The Nordic Theory of Everything

In Search of a Better Life

By: Anu Partanen

Narrated by: Abby Craden

A Finnish journalist, now a naturalized American citizen, asks Americans to draw on elements of the Nordic way of life to nurture a fairer, happier, more secure, and less stressful society for themselves and their children.

Moving to America in 2008, Finnish journalist Anu Partanen quickly went from confident, successful professional to wary, self-doubting mess. She found that navigating the basics of everyday life - from buying a cell phone and filing taxes to education and childcare - was much more complicated and stressful than anything she encountered in her homeland. At first she attributed her crippling anxiety to the difficulty of adapting to a freewheeling new culture. But as she got to know Americans better, she discovered they shared her deep apprehension. To understand why life is so different in the US and Finland, Partanen began to look closely at both.

In The Nordic Theory of Everything, Partanen compares and contrasts life in the United States with life in the Nordic region, focusing on four key relationships - parents and children, men and women, employees and employers, and government and citizens. She debunks criticism that Nordic countries are socialist "nanny states", revealing instead that it is we Americans who are far more enmeshed in unhealthy dependencies than we realize. As Partanen explains step by step, the Nordic approach allows citizens to enjoy more individual freedom and independence than we do.

Partanen wants to open Americans' eyes to how much better things can be - to show her beloved new country what it can learn from her homeland to reinvigorate and fulfill the promise of the American dream - to provide the opportunity to live a healthy, safe, economically secure, upwardly mobile life for everyone. Offering insights, advice, and solutions, The Nordic Theory of Everything makes a convincing argument that we can rebuild our society, rekindle our optimism, and restore true freedom to our relationships and lives.

©2016 Anu Partanen (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

this is important book but ...

i think that Anu correctly identifies some of the wrongs in current america and gives possible solutions. however she ignores the fact that the scandenevian way probably works only, because not too many people try to screw the system.
in most places this system will probably not work, but yes, some sort of chnge for america is a must.
another problem she ignores is the huge military budget in the US, without it, they might be speaking Russian in Finland.
one bad thing about the book, is, that it is very repetitive, i guess that's because it wants to stress these ideas by repetition.
important missing topics are the crime rate and the state of prisons.

A great book

I wish that the US could adopt even a fraction of the items mentioned in this book. I’m a pessimistic Finn so I don’t think it will ever happen :(

wonderful!

Wonderful book with a profoundly simple message: life can be better, and should be better. The speaker was great as well.

Very informative and thought provoking

I’ve been curious for a long time about the sorts of social services Nordic countries enjoy. As a middle class parent I feel incredible anxiety around healthcare and education costs. My husband is out of work and my employer doesn’t cover us all. The amount of my income that goes to cover insurance is crushing. And our kids are teens and will soon be in college. The cost we’ll have to pay is more than I think I’d be taxed for the same if the govt regulated these costs. And I saw my parents lose the entirety of their retirement savings when my father fell ill and eventually died. My mom should be enjoying a retirement now, even if it is without my dad. But she must continue to work to keep afloat. This circumstance is familiar to fast too many in this country.

Reading the opportunity others have when these two basic needs are taken care of feels so liberating. I don’t think I’m moving anytime soon, I don’t speak any Nordic languages, but it really helped me understand what it could really be like if we were more forward thinking in this country. Spoiler alert — they are NOT taxed to death.

Nordic People Have it Better

Great dive into why Nordic people are generally much happier than Americans. The narrator was tough at times to listen to but I learned a lot about Nordic thinking and culture.

Great wake-up call for America

I donate to an organization called "RIP Medical Debt" for the purpose to help people that have been totally screwed by the American health system. This book is a wake-up call to America with examples of ways to reduce overall stress of Americans. Just think, using systems like these, people are not stuck in jobs they hate because they need the health insurance. I love the issues she brings up about money and the American family, I know too many people who are in bad relationships, because of the financial stress that a breakup would cause. I know America won't change overnight, but these are great ideas.

I wish all Americans would read this book

So many myths about “socialist” Scandinavia and Nordic countries debunked, showing them all to deliver a far better functioning and citizen-empowering society than anything the US has a realistic shot of achieving even in another 50 years, given its intransigent outlook on itself and the world.
Wasn’t crazy about the narrator doing “voices” for some characters, but far from a deal-breaker as it’s a tiny part of the book.

an interesting and objective story

the authors journalistic background really shines. While she does manage to leave in plenty of personal stories that make the information relatable and accessible, her citations and verifiable information also make the story believable and reliable. A timely and refreshingly blunt assessment of what makes America truly great, and how it could be even better.

Fabulous

I loved this book, one of the most important series of facts that all Americans need to hear. I want to send it to all my senators to read and hopefully “fix” the ACA and move us toward universal healthcare, rather than the profit driven rip off that exits now. Greed TRUMPS most things in the US. Yes, pun intended.

Can't stand narrators voice

I will have to buy this book and read it.. the second this narrator changed her voice to say Bill Clintons parts 3 seconds in I had to shut it off.