, informative, lighthearted, fully illustrated how-to guide to hygge. It’s a combination of recipes, helpful tips for cozy living at home, and cabin essential elements of living the Danish way―which, incidentally, encourages a daily dose of “healthy hedonism.” Who can resist that?

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Cookbooks, Lifestyle, Self Help, Adult, Health

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2016

Reviews

[Mil111 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the author claiming several times that she wanted to avoid sounding pretentious this book is extremely pretentious! Its like the pretentious equivalent of saying "I'm not racist but..." which is always guaranteed to follow with a racist comment. Her assurances always end up following through with pretentious comments.

This book feels like there is lots of 'padding' in it in order to make it long enough for a book format. Many things are repeated and there are way too many pointless quotes that make it feel like a high school essay.

I chose this author over other authors that have written books on this topic as I thought seeing as she had grown up living a hygge life it would be more authentic than others. While this book gave some interesting insight into the concept of hygge it felt very tokenistic and shallow. I was expecting it to be an exploration and celebration of this concept but it came across as a rule book of do's and don'ts.

[Jill Crosby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unbeknownst to me, a product of growing up in a lower middle-class home in a northern mid western state, I've been living the Hygge dream for most of my life.

The author spends a lot of time talking about "foraging" and "hunting," as Hygge Nordic pursuits, and maintains an air of "when I was a child, we loved climbing the mountains to look for the berries we'd have for dessert that night." Her Hygge experiences come across as luxury, and not necessity. In this, her appeal seems to be directed more to urbanites and those who never had to cut kindling and bring in the firewood as one of their daily chores.

Also, 91 pages of this book are recipes (with gorgeous photographs!) made from ingredients hard to find in anyplace outside the great population centers of Europe and America.Seriously--I can't waltz into my local Walmart grocery store and score a bag of muscovado sugar, and finding my own fresh cardamom pods to grind
is another quest that would end in disappointment.

Included, too, is a section on collecting high-end Nordic art & furniture pieces that can grace your Hygge'd living spaces with some degree of class. We never had original eero saarenin pieces in my house growing up, but we DID have handcrafted homemade furniture and linens, once again, out of necessity.

My search to find THE book capturing the spirit of Hygge continues...

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. From what I've previously read about hygge I'm interested in incorporating more coziness and simplicity into my lifestyle. However this book is the opposite of hygee. Incredibly over written, small text, limited photos and more like a text book than a how-to guide encouraging a simpler life. Personally the meat heavy diet doesn't appeal to my lifestyle or health but to each his own. Skip this book and check out hygge blogs and websites.

[Kimber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is more about Scandinavian culture in general and not too much about the subject of hygge of which there is only scant advice on: use lots of candles, get some plants (succulents are recommended for their simplicity) and bouquets of flowers (one kind, not mixed) and preferably in odd groups such as 3, 5 or 7....

I have an affinity for the Nordic region and all of their principles of living, but this book was somewhat long-winded.

[Corrie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book should be titled How to be a Condescending Nordic Asshole: Why We Do Everything the Right Way and Everyone Else Does it Wrong.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially had no plans to delve into the seeming fad of Hygge, but after learning what it is I realized how much it appealed to me and seemed like something I was already doing. So naturally I had to hit up the library and see what it is all about. Turns out it's not a fad, it's a way of life, specifically for Nordic countries. So much of it reminds me of my own upbringing, my lifestyle, or my parents' lifestyle. (I am, after all, of nordic descent.) Some of the food isn't quite to my taste, or the design style, and I'm not all that outdoorsy, but the idea behind it really appeals to me.

Some reviewers felt that the author took a condescending viewpoint, and I can see where that comes from, but it didn't really come off that way to me. She does say a few times that we are free to adopt or ignore or adapt whatever works for us best, and much of the text is personal to her upbringing and personal opinions. I also could have used some more photos or even illustrations to help highlight the text. I'd like to read some other books on Hygge to get a more well rounded view of it.

[Jill Courser · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was curious about all the buzz around hygge, so I checked this out at our local library (because it was the only book on the subject they had). This book was disappointing in many ways. There is an air of smug superiority throughout that I found off-putting. The author can't seem to sing the praises of nordic culture without slighting other views at the same time. It's not her love and pride of heritage that I found distasteful, but rather her repeated little comments about how wrong everyone else is. In particular, she insinuates (many times) that any diet other than the nordic one must be some crazy fad diet.

As for the content of the book...that too left much to be desired. At least half the book is recipes, many of which are unrealistic for the average family, despite the author's insistence on simple, no-frills meals using what's available in your own kitchen. There were some recipes that sounded really good though, and I do plan on trying a few of them. Her advice on lifestyle, exercise, decorating, etc. seemed mostly like common sense to me. Go outside more, choose local fresh ingredients for your meals, cut back on clutter, keep your house clean. I don't really think anyone is going to argue with that! Since we live in a rural area already, we naturally live by most of her hygge principles already, without making a big to-do about it. It's just the way we live.

I'm giving this book 2 stars (instead of 1) because for the most part the advice is sound, it just seems a little obvious to me. I sincerely hope that this book is not truly representative of the whole concept of hygge, because the book left me feeling like hygge is little more that a hipster-fied spin on natural living.

[Bobbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm very disappointed that this book was the first book I've read on the subject of Hygge. I found the author to be self-righteous and arrogant in the sense that she seems to imply that if you want a life built around the concept of Hygge you must follow her recipe to the letter...which apparently includes hunting and fishing, trekking through the woods, and being willing to stuff your body with meat, salt, and sugar. I'm all for a good hike or some snow-shoeing but that's not for everyone and as a healthy vegan neither is killing animals or putting cholesterol-raising meat or sugar laden cake into my body for me. Ok, I do occasionally have a piece of vegan cake but I also love a good bliss ball and eating a couple while reading by candlelight feels pretty Hygge to me despite the lack of refined sugar and cows milk (my lactose intolerant digestive system appreciates the lack of dairy as well). In all honesty I didn't mind having to skip the section on hunting and fishing even though I didn't really understand what it has to do with cozy living. Nor did I mind skipping the section on food and recipes as I knew it wouldn't work with my dietary choices. I have no problem with her sharing her culture's sporting or food traditions but I did not open this book expecting to have a large aspect of my (and my wellness tribes) way of life so blatantly criticized, ridiculed, and disrespected or to basically be told that if I'm not willing to give up a part of my value system and desire for healthy living I'm never going to fully be able to experience true Hygge. I have several more books on the subject waiting for me and hopefully they will be more inclusive to all lifestyles and teach that anyone can create a sense of Hygge in any circumstance (even those of us who are allergic to milk and can't eat the cake).

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not believe this is how to hygge. I only got through about 30 pages but it was rather judgmental and condescending and that is not what this whole idea is about. I had to stop at the point where the author recommends having flowers in your house but says your bouquets should contain flowers all of one shade because mixed bunches are twee. That might just be the most pretentious thing I've ever heard. Who are you to judge my mixed bouquets, lady? Anyway, you're writing a book about hygge and you're not even Danish. Also this author is a proponent of KonMari and I only got through about a page of that book because it was so condescending, so I guess you might be into this if you're looking for a cozier version of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. But if you actually want guidance in adopting the relaxing, friendly way of being hygge, I recommend The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking.

[Alexandra Consolver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review:

4 Stars - I recommend if you are looking to learn more about hygge.

A guide to hygge living, this book is filled with recipes, design tips, and memories from the author's childhood.

Starting out I enjoyed this book. I don't think it is a particularly good overview of Hygge. It sort of assumes that you already know something about it. I felt that the print was VERY small and I have pretty good eyesight. I enjoyed her Nordic mindset that bodies are looked at in the way of their usefulness and not in how they look. However, a few times in there it did feel a little like... but I can't go cross-country skiing in the evening, even if I wanted to. There is a sort of privilege that came with the perspective on that chapter. I did enjoy the commentary on the vikings and their nature to adventure and to move. Also on the idea that we forget to have fun and worry about being silly. I feel that way about exercise and sports. Though I do not in other areas of life. So that was food for thought. Overall I enjoyed this book, I thought that there were some good ideas within it, it was filled with reasonable information, and was inspiring especially during the winter season. If you are looking for an INTRO to hygge, I would go with The Little Book of Hygge instead.

Right After Reading:

Would pick this up for an info to hygge, but enjoyed this with prior knowledge. Had some great ideas, points, imagery in it. The font is verrrry small and there are not a lot of photos. Overall I enjoyed this book.

[Debra Chiczewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure why so many readers have negative views of this book. I found it delightful in terms of enjoying life, simple pleasures, good food, family and friends, and decorating. There are always new ideas or thoughts to gain learning and I found them in this book.

[Aubrie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did I miss something? I thought Hygge was about comfort as a lifestyle - this book just made me anxious and actually a bit angry. Near the beginning, Signe Johansen talks about how living in the country is better and that "studies show" city living makes people stressed and they don't live as long. There are no sources to this. There are actually a LOT of rural suicides, at least as far as I know in America. There are also a lot of risks for those who are farther away from a life-saving hospital, speaking as someone who moved out of a small town with the only one-story clinic within a 50 mile radius. I heard that town just built a second hospital though.

Going back to that small town does make me go mad though. It is a nightmare to find decent food in the grocery store. On one trip I was looking at the tiny hot sauce section labeled "Ethnic Food." Which brings me to a second point, Johansen seems extremely proud of her Nordic ancestry, particularly of the "explorer Vikings." Um, explorers? More like pillagers. The author calls it an open-mindedness about the world but all it does is leave an extremely bad taste in my mouth. Leading onto a third point: the recipes.

First of all, most of this book is a recipe book. Not exactly secrets to a happy life, especially when most of the recipes call for nuts - which I am allergic to. I mean nuts can be substituted with something else, but there are no recipe alternatives mentioned aside from using different herbs and spices to change the flavor. I also just don't know why there are so many recipes in this book anyway. The author does write cookbooks, but she doesn't market this as a cookbook even though half of its innards are nutty Nordic recipes. But it's most definitely a cookbook, bringing me to a fourth point.

Nothing about this book strikes me as "cozy." There is one paragraph talking about getting rid of clutter, the rest is more or less a mindset for pretension. Yes pretension. "Oh, carpets are gross, full of dander and bacteria of all sorts, but if you want you can use rugs which are basically portable carpets and are also full of dander and bacteria, but they are much better than carpets because we Nords know how gross carpets are." She doesn't actually say this, but she may as well have. She also mentions a lot of Nordic styles and books without actually saying anything about them, which I didn't think was possible, but this book sure proved me wrong. As a reader, I had no idea what she was talking about. There are plenty of pictures in this book, but none having to do with what she was talking about. "Buy this Nordic brand of sweaters - on this page you can see I'm wearing one my grandma made in the 1960s, it's awesome, more awesome than store bought which is why there is a picture of me wearing it and not the brand I mentioned." Pretentious.

The only good thing I can say about this book is what is mentioned while talking about exercise. To focus more on what the body can do than how it looks, and that if you spend your whole life only pursuing activities to hone your body so it looks good, or with the sole purpose of being as skinny as possible, you have completely missed the point. Yes. I can agree with this. But of course, Johansen goes on to talk about how healthy eating is crap. What? On one page she even says that avocados are too healthy and therefore aren't enjoyable. This is mentioned by the same person who has an open-mindedness about the world. As someone with Mexican heritage, avocados are among my favorite foods.

So overall, don't bother with this book. Just - don't. It's not worth it. Even for that one bit about loving what your body can do. I could have told you that. I mean, I just did.

[Lisbet · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book felt like the author couldn't make up her mind if she was writing a pretentious, self-indulgent memoir of her perfect childhood in Norway, a cookbook, or a textbook on how to do everything the way she does (and then calling that way "HYGGE!" because hygge sells right now).

I grew up in Denmark and am very familiar with the concept of hygge, and sincerely hope no one thinks they can't find or create hygge in their life if they don't follow the author's often unrealistic idea of hygge must dos. I couldn't help but think the author managed to take all the hygge out of a discussion about hygge, and twisted it into a very upper-middle class concept, rather than something that doesn't - and shouldn't - cost you a cent to enjoy in your life.

There were so many absolutes in this book, that I initially thought they were supposed to be tongue-in-cheek funny and just wasn't coming across, but I quickly realized this was not a book that believed in humor (which again, clashes with my idea of what hygge is). For example, in Chapter 7 (design & home) she states "the easiest way to categorize books if you have lots to display? Always by subject." (p. 175). Seriously? I'm going to disagree and say the easiest way to categorize books is by size or color or author or whatever floats your damn boats and enables you to enjoy them!

My major issue with this book is that she has chosen the word "hygge" to connect the stories of her idyllic childhood in Norway, her choice of often complicated recipes (posted after a chapter disparaging vegan and low-fat food), and her lengthy treatise on Nordic design (mentioning one iconic and expensive design after another) when what all those things really have in common is her take on the perfect Nordic life. To me, hygge is about comfort and being happy and content. It varies from person to person, but generally implies a feeling of warmth and contentment this book seems to lack. The author's version of hygge feels cold, sterile, and comes with a checklist that seems unrealistic for anyone on a budget, who doesn't have unlimited time to fish and hunt and ski, or doesn't want to cook elaborate recipes from scratch every day.

She makes passing references to hygge not costing a lot of money, but it comes across as incredibly disingenuous given all the "musts" she's scattered throughout the book For example: you must spend lots of time frolicking in nature (preferably on skis), you must live in a clutter-free home with bouquets of flowers that are all the same color (because mixed color bouquets are apparently the antithesis of hygge), you must eat lightly salted butter on all the things, and "master at least five ways to cook with nature's original superfood: the egg" (p. 58) - and that sentence is pretty much a perfect example of everything that's wrong with this book.

Parts of this book could have worked as a cookbook. Parts could have worked as a textbook on Nordic design. Parts could have worked as a memoir of her childhood. But those parts in no way worked together to make a book about hygge.
___________________

One thing I took away from this book: Use Japanese kombu when making vegetable broth to add umami flavor. I'm going to try it!
____________________

One final picky point. As I mentioned earlier, she spends a lot of time (a LOT!) on Nordic design, yet only includes one picture of the items she discusses, so readers now have to spend time searching for images online if they want to know what the hell she's talking about. Very frustrating. Especially when several of the chapters contained a full-page picture of the author which just came across as "Look at me - I'm Hygge!"

[Conny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got the book because in this day and age I really wanted to incorporate more of the Hygge lifestyle that I kept hearing about. Unfortunately I ordered the book as soon as it came out and did not read any reviews about it beforehand, if I had I would have shopped around for other books on the subject. The book was lovely to look at but it really did not inspire me as much as I thought it would and I pretty much did all the things already, apart from fishing and hiking. For whatever reason I expected something a little different from the book, also not as many recipes for main dishes, I thought it would deal more with making your home comfortable and get together for coffee and easy entertaining, but I assume that is my fault.

[Jenny Savage · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this out of curiosity about the trend of hygge. An interesting peek into Nordic lifestyle. However, from this author's representation, nothing that I haven't read before from Charlotte Mason, Edith Schaeffer, Amish officiandos, etc. At the core is a lifestyle centered around keeping simple the activities of nature and outdoor living , food and hospitality, family and friends with an eye to enjoyment of the good gifts of life.

[D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this from the library and it was so good I bought a copy for my coffee table 💙

[Long Ng. · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Hygge” (đọc gần như là “hu-gờ”) là từ tiếng Đan Mạch/Na Uy mang nghĩa là cảm giác thoải mái hoặc gần gũi và thân thiện. Nếu như chánh niệm (mindfuness) tập trung vào bản thân và hướng nội, thì Hygge xoay quanh việc hòa đồng và hướng ngoại, đó là việc tận hưởng niềm vui từ những điều đơn giản trong cuộc sống, từ việc đồng hành cùng những người thân thuộc xung quanh.

Và “tìm niềm an ủi trong thiên nhiên” chính là trọng tâm của phong cách sống Hygge, nên trong cuốn sách này, bạn sẽ bắt gặp rất nhiều sự khuyến khích “lao” ra ngoài thiên nhiên trong nhịp sống thường ngày của người Bắc u.

Đó là khi một ông bố kéo con gái ra khỏi bàn học ôn thi căng thẳng để cùng tản bộ đến khu rừng với hàng ngàn cây linh lan thơm mát ở ngọn đồi.. ngay sau nhà, “chỉ nhìn nhau lâng lâng vui sướng và dành nửa tiếng hái nhiều hoa nhất có thể”, và sau đó thì trong tâm trí chỉ có mùi hương tươi mát ẩm sương của “loài hoa nhỏ để yêu”.

Chính quyền ở thủ đô Copenhagen thì sau khi ghi nhận thực tế là “người đạp xe thích trò chuyện với nhau trong lúc lượn quanh thành phố”, đã quy hoạch những làn xe rộng rãi để phục vụ cho việc đi xe đạp - mà hồi học sinh chúng ta vẫn gọi là - “dàn hàng”. Thú vị đúng không, ở nơi chúng ta sống việc này có thể sẽ bị chỉ trích là thiếu ý thức, nhưng ở Đan Mạch, hội đồng thành phố lại coi đó là nhu cầu chính đáng và tìm ngay giải pháp để có thể đáp ứng và khuyến khích. Chú ý những chi tiết nhỏ như vậy trong quy hoạch đô thị mới biến một thành phố, một đất nước trở nên đáng sống.

Một “trọng tâm” khác trong lối sống Hygge đó chính là thưởng thức đồ ăn và đồ uống. Bạn sẽ gặp những khái niệm rất mới mẻ thú vị trong sách như “Fika”, “Skål!” (Nâng ly!) v.v.
Người Bắc u nói không với “ăn sạch”. Mà thay vào đó sẽ chọn đồ ăn giàu hương vị, tha thiết yêu kem, bơ, đồ ngọt nhưng chỉ thi thoảng mới ăn và cân bằng bằng cách tăng cường vận động bất cứ lúc nào có thể (và chủ yếu ở ngoài trời - tất nhiên!). Cái này thì tôi đặc biệt đồng điệu, cân bằng một cách thoải mái với một lý trí vững vàng (khi nào không vững thì cứ vi phạm vậy).

Phải đến một nửa thời lượng của sách dành cho công thức nấu ăn, pha chế chi tiết. Tôi không đam mê, nên chỉ lướt qua những đoạn này, thích vì hình minh hoạ rất mê mẩn thôi 😋 Cuốn sách có vẻ hợp với các tín đồ nấu nướng hơn. Nhưng dù sao phần lifestyle cũng đã rất thú vị và khơi gợi nhiều cảm hứng, xứng đáng là điểm cộng. Khi đọc sách, bạn sẽ được tìm hiểu thêm về những khía cạnh khác như là Thiết kế & Nhà cửa hay Chủ nghĩa vui thú lành mạnh v.v..

Thực ra khi đọc xong cuốn sách này, tôi phát hiện mình đã Hygge từ trước đấy trong rất nhiều khía cạnh của lối sống rồi, và có thể bạn cũng sẽ cảm thấy như vậy. Bởi một lối sống lành mạnh không cần đến sự cố gắng quá phi thường để đạt được. “Đơn giản là trái tim của Hygge”.
—
How to Hygge - Signe Johansen
My rating: 3/5

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little book that talks about the philosophy of hygge then dives into menus. Okay.

[Kelsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overall, I was disappointed in this book. I'll start with the positive: beautiful illustrations, author's writing style is friendly and some very good recipes. I also enjoyed the author's writing style.

On the negative side, I think this book is really about Nordic living and not hygge. It is also more of a recipe book than a book about hygge. The author is a food writer.

But my biggest negative is that I disagree with her definition of hygge. This is perhaps because the author is not Danish. My understanding is that it is not always something that one does with others. I also thought that self-sufficiency is more of a Scandinavian way of life and has nothing to do with hygge.

Of the hygge related books I have read so far, I would not recommend this book. If you are looking for a book about Nordic living with a focus on food, it is worth a look.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

More than a little holier than thou about common sense things like 'go outside', 'find activities you like', and utterly lacking in actual information. The recipes are nice, but loaded with un-purchasable ingredients. Not even really a fun read to make up for it, and in ebook format, the food photos are too small to enjoy.

[Lisa Klenke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offers a very informative look into the Nordic lifestyle. I am intrigued by the notion of Hygge, but I didn't gain as much insight on this subject from the book as I would have liked. Probably would not recommend-at least it wasn't quite what I was hoping for. It did contain some beautiful pictures.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this author certainly inspires polarized opinions.

HtH:TNStaHL is a rather thick book—half of which is recipes and quick to work through—with rather small font, lots of dreamy photographs, and nice, high quality finishing choices for the hard cover edition. Seriously, the paper in this book is divine and a pleasure to touch.

While I worked through the entire book, I will admit to having skimmed large portions of it due to being non-applicable to my life or things I'm not interested in knowing. There is a lot of information given and things said in here that were not necessary, and bogged down what should have been a quick-ish read. It's hard to nail down exactly what type of a book this is. Largely a collection of recipes—after insisting there's more to hygge than candles and food, heh—but also a quick overview of life philosophies touching on everything from interior design choices, to getting outside, to social gatherings. All-in-all, this isn't a bad read. I did not find the author's voice particularly off-putting, but I'm also not wont to find how others do things threatening and interpret it as a criticism of how I do things. So. 🤷‍♀️

There's nothing particularly ground-breaking in here, but it's a lovely book to page through and read some of the sections. Each has bullet points at the end. You can get the main points there much more quickly.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was decent enough. Photography is beautiful, layout is very pleasing on the eye, and I really liked the focus on the outdoors and staying active without the pressure to look good in the first few sections. But the majority of this book is a cookbook, and the recipes for the most part just don't feel particularly accessible, or affordible. So that's frustrating. I think I'll take photos of the recipes that are within my remit and part ways with this book, because although it's aesthetically pleasing, if it doesn't have a long-term use then there's no point in holding onto it.

[Karyn Bowman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. The subject interested me. However what I could easily read was the chapter titles. The font size was so small I had a hard time reading it even with my cheaters. Many of the recipes looked tasty in their pictures but I couldn't read them. I get it, the publisher wanted to put out a pretty coffee table book. But nothing is worse than a pretty book you cannot read. Next time, put out a book that people can read without the help of a magnifying glass.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was... fine. The author is Scandinavian herself and she’s a cookbook author, so she included recipes. This book put more emphasis on seasonal rambles through nature than other books on hygge I’ve read.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why so much meat? Why so pretentious?

[Barbara K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, and I'm sure others interested in Nordic cultures would like it. It's just not quite what I was looking for.

[Laila Bourha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing new, nothing interesting.

[Mark N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a cozy little book, would make for a good gift (FYI: Hygge is not Swedish kung-fu).

[Phương Anh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bye 2020.