"Hygge moments are the small everyday moments that make you happy. The best of them are bright and shining like stars. Having a word for it makes you aware that they are right in front of your eyes. Ready for you to collect."

These words are from Marie Tourell Soderberg, a Danish actress, born in Copenhagen, who for this book spent time talking to ordinary people and cultural experts on "The Danish Art of Happiness." This pivotal state of mind refers to thinking and feeling satisfied and serves as a catalyst to finding shelter, rescue, energy and courage.

Soderberg muses on the bountiful meanings of Hygge created by Denmark's cold weather (the importance of a cozy home), it being a small and peaceful country (where the little is cherished), and its cultural bond of togetherness (family and friends). Hygge lies behind the Danish emphasis on the dining room table as a sacred place for conversation and communion. The book is filled with photographs and includes practical tips for making your home an example of hygge.

Best of all, Soderberg reveals how this art of happiness permeates all aspects of home living and finds its own way through the seasons of the year. In a world where powerful forces are poised to keep us apart, Hygee serves as an antidote to polarization. As the author concludes: this state of being "creates a breeding ground for fellowship, cooperation and love."