Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books

Nestled between the North and Baltic Seas, just north of Germany, Denmark is one (excellent) place made up of lots of places: more than 400 islands, Greenland, the Jutland Peninsula (which, BTW, is so much fun to say: sounds like YOOT-lan), and the Faroe Islands (which are a 40-hour ferry ride away in the far North Atlantic).

Every blog post, travel guide, and video will tell you that Denmark is laid-back and chill. All evidence seems to point in that direction; the country routinely ranks in the top five happiest nations in the world. It does seem quite idyllic, all sparkly and fresh: water, sky, and land, bright with wildflower fields, colorful boats ferrying among the islands, cozy little Lego-ish houses with grass roofs, and so. many. bicycles.

Sure, there were marauding Vikings — but there is also Denmark’s creative Golden Age, Hans Christian Andersen, Tivoli Gardens, two (beautiful) historical libraries, and New Nordic Cuisine.

In this episode, we talk about the magic of wild swimming, learn whether or not Danishes are truly Danish, discuss how Danes eat like bears, and get very excited about a rabbit island. Then we recommend five books that took us to Denmark on the page, including a modern crime classic, a memoir about why Danish people are so deeply contented, a thriller with a strong sense of the Faroe Islands, a poetic novel about witches (with a unique narrator), and a magical, multi-generational family saga about the sea.

Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg

The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell

The Blood Strand by Chris Ould

We, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen

The Wax Child by Olga Ravn

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Denmark: Gettin' Hygge With It

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We’re delighted to announce that Season 8 of the Strong Sense of Place podcast kicks off on Friday, 28 August!

We’ve put together an itinerary of 10 fascinating destinations with a journey to every region of the globe. Pack your bags (metaphorically speaking) for Europe and the land down under, the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, two US states with very different personalities, South Korea, and more. Plus, an unexpected (potentially silly) theme episode.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the food, sights, sounds, and scenery of far-flung destinations around the world. No passport required! But be sure to pack your curiosity in your carry-on and leave room for lots of books!

Click right here to see stunning photos of our Season 8 destinations.

Transcript of this episode.

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This is a special episode of Strong Sense of Place in which we announce that we’re doing it again — we’re taking a group of readers back to Trevor Hall.

In October 2025, we took over Trevor Hall — a Georgian manor house in Llangollen, Wales — with forty members of the Strong Sense of Place community. It was the best book club ever. We took walks in the countryside, talked about (so many) books, enjoyed ridiculously delicious meals, and told spooky stories by candlelight. And we made lifelong friends.

We’re doing it again — and you’re invited to join us!

Together, we’ll make ourselves at home in this historic mansion surrounded by the picturesque North Wales countryside. We’ll have a book club, share gourmet meals in the Great Hall, play parlor games, ramble in the hills, and stomp our feet at a Celtic ceilidh.

Our weekend begins in Manchester, England — a UNESCO City of Literature. We’ll check into our rooms at a design hotel and enjoy our first IRL meetup in a historic library. After a good night’s sleep, we’re off to Elizabeth Gaskell’s House for a private tour of the Victorian villa where she wrote ‘North and South’ (and entertained literary friends like Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens).

After a restorative tea-and-cake break, we’ll ride together via private motor coach through the rugged countryside to Llangollen, a charming town on the River Dee in North Wales. Our destination: Trevor Hall.

The Hall sits on a wooded hilltop overlooking green slopes dotted with sheep and horses. After a tour of the house and gardens, we’ll ease into country living in the Hall’s luxurious (and tastefully eclectic) rooms. With bookish activities, entertainment, and surprises planned throughout the weekend, you’re sure to be delighted — and have plenty of time to connect with old and new bookish friends.

DatesThis is a five-day, four-night trip: Thursday through Monday. It will be held on two consecutive weekends; each weekend is limited to 19 guests.


Weekend 1: Thursday, November 5 through Monday, November 9


Weekend 2: Thursday, November 12 through Monday, November 16

Also!

Click here for the complete details about the weekend and to enjoy the pretty photos

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If you’re curious about last year’s trip, listen to our podcast episode That Time We Rented a Manor House in Wales.

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Sometimes, it really does feel like Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Give us the fairy lights, colored baubles, fresh smell of pine, whipped cream-topped hot chocolate, and cookies. ALL THE COOKIES, PLEASE.

One of the best things about Christmas is that it stretches and bends to fit the shape we want and need it to be. Sure, holiday traditions can punch above their weight in December — sometimes feeling more like an over-loaded sleigh of obligation than a yuletide treat. But Christmas also invites us to adapt the season to be just as we like it: Stay up too late with books, greet the dawn with a walk, eat one more bite of your favorite treat, Grinch-out under a blankie, or get together with your people for holiday hijinks. Do all of it! Do none of it! Santa will add you to the Nice List no matter what.

In this episode, Mel explains why she thinks everyone should read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and Dave tries to trick us with a holly-jolly version of Two Truths and a Lie. Then we recommend five great books sprinkled with Christmas magic, including two fantastic (and fantastical) books about holiday traditions around the world, a rom-com with just the right level of sweet and sassy, a YA Gothic mystery set in a smuggler’s inn, and a cozy murder mystery that proves making merry can be quite dangerous.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

The Atlas of Christmas: The Merriest, Tastiest, Quirkiest Holiday Traditions from Around the World by Alex Palmer

The Dead of Winter by Sarah Clegg

Greenglass House by Kate Milford

12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas by Natasha Bache

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world.

Transcript of Christmas: May Your Heart Be Light

Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you!

Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In October 2025, we took over Trevor Hall — a Georgian manor house in Llangollen, Wales — with forty members of the Strong Sense of Place community. It was the best book club ever.

We took walks in the countryside, talked about (so many) books, enjoyed ridiculously delicious meals, and told spooky stories by candlelight. And we made lifelong friends.

In this episode, we explain where the idea came from in the first place, share some of our favorite moments, talk about our outdoor adventures in North Wales, and offer some tips for how you can create a similar experience with your favorite people.

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