{"product_id":"happy-land-forty-years-in-the-worlds-happiest-country-hardcover","title":"Happy Land: Forty Years in 'The World's Happiest Country' - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eTim Bird\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTim 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'.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDoes it deserve that status? Do the Finns, known for their hard drinking, their \u003ci\u003esisu\u003c\/i\u003e (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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 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?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTim Bird\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer, editor and award-winning photographer with dual British and Finnish citizenship. His published works include \u003ci\u003eA Baltic Odyssey\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSuomenlinna - Islands of Light\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eLiving in Finland \u003c\/i\u003e(co-authored with Ingalil Snitt). He contributes to various publications such as \u003ci\u003eThe Independent\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e, Finnair's \u003ci\u003eBlue Wings \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eHidden Compass\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in Helsinki.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 256\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.95 x 7.88 x 5.36 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 05, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49137761747096,"sku":"9781785634376","price":33.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8830\/4024\/files\/7vPjotkK8a9781785634376.webp?v=1779346391","url":"https:\/\/thepinkflamingobooks.myshopify.com\/products\/happy-land-forty-years-in-the-worlds-happiest-country-hardcover","provider":"The Pink Flamingo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}