Download or read book Rick Steves Iceland written by Rick Steves and published by Rick Steves. This book was released on 2020-04-28 with total page 588 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hike vast glaciers, marvel at steaming volcanic lakes, and explore the land of the midnight sun: with Rick Steves, Iceland is yours to explore! Inside Rick Steves Iceland you'll find: Comprehensive itineraries that can be adapted for 24-hour layovers, 5-day visits, 2-week trips, and more, including the best road trips in Iceland from the Ring Road to the Golden Circle Rick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money, with rankings of his must-see favorites Top sights and hidden gems, from the stunning northern lights to hidden hikes and cozy bookstores How to connect with local culture: Soak in hidden hot springs, sample smoked fish, and chat with locals in moody and welcoming rural towns Beat the crowds, skip the lines, and avoid tourist traps with Rick's candid, humorous insight The best places to eat, sleep, and relax Self-guided walking tours of lively Reykjavík and art and history museums and mile-by-mile scenic driving tours Detailed maps for exploring on the go Useful resources including a packing list, an Icelandic phrase book, a historical overview, and recommended reading Over 500 bible-thin pages include everything worth seeing without weighing you down Complete, up-to-date information on Reykjavík, the Reykjanes Peninsula, the Golden Circle, the South Coast, the Westman Islands, West Iceland, The Ring Road, the East Fjords, and more Make the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves Iceland. Expanding your trip? Try Rick Steves Scandinavia or Rick Steves Northern European Cruise Ports.

Download or read book The Little Book of Tourists in Iceland written by Alda Sigmundsdóttir and published by Little Books Publishing. This book was released on 2022-01-21 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Iceland is in the midst of an unprecedented tourist boom that has brought wealth to the country, but also myriad issues and challenges. Through a series of short essays, this book provides a unique insight into the social and environmental impact that tourism is having on Iceland, and with wit and intelligence offers invaluable tips for touring safely, responsibly, and in harmony with the locals. A fascinating resource for anyone interested in contemporary Iceland, and an essential companion for all visitors to the country. Among the topics addressed in this book: • Why now?—Reasons for the tourism boom in Iceland • The impact of tourism on Iceland’s housing market, health care system, law enforcement, search and rescue operations, and more • Touring Iceland, staying safe—the things to keep in mind while traveling in Iceland’s treacherous terrain • Out driving. The most dangerous parts of Iceland? Its roads! Read our tips for staying safe • What they think of us—he things our visitors complain about • What we think of them: tourist behaviors that really, seriously irk the Icelanders • Crazy stories of tourists in Iceland (hahaha oh lord!) • The environmental footprint: depletion of natural resources, pollution, and the physical impact of tourism • Taxing tourists? The endless debate and what it entails • Can't we just all get along? Tips for touring in harmony with the locals • The truth about those Iceland myths: jailed bankers, believing in elves, the incest app, sleeping around ... don’t believe everything you hear! • The hilarious questions we get (“What time do the northern lights come on?”) ... and so much more! Excerpt "Yes, Iceland’s landscape is treacherous, and there are dangers in both expected and unexpected places. Yet the most dangerous aspect of touring Iceland is not those hot springs, glaciers, or rogue waves, but something far more commonplace: driving. Iceland has a very low population density—only about three people per square kilometer, or eight per square mile. Building and maintaining an efficient road system obviously costs a few crowns, and hitherto the Icelanders have been, if not entirely satisfied, then at least reasonably content with their single-lane highways, gravel roads, and the mountainous F-roads that are generally only open in summer. So here we are, merrily driving on our sub-standard roads and suddenly there is a tourist boom, resulting in far more cars on the road than ever before, including whole convoys of tour buses. This means increased wear and tear on roads that were already unsuitable for so much traffic and that require more frequent maintenance if they are to be kept safe. Also, many Icelandic roads are not built for the volume of traffic that they are now experiencing. For instance, shoulders have been known to collapse when a tour bus has moved too far over to one side of a narrow road, in order to make way for an oncoming vehicle. Thankfully there have been no serious injuries to people under such circumstances, but there have been enough scares to make people stand up and pay attention. A related problem that has been growing ever more serious is the limited experience of many folks when it comes to the driving conditions endemic to Iceland. I am speaking of driving in strong winds, winter driving, two-lane highways, gravel roads, and so on. [...] So the road system definitely needs a major overhaul. However, that is not an undertaking that can be completed overnight, and besides, it is entirely open to debate whether we want all those roads improved. More on that later. For now, at least, we must accept the sort of road system we have, and try our best to make our visitors aware of the main dangers and risks of motoring in Iceland, so that we can all stay safe."

Download or read book The History of Iceland written by Gunnar Karlsson and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Iceland is unique among European societies in having been founded as late as the Viking Age and in having copious written and archaeological sources about its origin. Gunnar Karlsson, that country's premier historian, chronicles the age of the Sagas, consulting them to describe an era without a monarch or central authority. Equating this prosperous time with the golden age of antiquity in world history, Karlsson then marks a correspondence between the Dark Ages of Europe and Iceland's "dreary period", which started with the loss of political independence in the late thirteenth century and culminated with an epoch of poverty and humility, especially during the early Modern Age. Iceland's renaissance came about with the successful struggle for independence in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and with the industrial and technical modernization of the first half of the twentieth century. Karlsson describes the rise of nationalism as Iceland's mostly poor peasants set about breaking with Denmark, and he shows how Iceland in the twentieth century slowly caught up economically with its European neighbors.

Download or read book DK Eyewitness Top 10 Iceland written by DK Eyewitness and published by Dorling Kindersley Ltd. This book was released on 2019-08-01 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Striking, evocative and wild - Iceland's magnificent fjords, smouldering volcanoes, thunderous waterfalls and seething geysers never fail to capture the imagination with their raw beauty and rugged splendour. Your DK Eyewitness Top Ten travel guide ensures you'll find your way around the 'Land of Fire and Ice' with absolute ease. Our annually updated Top Ten travel guide breaks down the best of Iceland into helpful lists of ten - from our own selected highlights to the best museums, places to eat and festivals. You'll discover: -Nine easy-to-follow itineraries, perfect for a day-trip, a weekend, or a week -Detailed Top 10 lists of Iceland's must-sees, including detailed breakdowns of Þingvellir National Park, the Blue Lagoon, Geysir Hot Springs Area, Gullfoss, Lake Mývatn Area, Vatnajökull National Park, Snæfellsjökull National Park, Látrabjarg Bird Cliffs, Jökulsárlón and the Landmannalaugar Area -Iceland's most interesting areas, with the best places for shopping, dining, and sightseeing -Inspiration for different things to enjoy during your trip - things to do for free and unmissable experiences off the beaten path -A free laminated pull-out map of Iceland, plus over seven colour area maps -Streetsmart advice: get ready, get around, and stay safe -A lightweight format perfect for your pocket or bag when you're on the move DK Eyewitness Top 10s are the UK's favourite pocket guides and have been helping travellers to make the most of their breaks since 2002.

Download or read book Questions of Travel written by Lavinia Greenlaw and published by New York Review of Books. This book was released on 2017-03-07 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Poet and novelist Lavinia Greenlaw's poetic reflections on William Morris's Icelandic Journal, one of the overlooked masterpieces of travel literature The great Victorian designer and decorative artist William Morris was fascinated by Iceland and wrote a book documenting his travels there. He gets caught up with questions of travel, noting his reaction to the idea of leaving or arriving, to hurry and delay, what it means to dread a place you’ve never been to or to encounter the actuality of a long-held vision. He is sensitive to the emotional landscape of his band of travelers and, above all, continuously analyzing and fixing this “most romantic of all deserts.” Lavinia Greenlaw follows in his footsteps, and interposes his prose with her own “questions of travel.” The result is a new and composite work that brilliantly explores our conflicted reasons for not staying at home.

Download or read book How To Live Icelandic written by Nína Björk Jónsdóttir and published by White Lion Publishing. This book was released on 2021-11-30 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This ultimate guide to one of the world's most beautiful and fascinating island nations is packed with travel tips, cultural and historical facts, and insights from Icelanders into how we can all make our lives a little more Icelandic. Known as ‘The Land of Fire and Ice’, Iceland is a country of contrasts, from the enormous glaciers to the active volcanoes, the summer midnight sun to the briefest of winter days, the ancient language to the modern technological innovations. This is a nation with a rich and diverse culture as unique as its stunning landscapes. How to Live Icelandic is the ultimate insider’s guide to this northerly nation. You may have already tried skyr for breakfast and listened to Sigur Rós on your daily commute, but how much do you know about the real Iceland; the locals’ take on this one-of-a-kind island? Icelanders Nína Björk Jónsdóttir and Edda Magnus have put together the highlights of Icelandic music, literature, cultural attitudes, food traditions and celebrations so the rest of the world can benefit from the special blend of old Norse wisdom with liberal modern attitudes. This beautiful book is full of inspiration and insight into this progressive and peaceful nation that has freedom, community and equality at its core, revealing why Iceland remains one of the happiest countries in the world. From the How To Live... series of insightful guides to some of the most intriguing cultures and locations on the planet, other books available include How To Live Japanese, How To Live Korean and How to Live North.

Download or read book Lonely Planet Iceland written by Lonely Planet and published by Lonely Planet. This book was released on 2019-05-01 with total page 809 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lonely Planet Iceland is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Splash around in the Blue Lagoon's geothermal water, catch a glimpse of the celestial Northern Lights, or take a boat trip among the icebergs -all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Iceland and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet's Iceland Travel Guide: Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, politics, landscapes, wildlife, literature, music, cinema, art, architecture, customs, cuisine. Free, convenient pull-out Reykjavik map (included in print version), plus over 37 maps Covers Reykjavik, the Westfjords, the Highlands, North Iceland, East Iceland, South Iceland, the Golden Circle, Southwest Iceland, the Eastfjords, Akureyri, Hunafloi and more The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Iceland, our most comprehensive guide to Iceland, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled. Looking for a guide focused on Reykjavik? Check out Lonely Planet's Pocket Reykjavik, a handy-sized guide focused on the can't-miss sights for a quick trip. Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planet's Scandinavia guide for a comprehensive look at all the region has to offer. About Lonely Planet: Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. The world awaits! 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Download or read book Lonely Planet Best of Iceland written by Lonely Planet and published by Lonely Planet. This book was released on 2019-05-01 with total page 398 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet's Best of Iceland is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Gaze in wonder at the celestial kaleidoscope of the Northern Lights, warm up with a soak in the Blue Lagoon and explore a sweeping spectrum of dramatic landscape in the Westfjords - all with your trusted travel companion. Discover the best of Iceland and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet's Best of Iceland: Full-colour images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, art, food, wine, sport, politics Free, convenient pull-out map (included in print version), plus easy-to-use colour maps to help you navigate Covers Reykjavík, Southwest Iceland, the Golden Circle, West Iceland, The Westfjords, North Iceland, East Iceland, Southeast Iceland, The Highlands and more The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Best of Iceland is filled with inspiring and colourful photos, and focuses on Iceland's most popular attractions for those wanting to experience the best of the best. Need a guide to Reykjavik? Check out Pocket Reykjavik & Southwest Iceland, our small, handy-sized guide featuring the top sights and experiences for a shorter trip. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia) eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Download or read book The Promise of Iceland written by Kári Gíslason and published by Univ. of Queensland Press. This book was released on 2012-04 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Born from a secret liaison between a British mother and an Icelandic father, Kari Gislason was the subject of a promise: a promise elicited by his father not to reveal his identity in order to spare his wife and five other children. At the age of 27, Kari decides to break the pact between his parents by contacting his father's family; what follows makes for a riveting journey over landscapes, time, and memory. From the shark net at Sydney's Balmoral and an unsettled life in the English countryside to the harsh yellow summer of Brisbane and the freezing cold winters of Iceland, the author traces his mother's steps into the arms of a secret lover. At the culmination of this poignant, painful, and joyous story, Kari's determination to defy his father's wishes results in his uniting with his relatives.

Download or read book Iceland Travel Activity Book and Journal written by Lauren Kotwal and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2019-03-13 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are you planning a family trip and want to help your kids learn about where you are going AND help them stay engaged while you are there? Or do your kids want to learn about this amazing country from the comfort of your home? This Iceland kids book has got you covered! This book includes information the history, culture, mythology, natural environment, and places to visit around Iceland. Not only are there fun facts and information, but also activities for kids to do on almost every page. Need something to occupy them while out to eat? Pull this out, read about what you'll seeing next, and then hand it over and watch them play and color. There are also journal pages where they can draw and/or write about the things they are doing, seeing, and eating along the way creating a keepsake that they can look back on for years. This book is great for ages 4-8, but is also good for kids that are younger or older! This 8.5x11 book is paperback, making it lightweight and easy to pack with you on your adventures. Follow Family A Go Go (family_a_go_go) on Instagram to see what we are working on and where we are traveling!

Download or read book Last Places written by Lawrence Millman and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2000 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A classic of northern exploration and adventure, LAST PLACES is Lawrence Millman's marvelously told account of his journey along the ancient Viking sea routes that extend from Norway to Newfoundland. Traveling through landscapes of transcendent desolation, Millman wandered by way of the Shetland Islands, the Faeroes, Iceland, Greenland, and Labrador. His way was marked by surprising human encounters--with a convicted murderer in Reykjavik, an Inuit hermit in Greenland, an Icelandic guide who leads him to a place called Hell, and a Newfoundlander who warns him about the local variant of the Abominable Snowman. By turns earthy and lyrical, LAST PLACES is an ebullient celebration of the exotic North.

Download or read book Iceland written by Andrew Evans and published by Bradt Travel Guides. This book was released on 2008 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With its colossal glaciers, vast lava flows andthundering waterfalls, Iceland's primordial landscapeawards visitors with unforgettable vistas and incredibletrekking beneath the glowing northern lights. Whetheryou're an outdoor enthusiast, an independent traveller ona budget, or a comfort-seeking tourist, the author showsyou how to do ......

Download or read book Miss Iceland written by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir and published by Grove Press. This book was released on 2020-06-16 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Will appeal to readers of Elena Ferrante and Margaret Atwood . . . the unusual setting offers an interesting twist on the portrait of an artist as a young woman.” —Bookpage In 1960s Iceland, Hekla dreams of being a writer. In a nation of poets, where each household proudly displays leatherbound volumes of the Sagas, and there are more writers per capita than anywhere else in the world, there is only one problem: she is a woman. After packing her few belongings, including James Joyces’s Ulysses and a Remington typewriter, Hekla heads for Reykjavik with a manuscript buried in her bags. She moves in with her friend Jon, a gay man who longs to work in the theatre, but can only find dangerous, backbreaking work on fishing trawlers. Hekla’s opportunities are equally limited: marriage and babies, or her job as a waitress, in which harassment from customers is part of the daily grind. The two friends feel completely out of place in a small and conservative world. And yet that world is changing: JFK is shot. Hemlines are rising. In Iceland, another volcano erupts and Hekla meets a poet who brings to light harsh realities about her art—as she realizes she must escape to find freedom abroad, whatever the cost. Miss Iceland, a winner of two international book awards, comes from the acclaimed author of Hotel Silence, which received the Icelandic Literary Prize. “Only a great book can make you feel you’re really there, a thousand miles and a generation away. I loved it.” —Kit de Waal, author of My Name is Leon “[A] winning tale of friendship and self-fulfillment.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Download or read book Iceland written by James Hall and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-03-20 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Attention Travelers: You Have found Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Iceland If you are interested in traveling to Iceland, you have come to the right place! Forget about all the other boring Iceland Travel Books. Forget about the lifeless 1000 pages Travel books that are overwhelmed with too much information and impossible to maneuver. Forget about having to carry a giant, heavy 2 pounds travel book. Forget about those non-sense. You need to spend your time enjoying your travel, not maneuvering over a giant heavy travel book! As a true traveler myself who has been exclusively traveling around the world, and as a person who has traveled to Iceland, my only goal for this book is take give you an ultimate list of 101 things you must do in Iceland that you really need to know. There is so much to see and do in Iceland, so it is difficult to know where exactly to start on your journey. In this book, I've curated the best places to see, things to do while visiting Iceland to make your trip to this very special part of the world easier and memorable. After reading this book, you will know exactly what you need to do in Iceland. You will get the most out of your Iceland trip, easily, enjoyably and effortlessly. You know you need this book if you: Interested in Iceland and want to know just about all the fun, the relevant information without bombarding with too much irrelevant all the major travel books out there are giving you. Unsure about if you'll like to visit Iceland and want to find out if it's worth your travel trip and expense. Having a friend who has traveled to Iceland and it's really annoying to hear them constantly bragging about how cool it is Just looking around for the next travel suggestion Just looking for a good read about the most beautiful place on earth with the most interesting culture Any other reason you could think of, this book is still for you :) Let the real traveler show you what Iceland have to offer. Let the real traveler who traveled to Iceland many times be your personal tour guide. With this book, you will never get bored in Iceland. Pick up this book, and welcome to Iceland!

Download or read book The Geography of Bliss written by Eric Weiner and published by Twelve. This book was released on 2008-01-03 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now a new series on Peacock with Rainn Wilson, THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS is part travel memoir, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide that takes the viewer across the globe to investigate not what happiness is, but WHERE it is. Are people in Switzerland happier because it is the most democratic country in the world? Do citizens of Qatar, awash in petrodollars, find joy in all that cash? Is the King of Bhutan a visionary for his initiative to calculate Gross National Happiness? Why is Asheville, North Carolina so damn happy? In a unique mix of travel, psychology, science and humor, Eric Weiner answers those questions and many others, offering travelers of all moods some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions.

Download or read book Names for the Sea written by Sarah Moss and published by Catapult. This book was released on 2013-05-01 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A beautifully written memoir of a family’s year living in Reykjavik, Iceland that “captures the fierce beauty of the Arctic landscape”—from the acclaimed author of Ghost Wall (Booklist). Sarah Moss had a childhood dream of moving to Iceland, sustained by a wild summer there when she was nineteen. In 2009, she saw an advertisement for a job at the University of Iceland and applied on a whim, despite having two young children and a comfortable life in Kent, England. The resulting adventure was shaped by Iceland’s economic collapse, which halved the value of her salary; by the eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajokull; and by a collection of new friends, including a poet who saw the only bombs fall on Iceland in 1943; a woman who speaks to elves; and a chef who guided Sarah’s family around the intricacies of Icelandic cuisine. Moss explored hillsides of boiling mud and volcanic craters and learned to drive like an Icelander on the unsurfaced roads that link remote farms and fishing villages in the far north. She watched the northern lights and the comings and goings of migratory birds, and as the weeks and months went by, she and her family learned new ways to live. Names for the Sea is her compelling and very funny account of living in a country poised on the edge of Europe, where modernization clashes with living folklore.

Download or read book The Little Book of the Icelanders written by Alda Sigmundsdóttir and published by Little Books Publishing. This book was released on 2022-01-21 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After more than 20 years away, Alda Sigmundsdottir returned to her native Iceland as a foreigner. With a native person's insight yet an outsider's perspective, Alda quickly set about dissecting the national psyche of the Icelanders. This second edition, from 2018, contains new and updated chapters from the original edition, reflecting the changes in Icelandic society and among the Icelandic people since the book was first published in 2012. Among the fascinating subjects broached in The Little Book of the Icelanders: • The appalling driving habits of the Icelanders • Naming conventions and customs • The Icelanders’ profound fear of commitment • The Icelanders’ irreverence • Why Icelandic women are really men • How the Icelanders manage to make social interactions really complicated • The importance of the family in Icelandic society • Where to go to meet the real Icelanders (and possibly score some free financial advice) • Rituals associated with the most important life events (weddings, confirmations, graduations, and deaths) ... and many more. One chapter leads to the next, creating a continuous chain of storytelling. It feels as if you’re sitting in the author’s kitchen, enjoying a cup of coffee and conversing with her about the quirks of her countrymen, every now and then bursting out laughing. [...] I’m going to heartily recommend The Little Book of the Icelanders, both to fans of Sigmundsdóttir’s blog and those unfamiliar with her work. - Iceland Review Online There aren’t many books I’d recommend reading over morning coffee but The Little Book of the Icelanders is one of them. [...] I laughed at the essays in this book, not because I was laughing at Icelanders but because I recognize much of the behavior in myself and members of my family. It felt good. It’s not just the sanest, most impressive characteristics that we pass on and share but also some of the zaniest. As I read this book, I frequently thought, yup, I’m definitely part Icelandic. - Lögberg-Heimskringla, Canada Excerpt "Even though they live on the edge of the inhabitable world with engulfing darkness for several months of the year, the Icelanders continue to score among the most optimistic people in the world. Is it the fish? The fresh air? The cod liver oil? Natural selection? The copious amounts of anti-depressants they consume? Nobody really knows. However, one thing is sure: this character trait serves Icelanders well and has helped the nation cope with innumerable shocks, from volcanic eruptions to famines, to a massive economic crisis. Whatever happens, you can be sure that the Icelanders will seek the silver lining and soldier on, firmly believing that things will soon get better. Indeed it is fascinating to observe how the Icelanders deal with trauma at a national level. Their initial reaction always seems to be to bond together. People who on regular days will bicker and quarrel amongst themselves, suddenly become enormously supportive of each other. I’ve seen this happen in the aftermath of disasters such as snow avalanches and volcanic eruptions, or tragedies that capture the nation’s attention. Take, for example, the economic meltdown of 2008, which for the Icelanders was one of the most catastrophic events in recent history. Many people feared an onslaught of suicides in the wake of all the bankruptcies that ensued. Yet it turned out that the number of suicides actually declined. According to the Directorate of Health, it was because the nation had bonded together, and people were closer and more supportive of each other than they had been in a very long time. In other words, the optimism is probably a long-term survival strategy. After all, through the centuries of hardship and geographical isolation that the Icelandic nation has endured, defeat was not an option – it was stand together, fight together, or die."