The History of Iceland

The History of Iceland PDF Author: Gunnar Karlsson
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
ISBN: 9780816635894
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 436

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Book Description
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.

The History of Iceland

The History of Iceland PDF Author: Gunnar Karlsson
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
ISBN: 9780816635894
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 436

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Book Description
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.

Iceland

Iceland PDF Author: David Roberts
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Iceland
Languages : en
Pages : 159

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Book Description


The Glaciers of Iceland

The Glaciers of Iceland PDF Author: Helgi Björnsson
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9462392072
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 617

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Book Description
This book is the first comprehensive overview and evaluation of the origins, history and current size and condition of all of Iceland's major glaciers (including Vatnajökull, the largest in Europe) at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is not only illustrated with many beautiful photographs and graphs of recent statistics and scientific data, but is also a collection of historical writings and drawings from annals, sagas, folk tales, diaries, reports, stories and poems, as it presents a unique approach to the study of glaciers on an island in the North Atlantic. Balancing and comparing the world of man with the world of nature, the perceptions of art and culture with the systematic and pragmatic analyses of science, The Glaciers of Iceland present a wide spectrum of readers with a new and stimulating view of the origins, development and possible future of these massive natural phenomena, as well as the study and role of glaciology, within specific time lines and geographical locations. Icelandic glaciers the author argues could prove essential for understanding the current unsettling progress of global warming. The glaciers of Iceland, therefore, aims at presenting to a wide readership an original, historical, cultural and scientific overview of these geophysical features in Iceland while also suggesting increasingly important lessons and models for man's future interaction with the world's glaciers as a whole.

A Brief History of Iceland

A Brief History of Iceland PDF Author: Gunnar Karlsson
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789979341390
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description


Miss Iceland

Miss Iceland PDF Author: Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Publisher: Grove Press
ISBN: 0802149243
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
“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

Walking and Trekking in Iceland

Walking and Trekking in Iceland PDF Author: Paddy Dillon
Publisher: Cicerone Press Limited
ISBN: 1783622008
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 485

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Book Description
A guidebook to 49 day walks and 10 multi-day treks in Iceland. From short, waymarked walks to challenging glacier crossings, there is something for walkers of all levels of fitness and experience. The day walks range in length from 5 to 35km (3–22 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–10 hours. The multi-day treks vary in length from 34 to 143km (21–89 miles), take between 2 and 9 days to complete, and include the classic Laugavegur Trail and Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland's highest mountain. Sketch maps included for each walk Detailed information on public transport, accommodation and facilities Advice on planning and preparation Highlights include Vatnajökull National Park

The Little Book of Tourists in Iceland

The Little Book of Tourists in Iceland PDF Author: Alda Sigmundsdóttir
Publisher: Little Books Publishing
ISBN: 1970125144
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
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."

An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders

An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders PDF Author: Carl Phelpstead
Publisher: University Press of Florida
ISBN: 0813057566
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description
Combining an accessible approach with innovative scholarship, An Introduction to the Sagas of Icelanders provides up-to-date perspectives on a unique medieval literary genre that has fascinated the English-speaking world for more than two centuries. Carl Phelpstead draws on historical context, contemporary theory, and close reading to deepen our understanding of Icelandic saga narratives about the island’s early history. Phelpstead explores the origins and cultural setting of the genre, demonstrating the rich variety of oral and written source traditions that writers drew on to produce the sagas. He provides fresh, theoretically informed discussions of major themes such as national identity, gender and sexuality, and nature and the supernatural, relating the Old Norse-Icelandic texts to questions addressed by postcolonial studies, feminist and queer theory, and ecocriticism. He then presents readings of select individual sagas, pointing out how the genre’s various source traditions and thematic concerns interact. Including an overview of the history of English translations that shows how they have been stimulated and shaped by ideas about identity, and featuring a glossary of critical terms, this book is an essential resource for students of the literary form. A volume in the series New Perspectives on Medieval Literature: Authors and Traditions, edited by R. Barton Palmer and Tison Pugh

Introduction to Iceland

Introduction to Iceland PDF Author: Gilad James, PhD
Publisher: Gilad James Mystery School
ISBN: 2869284160
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 129

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Book Description
Iceland is an island nation located in the North Atlantic Ocean, with a population of approximately 360,000 people. It is known for its stunning natural beauty, including glaciers, geysers, volcanoes, and hot springs. The country is situated on a hot spot, which means it experiences a high level of geothermal activity. This has led to the development of geothermal energy, which is used to heat homes and buildings throughout the country. Iceland is also home to a unique culture that has been shaped by the country's isolation and harsh environment. The country has a rich history that dates back to the Viking age, and many of its cultural traditions and customs have been passed down through generations. These include the Icelandic language, which remains largely unchanged from the ancient Norse language spoken by the Vikings, and the country's strong literary tradition, which has produced many famous writers and poets over the years. Today, Iceland is a popular tourist destination, known for its outdoor activities, including hiking, skiing, and whale watching, as well as its vibrant music and arts scene.

Iceland

Iceland PDF Author: Chris McNab
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781782747727
Category : Iceland
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
Explore one of the most beautiful and little-known islands in the world. From the extraordinary Northern Lights to striking black sand beaches and geothermal pools; from rare bird life to deep-ocean whale watching; from fiery volcanoes to hot geysers -- the word 'geyser' itself comes from Icelandic -- this book is packed with 200 spectacular photographs that show every aspect of the country's geography in full-colour glory.