Author: Gunnar Karlsson
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
ISBN: 9780816635894
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 436
Get Book Here
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.
Author: Gilad James, PhD
Publisher: Gilad James Mystery School
ISBN: 8003116635
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 129
Get Book Here
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.
Author: Carl Phelpstead
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813058719
Category : Iceland
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Get Book Here
Book Description
Combining an accessible approach with innovative scholarship, this book provides up-to-date perspectives on a unique medieval literary genre. 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.
Author: Margaret Clunies Ross
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139492640
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Get Book Here
Book Description
The medieval Norse-Icelandic saga is one of the most important European vernacular literary genres of the Middle Ages. This Introduction to the saga genre outlines its origins and development, its literary character, its material existence in manuscripts and printed editions, and its changing reception from the Middle Ages to the present time. Its multiple sub-genres - including family sagas, mythical-heroic sagas and sagas of knights - are described and discussed in detail, and the world of medieval Icelanders is powerfully evoked. The first general study of the Old Norse-Icelandic saga to be written in English for some decades, the Introduction is based on up-to-date scholarship and engages with current debates in the field. With suggestions for further reading, detailed information about the Icelandic literary canon, and a map of medieval Iceland, this book is aimed at students of medieval literature and assumes no prior knowledge of Scandinavian languages.
Author: Brennan T. Jordan
Publisher: Geological Society of America
ISBN: 081370054X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 128
Get Book Here
Book Description
"This trip is a companion to the session "Formation and Evolution of Iceland," convened at the GSA 2019 Northeastern Section Meeting. This guide will be most valuable when supplementing active exploration of the Icelandic countryside and its outcrops, and it is a useful resource for those seeking to learn more about Iceland's geology as seen in the field"--
Author: Gunnar Karlsson
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789979341390
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Get Book Here
Book Description
Author: Alaric Hall
Publisher: punctum books
ISBN: 1950192695
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 395
Get Book Here
Book Description
As the global banking boom of the early twenty-first century expanded towards implosion, Icelandic media began calling the country's celebrity financiers útrásarvíkingar: “raiding vikings.” This new coinage encapsulated the macho, medievalist nationalism which underwrote Iceland's exponential financialisation. Yet within a few days in October 2008, Iceland saw all its main banks collapse beneath debts worth nearly ten times the country's GDP.Hall charts how Icelandic novelists and poets grappled with the Crash over the ensuing decade. As the first English-language monograph devoted to twenty-first-century Icelandic literature, it provides Anglophone readers with an introduction to one of the world's liveliest literary scenes. It also contributes a key case study for understanding global artistic responses to the early twenty-first century crisis of runaway, unregulated capitalism, exploring the struggles of writers to adapt realist forms of art to surreal times.As Iceland's biggest crisis since their independence from Denmark in 1944, the effect of the Crash on the national self-image was as seismic as its effects on the economy. This study analyses the centrality of whiteness and the abjection of the “developing world” in Iceland's post-colonial identity, and shows how Crash-writing explores the collisions of Iceland's traditional, nationalist medievalism with a dystopian, Orientalist medievalism associated with the Islamic world.The Crash in Iceland was instantly recognised as offering important economic insights. This book shows how Iceland also helps us to understand the cultural convulsions that have followed the Financial Crisis widely in the West.
Author: Nína Björk Jónsdóttir
Publisher: White Lion Publishing
ISBN: 0711267391
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 226
Get Book Here
Book Description
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.
Author: Margaret Willson
Publisher: University of Washington Press
ISBN: 0295806478
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 311
Get Book Here
Book Description
Finalist for the 2017 Washington State Book Award in General Nonfiction / History The plaque said this was the winter fishing hut of Thurídur Einarsdóttir, one of Iceland's greatest fishing captains, and that she lived from 1777 to 1863. "Wait," anthropologist and former seawoman Margaret Willson said. "She??" So began a quest. Were there more Icelandic seawomen? Most Icelanders said no, and, after all, in most parts of the world fishing is considered a male profession. What could she expect in Iceland? She found a surprise. This book is a glimpse into the lives of vibrant women who have braved the sea for centuries. Their accounts include the excitement, accidents, trials, and tribulations of fishing in Iceland from the historic times of small open rowboats to today's high-tech fisheries. Based on extensive historical and field research, Seawomen of Iceland allows the seawomen's voices to speak directly with strength, intelligence, and - above all - a knowledge of how to survive. This engaging ethnographic narrative will intrigue both general and academic readers interested in maritime culture, the anthropology of work, Nordic life, and gender studies.
Author: Chris Caseldine
Publisher: Reaktion Books
ISBN: 1789144728
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 342
Get Book Here
Book Description
For all who yearn to travel to the home of the sagas, a beautifully illustrated companion to the terrain of Iceland—from puffins to ponies, glaciers and volcanoes to legendary trolls. Described by William Morris as “most unimaginably strange,” the landscape of Iceland has fascinated and inspired travelers, scientists, artists, and writers throughout history. This book provides a contemporary understanding of the landscape as a whole, not only its iconic glaciers and volcanoes, but also its deserts, canyons, plants, and animals. The book examines historic and modern scientific studies of the landscape and animals, as well as accounts of early visitors to the land. These were captivating people, some eccentric but most drawn to Iceland by an enthrallment with all things northern, a desire to experience the land of the sagas, or plain scientific and touristic curiosity. Featuring many spectacular illustrations, this is a fine exploration of a most singular landscape.
