Happy Land - by Tim Bird (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Tim Bird arrived in Finland by accident in the early Eighties. More than forty years on, he is still there. He has watched the transformation of his adopted homeland from semi-detached member of the Soviet bloc to modern European nation that tops the rankings, year after year, as 'the happiest country in the world'.

Does it deserve that status? Do the Finns, known for their hard drinking, their sisu (grit) and their passion for heavy metal, recognize that description of themselves? Telling the story of his own path to Finnish citizenship while also delving into the writings of a 19th-century British traveler, Bird interrogates the claim made on Finland's behalf.

In this clear-sighted - but never cynical - sideways look at the land of the sauna, the Northern Lights and the Moomins, Bird spotlights the Nordic nation's distinctive culture, landscape and language. As he helps us understand the Finnish notion of contentment, are there life-lessons for the rest of us?

Review Quotes

"An entertaining sideways look at Finnish history, culture and identity" --Shafik Meghji, Author of Crossed Off the Map and Small Earthquakes

About the Author

Tim Bird is a writer, editor and award-winning photographer with dual British and Finnish citizenship. His published works include A Baltic Odyssey, Suomenlinna - Islands of Light, and Living in Finland (co-authored with Ingalil Snitt). He contributes to various publications such as The Independent, the Daily Telegraph, Finnair's Blue Wings and Hidden Compass. He lives in Helsinki.