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The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life Audiobook
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Publisher Description
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 U.S. 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.
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“Narrator Abby Craden proves an energetic and compelling guide as the author explodes myths of the high-tax and socialist north, using research and personal stories…She successfully distinguishes direct quotations by deepening her voice or adopting an accent.”
— AudioFile
Quotes
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“This is a wonderful, hopeful book about what American society could be…The American dream was once an inspiration to the world. Anu Partanen shows us how to rediscover it.”
— Robert Reich, New York Times bestselling author -
“An engaging fusion of reportage and memoir.”
— O, The Oprah Magazine -
“Partanen is good at blending the individual stories of her friends in the cold, hard facts of national statistics…Partanen is a careful, judicious writer, and she makes a careful, judicious case.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“Meticulously researched…a clear, informative, fact-filled survey…It could be a game-changer in national conversations about the roles that governments should play in their citizens’ lives.”
— Seattle Times -
“A passionate and intelligent argument.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“This highly readable and entertaining work is timely, as the conversation about inequality and the role of social services in this country has never been more relevant.”
— Library Journal -
“Partanen’s pride in her homeland and genuine concern for the struggles of middle-class Americans infuse her book with candor and charm, and her perceptions about American struggles feel spot-on.”
— Booklist
Awards
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An O Magazine Best Book of Summer 2016
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A Bustle Pick for Best Nonfiction Book of Summer 2016
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About Anu Partanen
Anu Partanen is a write whose work has appeared in the New York Times and the Atlantic. A journalist in Helsinki for many years, she has also worked at Fortune magazine as a visiting reporter through the Innovation Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University. She lives in New York City.
About Abby Craden
Abby Craden has been a professional actress and voice artist for over sixteen years and can be heard in numerous television and radio commercials, video games, and audiobooks. She has twice won the AudioFile Earphones Award.