Finnish-born journalist Anu Partanen discusses her penetrating new book, The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life (HarperCollins, June 2016), in which she compares and contrasts life in the U.S. with the Nordic region, focusing on four key relationships—parents and children, men and women, employees and employers, and government and citizens. Partanen debunks the notion that Scandinavian countries can be dismissed as socialist nanny states, pointing to ways in which Americans are far more enmeshed in unhealthy dependencies than they realize.
Unlike previous studies that have only compared the two ways of life—and largely criticized the U.S.—The Nordic Theory of Everything offers salient steps toward achieving a model for happiness. Partanen’s timely look at how we can nurture a saner, fairer, and happier society is sure to spark debate for this election year—and beyond.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing following the talk.
Presented with support from the Consulate General of Finland, New York.
About Anu Partanen
Anu Partanen is a Finnish journalist based in New York City. Recently she has been published in The New York Times and The Atlantic. In 2009 she worked at Fortune magazine as a visiting reporter through the Innovation Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University.
Prior to moving to the United States, Partnaen was a journalist for various publications in Helsinki.
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Image by Linda Haglund/ASF
TUE—6-28-2016—6:30 PM
free