Sources on Iceland 1: Non-Fiction Books
Here is a more detailed list of the various sources I have used to learn about Iceland over the years.
This list is far from comprehensive. Its obvious weakness is that it only lists books published in English, thereby omitting all kinds of books only available in Icelandic, as well as books about Iceland in German, French, Spanish and other languages. And I haven’t included every book I have read on the subject.
Non-fiction books in this post: future posts will run through poetry, fiction, film and TV, magazines and the Internet.
So, here goes:
Non-Fiction Books
Icelandic Saga by Magnus Magnusson. A trip around Iceland, beautifully combining its landscape and its history.
The Little Book of the Icelanders by Alda Sigmundsdóttir. A little book about Iceland and its quirks by an Icelandic-Canadian writer with a keen eye. Alda’s other ‘Little Books’ include Iceland in the Old Days, Tourists in Iceland and The Icelandic Language.
Dreaming of Iceland by Sally Magnusson. A wonderful tale of a week-long trip around Iceland by Sally Magnusson and her father Magnus.
Ring of Seasons by Terry Lacy. An affectionate description of Iceland by an American who lives there.
Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland by Sarah Moss. A beautifully written account of an English novelist and academic’s year at the University of Iceland during the financial crash and the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. It wasn’t all easy.
Waking Up in Iceland by Paul Sullivan. An account of following the music scene in Reykjavík by a perceptive music journalist.
The Rough Guide to Iceland by David Leffman and James Proctor and Lonely Planet Iceland by Fran Parnell and Brandon Presser. Never underestimate the usefulness of well-written and carefully researched travel guides, of which these two are good examples.
Across Iceland by Olive Murray Chapman. An intrepid Scottish woman’s account of her travels across Iceland in 1930, describing the warm welcome she received and the primitive living standards of the time. This lady was a lot tougher than Messrs Auden and MacNeice, more famous visitors at about the same time. Long out of print.
Meltdown Iceland by Roger Boyes. A clear account of the kreppa, the financial crash that swept through Iceland in 2008-2010, by a foreign correspondent from The Times.
Frozen Assets by Ármann Thorvaldsson. Another account of the kreppa, this time from one of the bankers who helped bring it about.
Icelandic Folk Legends translated by Alda Sigmundsdóttir and Icelandic Folk and Fairy Tales translated by May and Hallberg Hallmundsson. Good translations of Iceland’s wonderful folk tales featuring trolls, elves, hidden people, ghosts, ravens, sea monsters and a polar bear. Best dipped in and out of rather than read all in one sitting, in my opinion.
A Traveller’s Guide to Icelandic Folk Tales by Jón R. Hjálmarsson. A fascinating book of sixty folk tales from different locations around Iceland, each story including a description of the countryside where it took place. Good to pack for an Icelandic road trip.
Looking for The Hidden Folk by Nancy Marie Brown. A clear-eyed discussion of Icelanders’ beliefs in elves over the centuries, which also respects the beliefs of the many Icelanders who don’t. As a foreigner getting to know Iceland, this is a subject you can only avoid for so long.
Secrets of the Sprakker by Eliza Reid. Eliza is the Canadian-Icelandic wife of the former President of Iceland. This book demonstrates how Icelandic society has allowed some remarkable women to flourish while acknowledging that even in Iceland there are still obstacles to be overcome.
Iceland in World War Two by Jökull Gíslason. A fascinating guide to how Iceland experienced the war after the British occupation of the island in May 1940. Great photographs too.
How Iceland Changed the World by Egill Bjarnason. A history of Iceland that manages to be clear, concise and very funny. I wish I had written it.
So, here goes:
Non-Fiction Books
Icelandic Saga by Magnus Magnusson. A trip around Iceland, beautifully combining its landscape and its history.
The Little Book of the Icelanders by Alda Sigmundsdóttir. A little book about Iceland and its quirks by an Icelandic-Canadian writer with a keen eye. Alda’s other ‘Little Books’ include Iceland in the Old Days, Tourists in Iceland and The Icelandic Language.
Dreaming of Iceland by Sally Magnusson. A wonderful tale of a week-long trip around Iceland by Sally Magnusson and her father Magnus.
Ring of Seasons by Terry Lacy. An affectionate description of Iceland by an American who lives there.
Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland by Sarah Moss. A beautifully written account of an English novelist and academic’s year at the University of Iceland during the financial crash and the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. It wasn’t all easy.
Waking Up in Iceland by Paul Sullivan. An account of following the music scene in Reykjavík by a perceptive music journalist.
The Rough Guide to Iceland by David Leffman and James Proctor and Lonely Planet Iceland by Fran Parnell and Brandon Presser. Never underestimate the usefulness of well-written and carefully researched travel guides, of which these two are good examples.
Across Iceland by Olive Murray Chapman. An intrepid Scottish woman’s account of her travels across Iceland in 1930, describing the warm welcome she received and the primitive living standards of the time. This lady was a lot tougher than Messrs Auden and MacNeice, more famous visitors at about the same time. Long out of print.
Meltdown Iceland by Roger Boyes. A clear account of the kreppa, the financial crash that swept through Iceland in 2008-2010, by a foreign correspondent from The Times.
Frozen Assets by Ármann Thorvaldsson. Another account of the kreppa, this time from one of the bankers who helped bring it about.
Icelandic Folk Legends translated by Alda Sigmundsdóttir and Icelandic Folk and Fairy Tales translated by May and Hallberg Hallmundsson. Good translations of Iceland’s wonderful folk tales featuring trolls, elves, hidden people, ghosts, ravens, sea monsters and a polar bear. Best dipped in and out of rather than read all in one sitting, in my opinion.
A Traveller’s Guide to Icelandic Folk Tales by Jón R. Hjálmarsson. A fascinating book of sixty folk tales from different locations around Iceland, each story including a description of the countryside where it took place. Good to pack for an Icelandic road trip.
Looking for The Hidden Folk by Nancy Marie Brown. A clear-eyed discussion of Icelanders’ beliefs in elves over the centuries, which also respects the beliefs of the many Icelanders who don’t. As a foreigner getting to know Iceland, this is a subject you can only avoid for so long.
Secrets of the Sprakker by Eliza Reid. Eliza is the Canadian-Icelandic wife of the former President of Iceland. This book demonstrates how Icelandic society has allowed some remarkable women to flourish while acknowledging that even in Iceland there are still obstacles to be overcome.
Iceland in World War Two by Jökull Gíslason. A fascinating guide to how Iceland experienced the war after the British occupation of the island in May 1940. Great photographs too.
How Iceland Changed the World by Egill Bjarnason. A history of Iceland that manages to be clear, concise and very funny. I wish I had written it.
If you would like to receive a free copy of my 60-page novella The Polar Bear Killing and occasional emails about my books, Sign up here.
Comments
Post a Comment