Reviews for Iceland

The average rating for Iceland based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-01-30 00:00:00 Latousha Meyers I picked this up at the library in preparation for an upcoming trip to Iceland, and this made the book particularly enjoyable as a blend of travel guide, history lesson, and mythology. Since we've been planning the trip, I already had a basic understanding of Iceland's geography, and that was helpful - surprisingly, the book does not include a map. The narrative wanders around Iceland in a more-or-less counter-clockwise fashion, starting in the southwest (Reykjavik), which is the same route we're planning. Roberts explains the history and heritage of the island primarily through the Sagas, which provide a strange mix of sober history and obvious myth. The heroes may not have actually wrestled with ghosts and she-trolls, but their existence is certain, at least in some cases. You can still visit the graves of some of these tenth-century legends (and I hope to see one or two in June!). The book also provides a wealth of interesting tidbits, such as this one: Iceland is the only place in the world whose first human inhabitants were literate - it has no prehistory. I might have to look into some of the Sagas now!

Review # 2 was written on 2009-01-17 00:00:00 Andy Mackie beautiful photos and interesting information about the sagas of iceland.