By Hillary Copsey
Nothing is cozier than a good book and a comfortable chair. I’d argue that’s all you really need for hygge, though sure, add in a blanket, a cup of tea, and an early twilight so you can flip pages in the warm glow of a reading lamp.
For maximum coziness, consider these books.
The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien:
Hobbits understand hygge, so consider the parts of this book set at Bag End in The Shire to be instructions for maximizing the comfort of your own home. Same for the interlude at Rivendell, though elves are a bit more ostentatious in their luxuries. And when Bilbo and the dwarves are adventuring, pull your blanket around you and be thankful you don’t have to face off with Gollum in a cold, dank cave.
The Bullet, Mary Louise Kelly:
A tense criminal mystery with the added intrigue of mistaken identity, this novel will keep your pulse pounding and show you, in comparison to the protagonist, who finds a bullet mysteriously lodged in her neck, just how snug and secure you really are.
Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling:
Magic is real. Friendship saves the day. Humor drives away boggarts. Good defeats evil. Happy endings are very hygge.
Alif The Unseen, G. Willow Wilson:
Equal parts fairytale, sci-fi thriller, and love story, this is the kind of book that keeps you up all night. At the very least, you’ll want a second cup of tea so you can read just a few chapters more.
Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery:
What’s cozier than a childhood favorite? I’m assuming my childhood favorite is one of yours, too, but c’mon, who doesn’t love Anne Shirley? Who hasn’t wanted a bosom friend as loyal as Diana? Who didn’t dream about Gilbert Blythe? If you are the exception, pick one of your own beloved books to reread and remember what it felt like to be a child, completely transported to some other place, some other time, just through the magic of the written word.
Writer Hillary Copsey wants to #MakeAmericaReadAgain. Find her on Twitter @HillaryCopsey or sign up for her forthcoming newsletter about reading, books, and discovering new perspectives in the modern world.
Photo via Unsplash