First off, what is hygge? It is a Danish word described as the “quality of coziness that makes a person feel content and comfortable.” And while this buzzword has become synonymous with happiness in coziness, there is no true translation into English. For me, hygge perfectly describes the feeling of curling up with a good book on a cold winter day. Here are some hygge inspiring books to settle down with in front of a warm fire with to create your own version of hygge. Don’t forget your warm beverage, a blanket, your favorite four-legged friend or whatever inspires you to feel warm and comfy while reading!
Books to Help You Create Hygge In Your Home
The book that started the hygge trend in the U.S., this little gem breaks down the basics of hygge — comfort, togetherness, and well-being — and offers ways to bring that into your home during the long, cold winter months. (Plus, it defines cake as hygge, which is why chocolate cake is now a must for all my reading sessions for the rest of the winter.)
Other hygge manuals to use for inspiration:
- How to Hygge by Signe Johansen
- Hygge: Unlock the Danish Art of Coziness and Happiness by Barbara Hayden
- Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness by Marie Tourell Søderberg
Memoirs to Read by the Fire to Inspire Gratitude and Well-Being
Laura shares her struggles with getting and staying sober with honesty and wit. Her story is a raw look at the process of changing your life without relying on the thing that always used to work to get out of yourself. A must-read for anyone struggling themselves or wondering why people can’t just stop.
Other new memoirs worth a read:
- Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years by Julie Andrews
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
- In Pieces by Sally Field
Can’t Put Down Novels You Can Enjoy Cuddled Up Under A Blanket
As children, Charlotte and Sean were imprisoned for a violent crime. Released into society with a new identity eighteen years later, Charlotte is trying to forget the past and live a normal life. With only her therapist to help her figure out what normal is, she finds herself falling back into old habits, and when Sean contacts her, she has no idea how to save herself.
Other page-turners to get cozy with:
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
- The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgwick
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Fantastic Long Reads for a Hygge Weekend
A ragtag assortment of humanity comes together, some with clear purpose and some by divine intervention, to save the world’s trees. Each of them — the artist, the student, the scientist, the programmer, the Vietnam Vet, and more — have a different reason for being involved, but their stories intertwine just like the roots and branches of the very trees they are trying to protect. This Pulitzer Prize winning novel will change the way you look at trees and their relationship with man forever.
More long reads for the weekend:
- Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami
- Freefall by Jessica Barry
- The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
Whatever you are reading, be sure to stay warm and put a little hygge into your book reading this month!
>READ: BEST BOOKS OF 2019 – AND BOOKS WE CAN’T WAIT TO READ IN 2020
