Book Description
This digital document is an article from Scandinavian Studies, published by Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study on June 22, 2002. The length of the article is 543 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Terry G. Lacy. Ring of Seasons: Iceland--Its Culture and History.(Book Review)
Author: Marvin G. Slind
Publication: Scandinavian Studies (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2002
Publisher: Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study
Volume: 74Issue: 2Page: 233(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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Book Description
"We raised our fists and cheered. . . . With the sagas in our heads, with Iceland at its wildest beneath our boots, it would not have been impossible to see Bárdr clumping along the summit ridge, prodding the glacier with his staff, ready to show us the way down."

Iceland is a pictorial classic on one of the last "undiscovered" countries in Europe--reissued for the first time in paperback.
        Iceland is often thought to be covered by ice, but in fact it is gloriously green. Lush meadows, wildflower fields, and miles of rich tundra cover a landscape of remarkable variety: deep lakes, bubbling hot springs, tumbling waterfalls, snow-capped mountains. It's also a landscape amazingly alive with massive lava flows and enormous glaciers. The human story of Iceland goes back more than eleven thousand years, and its heritage is told here in a treasury of riveting sagas of real-life heroes and all manner of supernatural beings.
        Both the land and the people of one of Europe's most gorgeous countries come to life in this colorful account of the authors' adventures as they walk, climb, and photograph their way through Iceland and connect to the bone-chilling sagas and the unfamiliar terrain. With breathtaking photographs from critically acclaimed writer and journalist Jon Krakauer, author of the international bestsellers Into Thin Air and Into the Wild, and a penetrating narrative from Outside contributing editor and travel writer David Roberts, Iceland splendidly captures the spirit of this enigmatic country.
        Circumnavigating Iceland in summer and winter, Krakauer and Roberts encounter tales of monks and Vikings, outlaws and adventurers, trolls and witches. While touring and photographing, they discover the myths and legends of Iceland's stirring history. Numerous other feats--including a hazardous winter climb to the summit of one of Iceland's tallest mountains--round out a fascinating introduction to this unique and beautiful land. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Beautiful Iceland
This is an absolutely gorgeous book...the photographs inspire one to call Icelandic Air and make a reservation asap! Iceland, a placenot to be missed!

A Wonderfully PresentedBook
Awesome photographs and well written, you will want to visit this wonderful landscape.

Excellent reading and beautiful photographs
I recently visited Iceland for a a couple days enroute from Europe to the US and found myself enchanted by the country and its people.Returning home, I immediately wanted to purchase a book that would give me a better understanding of the culture, the land, and the history.This book has it all, and has filled me with interesting facts and stories, not to mention the beautiful visuals the photographs give.I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in or loves Iceland.

Slight Disappointment
Well, I must admit a slight "prejudice" regarding this book.I bought it because I've already read all the other books by Jon Krakauer (and loved every one a bunch!).But, this book is quite different from any other that Krakauer has been involved in.Right on the front cover it says "Photographs by Jon Krakauer Text by David Roberts" so I guess I shouldn't really have been all that surprised by the "difference."In fact, I have no choice but to believe that virtually everything that Jon Krakauer lays his hands on turns to gold somehow (this book is no different in this regard), since he absolutely has to be a severely super-experienced pro explorer, mountain climber, skier, paddler, writer and now, photographer, as well, judging from all he's written.If anything, he "under" emphasizes the feelings and emotions, at least, for those of us who've had at least a small taste of the miseries, dangers and pitfalls-- weather can play a big role-- that befall nearly every person who does these things.At some point, if your heart is in it at all, you'll get the crap scared out of you big time, unless you are completely out of your mind, either due to drugs, insanity or whatever.Krakauer is amazing at writing about all of this and more, but you'll find none of that in this book, at least none written by Krakauer.Nonetheless, as I said, Krakauer does anything and everything to perfection and with class, and in this book the text by David Roberts is nothing to boo-hoo at all.He is the equal of Krakauer in his own writing style and he tells great stories which are parts of the endless "sagas" that go on for centuries there, part of ordinary everyday life and culture for an Icelander, but a strange curiosity for foreigners from afar.Krakauer deferred to Roberts here most likely for a couple reasons; because he thought Roberts knew more and could write easier and with better results regarding Iceland, and he probably wanted to focus on developing yet another great natural talent of his own, photography, especially in such a surreal and amazingly different place that most peoples of the world aren't very familiar with. I'm guessing here, but the end results are superb.I know there are the little issues of content and various criticisms about whether they covered Iceland in a "balanced" and "informative" way, or whether the photos really represent the "true Iceland" that you'd see and experience should you take a "normal" vacation there (if there is such a thing).But those types of travel info books can be gotten by buying the title "Iceland" from any number of companies like Frommers or Fodors to many lesser known and more colorfully illustrated travel books that may or may not have as current of info as these well-known ones.I'm sure this is NOT the genre that Roberts and Krakauer had in mind when doing this book.Their book should be in that genre, too, but is very much more than that and I can definitely recommend it for anyone interested in Iceland, whether you have been there, are going there soon or maybe never will go there, but just want to know about the place.This title must be on your Iceland (or Jon Krakauer or David Roberts) list, whether short or long!

In Saga footsteps
For anyone into the wild and all pure nature of Iceland, this is a good but advanced start. Try taking Njall's Saga at one hand and this very good-quality pictured book at the other and flip through the pages as you learn more about the Saga, the characters and the actual places where all these wild yet quite Icelandic bravery epic stories took place.This book is also great for anyone who would want to pursue a deeper understanding of the life during 1000 - when Christianity was adopted in Iceland. Again in this book you will get to read parts from various sagas, see turf homes and get a taste of pure Iceland. Enjoy it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Completely Useless
This book fails to disclose that Reykjavik is nothing more than a drinking town (24/7) in the Summer for 20 year olds from Europe.It provides no recommendation for those who want to stay "in town" yet stay away from all of the drunks.Everything in the book is described as expensive and pricey.Being from NY and having traveled the world, given the choice of a two hour bus ride from hell to get dropped off three blocks from my dump of a hotel or a pricey 45 minute cab ride, I'll opt for the cab any day.It's perfectely written for those who want to hike and see the country, and live out of their back pack, which is fine.For those who want to experience culture, explore the geologic uniqueness that Iceland has to offer and are not so cheap that they shouldn't be going on vacation anyway, this book is NOT for you.Why not write a travel guide that accurately describes the realities of travel?

Provides a Good Overview
It is always hard to read reviews for travel books.One person's treasure is another person's waste of money.

For the Rough Guide to Iceland 2, I found this to be a good book for casual traveling through the country.The book's 20 "must see and do things" was helpful and interesting.The maps were good, and from what I could tell, had a pretty thorough list of accommodations and going-ons.

While it did provide some information on the popular treks, I was a little disappointed in the amount of information on outdoor activities.I mean, c'mon, this is Iceland!

I would recommend this to someone going to Iceland.However, if you are going off the beaten track as I did, you will need to supplement this book with some internet research.

An Excellent Planning Resource
Having spent over three years in motion overseas, I have come to appreciate a guidebook that can blend the practical and cultural in a concise treatment.The Rough Guide to Iceland does this skillfully, and it is well-organized to boot.You'd use the Rough Guide to plan and layout your trip and then keep it by your side as your interpretive companion

While the Lonely Planet guide to Iceland contains more detail on logistics, it is not particularly user-friendly.That being said, I'll buy a copy of the Lonely Planet Guide to supplement the Rough Guide.Lonely Planet Guides have seen me through more difficulties than I can count, and I'm sure the Iceland edition will get me out of a few jams while I circle the country.

But if I could use only one book, it would be the Rough Guide

Informative and well-designed
I'm coming slowly to the conclusion that the Rough Guides may simply be the best series out there. This particular Rough Guide is certainly the best guidebook to Iceland. It lovingly details every section of the country, and has pithy, relevant remarks on accomodations, places to eat, and things to see.

What I really love is the logical and thorough way in which it divides up any given area. Any time it introduces a new place, it gives you a comprehensive and sweeping overview, and then proceeds to lay out details district by district. You're left with a very clear picture of the area, and the comfort of knowing that additional details are available to you if you need to refer to them later. The maps are likewise extremely clear, providing plenty of detail while allowing you to get a sense of the overall lay of the terrain at a glance.

I've also found that a number of guidebooks for Iceland have a way of speaking negatively or dismissively of aspects of the country - especially Lonely Planet. This Rough Guide honestly mentions problems - hitchhiking is unreliable, cycling is hard, the bus is expensive, etc. - but it never gives you the impression that you might just be better off staying home. The book was written as if the author really loved Iceland, which was quite refreshing. ... Read more

Book Description
This book contains over sixty papers presented at the congress, which was the first international congress on the history of the arctic and sub-arctic region. The papers are by scholars from eleven countries and deal with a wide variety of subjects relating to the history of the entire arctic and sub-arctic region. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Manitoba History, published by Manitoba Historical Society on September 22, 2000. The length of the article is 969 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: New Iceland: commemorating 125 years of settlement history in Manitoba.
Publication: Manitoba History (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2000
Publisher: Manitoba Historical Society
Issue: 40Page: 25-7

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Customer Reviews (1)

Iceland (Cultures of the World)
This book serves as a fine introduction to a great country.In introducing my friends to Iceland I kept checking this out of the library.I kept extending the checkout time for four months because the photographs were so good.The photos capture the normal day-to-day life in Iceland. Don't let the recommended age scare you.Most of those who leafed through this book were adults.I found that not one person was disappointed in it in any way. This book would also serve as a good memory guide after your trip to Iceland. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive and profusely illustrated accompaniment to the exhibition The Manuscripts of Iceland, which was organized by the Arni Magnusson Institute and opened in the Culture House in Reykjavik on October 5, 2002. In this collection of articles scholars present the story of Icelandic manuscripts, their medieval origins, the literature they contain and its influence up to the present day. The meeting of written Christian and classical culture with the rich oral traditions in Iceland brought forth a remarkable literary flowering, an eloquent source of information about pagan Scandinavian culture and thought. In time this literature came to inspire the sense of national character in the Nordic countries and exerted notable influence in the German- and English- speaking worlds. This book and the exhibition it accompanies are a tribute to the central role that medieval Icelandic literature played in forging national identities in Northern Europe. Contains 112 color and 32 b/w ilustrations. ... Read more

Book Description
When a nameless Norseman sat down to write the "Saga of the People of Eyri" in the 13th century, the brutal story was already centuries old. Today this ancient tale is masterfully retold in Jeff Janoda's SAGA: A NOVEL OF MEDIEVAL ICELAND, a rich historical novel of the first Icelandic settlements.

SAGA tells the story of the savage rituals of feud and sacrifice brought by the settlers from their Norwegian motherland as well as their new, competing beliefs in a democratic legal assembly and a code of restraint.

When Thorolf the Viking trades away his valuable family lands to spite his son, Arnkel, the ruthless Norse chieftain vows to regain them at all costs. Robbed of his rightful inheritance, Arnkel begins a venomous feud with his neighbors and with rival chieftain Snorri, a lawless dispute destined to end in betrayal and death.

Janoda's characters are eloquently wrought, their passions and pagan beliefs brought to life in a tale over a thousand years old. His delicate hand renders fantastical elements like spirits and elves as vividly as their human counterparts, illuminating the harshness of life in a society on the brink of modernity, yet isolated in the farthest reaches of the planet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

great piece of modern nordic historical fiction
Great way to bring life to this saga. Read this book more than a year ago (twice) and it still sticks. Great great stuff. Let's have more!

THE BEST Historical Fiction I've Read!
This is one of those books that you get so into while you're reading that you don't want it to end. Janoda has fleshed out a portion of the Eyrbyggja Saga, giving depth and dimension to the Snorri Gothi, Arnkel Gothi, and Thorbrand factions feuding, scheming, betraying and killing for possession of two farmsteads and a precious birch forest on a peninsula in 10th century western Iceland. The saga has everything a Norse and medieval history buff would want, including some really "creepy" stuff with a vengeful ghost and dark elves who live in the shadows and feed off the evil the Norse perpetrate.

Janoda's prose is fluid and effortless, and he writes as a master storyteller. I HOPE HE WRITES ANOTHER BOOK LIKE THIS ONE ON ANOTHER OF THE SAGAS!

Highest Recommendation

As bracing as a gust of wind across a Tundra
I bought this, based on the reviews here as I was looking for a good Midgard-themed book to read.

It's a great first novel and I hope the author dips into this setting again for the next one.

A fine tale of the harsh Icelandic life and of betrayal and passion. Any fans of this genre should indeed give this one a try.

Couldn't fault any of it. Good stuff.

Very Strong Story Telling!
This is an awsome story and a very good read. It bounces around a bit but still worth every penny!

Medieval Iceland at its best
I've studied Icelandic and Nordic history and culture for many years, and I think that Jeff Janoda has captured the essence of the Icelandic Viking extremely well.The description of the land is great, and gives me the feel of actually being on a fjord in Iceland.The characters are well developed and true to the time and class structure of the ancient gothi.Auln is my personal favorite character, but nonetheless very human, and the one that grabs at your soul.The references to Thor and the elves give the reader a good insight to the beliefs of the time, and the use of a character (Hrafn) who has found Christianity in a foreign land helps to define the change that is going on in the world at that time.The Thing (yearly court)is used well and gives the reader insight into the extremely honorable and structured lifestyle of the Viking culture as it developed in the Free Land.For anyone who is curious about Iceland and it's historic sagas, Saga is the modern telling that will help you understand this ancient culture. ... Read more

Product Description
More of a textbook than a "handbook", this 400 pgs. publication provides a comprehensive introduction to the Republic of Iceland. Topics include: environment; history and culture; government and foreign relations; economic policy and finance; economic development; and culture and education. Liberally illustrated with graphs, maps, and photos. ... Read more

Book Description
This book gives an overview of the development of settlements and urban areas in Iceland from its first settlement in 874 to present times. Iceland, being an island with well-documented history, can be seen as a laboratory on how human habitat evolves and changes in an interplay with the forces of nature. As Iceland is small and sparsely populated, it fits well for the study on how aspects of society, nature and planning interact. Until with this book the story of planning in Iceland has been unknown to the world. Scholars and students may find the book a good base for further study. The 1250 maps and pictures, and countless references, make it highly useful for such purposes. The book is divided into five sections to underline the individual nature of the five parts:

Nature: The Forces that Shape it
First Steps in the Shaping of Settlements
Plan Development of Towns and Regions
Development of Systems on a Country Scale
Developments of Today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

makes iceland sound interestering
this book is in the best information book series about different countries,enchantment of the world second series.the book about iceland is one of the best, and just by opening the book for the first time it makes you interested in iceland aswell as making you want to go there.the best part is the first chapter where the author tells about an adolescent boy named thorri going through conformation to become part of the lutheran church.the good thing about the first chapter a typical icelandic teenager,his family and their customs and gives you a good picture of iceland.it also has good information about icelands dramatic landscape with it's glaciers and mountains(a lot of them are volcanos),and it's early history which you can find in the icelandic sagas,but i like that it shows how far iceland has come since then and how it's become.i also introduced me to njal's sagaand other sagas and i love that they mentioned bjork(how couldn't they).it realy made want to go iceland especialy reykjavik and learn more about iceland from other sources. ,jeremy david biggs "world traveler someday" ... Read more

Book Description
First published in 1979, 'Under the Cloak' put forth radical new arguments for the legal, and peaceable, acceptance of Christianity in Iceland in the year 999/1000. The present edition has been revised and significantly expanded by the author, containing new arguments and information about the events that took place on that momentous occasion, together with a discussion of the works of some other scholars on this subject. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Pocket Guide
Small and not heavy book, you can take it to your trip very easy it fits in every hand bag. A lot of info inside with a lot of tips and colorfull pictures that will help you to plan your trip in advance.

It Icludes a foldable map (not waterproof) a good extra, also have a plastic cover that helps you to maintain it like new!!!

great book
I purchased this book for a project for my daughter.It was a great resource for the project. ... Read more