The Open-Air Life

Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day

By: Linda Åkeson Mcgurk

Narrated by: Laura Jennings

A complete guide to Friluftsliv, the Nordic secret to unplugging and connecting more deeply with nature.

In The Open-Air Life, Swedish-American writer Linda McGurk introduces readers to a wide array of Nordic customs and practices that focus on slowing down and spending more and more of ones’ time outdoors. An outdoorsy cousin of hygge, friluftsliv is what Nordic people do outside all day before they cozy up in front of the fireplace with their wool socks on and a cup of hot cocoa.

From the pleasures of foraging for wild berries and birding to how to stay warm and cozy outside in the middle of winter, this inspirational guide shows readers how to harness the power-of-nature to improve their physical and mental health, as well as their relationships with both other people and Mother Nature. Listeners will learn:

Why and how they should spend more time outside

How to use friluftsliv to combat stress, anxiety disorders, depression, and burnout

Practical skills like making fire, cooking outdoors and cleaning water on the go.

For country and city lovers alike, this audiobook will serve as an essential guide to slowing down in this modern, fast paced society and connecting with the natural world.

Critic reviews

“Whatever you do, get outside! It’s time to reclaim our mind-body health, as well as the lives of our children, from the indoor grind of always-on tech and brain-scattering media. Linda Åkeson McGurk’s gentle but inspiring approach rekindles our faith in the outdoors, whether we’re just sleeping on our own porch or taking a long hike in the woods. With her useful everyday tips, we’re reminded how easy it can be to reconnect ourselves and our families to the instant and deep benefits of nature.”
—Anu Partanen, author of The Nordic Theory of Everything

“In The Open-Air Life, Linda Åkeson McGurk takes us on a fascinating journey to explore how nature can enhance our lives. While some of the general concepts are familiar, she adds a unique perspective by introducing us to terminology and customs rooted in strong tradition from her native country, Sweden, and the surrounding Nordic countries. Through poetic storytelling, helpful checklists, and informative illustrations sprinkled throughout the book, she educates and inspires us to step outdoors into the fresh air and bring a number of nature-connection habits into our daily lives no matter where we live, our age, or what language we use to describe them.”
—Sandi Schwartz, author of Finding Ecohappiness

“Discover the Nordic secret to unplugging and connecting more deeply with nature: friluftstliv. I highly recommend The Open-Air Life to nature lovers everywhere.”
—Dr. Qing Li, professor, Nippon Medical School, and author of Forest Bathing

“Linda McGurk has given us a fine guide to caring for our true nature by connecting to the rest of nature. My hat’s off (but soon to be back on, as I’m going for a hike).”
—Richard Louv, author of Vitamin N and Last Child in the Woods

“Reading the prose of Linda Åkeson McGurk is always a reminder to be intentional about connecting with what I know deep in my bones: that going outside is going home. The Open-Air Life is an invitation to claim a way of being in the world that deems time outside as essential as breathing or drinking clean water. Full of practical tips and inspiring stories, this book is an essential guide for anyone who wants to further embrace life in the open air.”
—Heidi Barr, author of Collisions of Earth and Sky and 12 Tiny Things

Inspired!

I’ve always felt a strong tie to my Swedish heritage and never knew why, until I read Linda Akeson McGurk’s books. This is how I was raised and will raise my boys. This is a must read for parents looking for beginner or advanced ideas to get their kids, and themselves, into nature.

Excelente!

Dan más ganas de vivir la naturaleza cada día de la vida! Gran libro, con tips concretos e información con respaldo serio.

Good content and audio recording

Loved the content of this book. Full of great ideas for someone who lives in rural South Carolina and despises the winter. I’m inspired! The narrator’s soothing voice matched the tone of this book well, too.

Yes, yes, yes! An amazing perspective:

I use my dad's account for audible, so it's not Michael reviewing this 😁, it's Aislyn.

I listened to this authors first book and loved it! So when I found another you can imagine how excited I was. This book is truly a breath of fresh air, I think everyone should read or listen to it. I've always known that nature is healing, but found it facing how much it can help to heal (even cancer) and I really like how she includes comments from other people that she had met or know as well, it really shows how her perspective on the living world is supported by so many others in Sweden. I want to move there 💚.
Please give this book and her other (No Such Thing as Bad Weather) a listen!

And Open Air Life

This book should be read be anyone stuck in a work inside, live inside, missing nature life. All is not lost! Fantastic read and great listen