Nordic Stories

The Nordic people are often said to be hard-working, dutiful, open to innovation and equality, and trend-sensitive, with a ‘less is more’ attitude when it comes to clothes, furniture and interior design. Nordic histories and cultures have been intertwined for centuries, but what created their distinctive character? Was it the experience of Northern Europe’s four seasons, with cold, harsh dark winters, unreliable springs, bright summers when the sun never sets and beautiful autumns? In this book we meet 32 individuals, neither kings nor queens, but real people whose life stories give insights into historical events and everyday life in the Nordic countries over 500 years. Nordic Stories reveals much about the lives, beliefs and customs of Nordic people from the 16th century to the present day. It is based on diaries, letters and other personal testimony, illustrated with objects from Nordiska museet’s astonishing collection.