Helen Russell is a British author, journalist, and speaker best known for her work on happiness and cultural approaches to emotions. She gained international recognition with her first book, The Year of Living Danishly (2015), which became a bestseller and was optioned for television. Her works have been translated into 21 languages.
Born in the UK, Helen began her career as the editor of marieclaire.co.uk, a role she held for 12 years. She also contributed to several major publications, including The Times, The Telegraph, and National Geographic. Her journey into happiness research began in 2013 when her husband received a job offer from LEGO in rural Jutland, Denmark. She recalls, "I was sceptical to start with — I had a good career, a flat, friends, family — I had a life. But the chance to swap everything we knew for the unknown was intriguing."
In Denmark, Helen embarked on a year-long experiment to explore why Denmark consistently ranked as the happiest country in the world. Each month, she delved into different aspects of Danish life, from work culture and family life to the welfare state and design. This research culminated in The Year of Living Danishly (2015), which resonated with readers worldwide and led to her becoming a sought-after speaker on happiness and cultural studies.
Following her initial success, Helen continued to explore happiness in various cultures, leading to the publication of The Atlas of Happiness (2018). This book examined unique happiness concepts from around the globe, further establishing her as an authority in the field.
In 2021, she published How To Be Sad, a book that challenges conventional notions of happiness by advocating the acceptance of sadness as a crucial component of emotional well-being.
Helen's interest in cultural approaches to emotions and well-being also extends to parenting. Her book How to Raise a Viking (2024) explores Nordic parenting techniques and their impact on raising happy, well-adjusted children. The book has been praised for its humour and insightful observations, with Matt Rudd, a Sunday Times columnist, calling it "funny, helpful, doable and not guilt-inducing."
Throughout her career, Helen has contributed to numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Observer, and Grazia. She speaks internationally for organisations such as Google, Novo Nordisk, LEGO, and Bupa.
Photo credit: Simon Meyer
