Translated into English for the first time by Dick Ringler (Professor Emeritus of English and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison), Bard Of Iceland: Jonas Hallgrimsson, Poet And Scientist is an extensive, 474-page compilation of and commentary upon the poetry of Jonas Hallgrimsson (1807-1845), a Renaissance-style scientist who contributed to geography, botany, zoology, and archaeology. His life, his struggle to help Iceland gain independence from Denmark, and his mastery of poetic verse in context are all showcased in this impressive literary collection, skillfully gathered with astute and insightful commentary by an accomplished Scandinavian literary academician and expert.

So very helpful in finding attractive B&Bs on my trip. Useful in finding inexpensive places too, so that I could really splurge on some of the castle B&Bs. I would highly recommend.

I read this book while a student in Miller's semi-infamous class "Blood Feuds" at the University of Michigan Law School. I went into the class thinking that it would be interesting and fun, but that I wouldn't learn much from it, since I already had such an extensive familiarity with the Icelandic sagas: as an undergraduate I had translated some of them from Old Norse to English, and I had read most of the rest of them several times over in English translation.

Yes, it was interesting and yes, it was fun, but man! were my eyes opened as to how much I had to learn about the sagas and about the culture within which they were written.

There are two main reasons to read this book. First, to learn history. The history of ninth to fourteenth century Iceland is incredible, and the culture fascinating. Theirs was a culture that knew no central or even local government, no law enforcement infrastructure, and no arms control. And yet the Icelanders developed a complex system of law, essentially codifying the blood feud (which tradition still governs dispute resolution in places like Afghanistan and rural Macedonia), according to which civil injustice could be roughly corrected. Their example has much to teach us about human nature unadulterated by the State.

Second, Bloodtaking is an unparalleled gateway into the sagas as literature. Despite my intimate familiarity with every line of, for example, Hrafnkel's saga, until I read Miller's book I had only the most inadequate appreciation for how tightly it is constructed, how elegantly and efficiently it was drafted. The sagas are only vaguely comparable to the very best English-language short stories; the skill that went into them is comparable to that of a Dante or a Shakespeare.

A modern reader is not culturally prepared to receive the sagas as they would have been by a medieval Icelander. Miller's book provides the small set of cultural factoids that create relevance where otherwise detail might seem pointless or obscure, and reveals the saga-writers' penchant for humorous understatement and emphasis by ellipse. Armed with a relatively small set of cultural facts and with an eye for a small set of saga tropes, the reader has access to a whole new literary world.

Whatever your bent, Bloodtaking makes for fascinating reading.

I have just finished reading this book a second time after 20 years. As before, I was again exhilarated by Scherman's broad brush strokes taking in the land, its history, literature, geology, flora and fauna.

Particularly well done are the chapter about NJALS SAGA, the greatest of the medieval family sagas. Yet I was also interested to find an excellent discussion of the EYRBYGGJA SAGA, which I have just finished reading. The first few chapters about the volcanic origin of the land, with the massive 1973 explosion of Eldfell on Heimaey and the recent birth of the nearby isle of Surtsey. Scherman is at her best in describing the feel of the land, such as the flood sands bordering Vatnajokull.

It is worth the trouble to find this superb book if you, like me, are planning to visit the land of fire and ice.

Excellent book!

I found the author's elegant yet down-to-earth style to make for very comfortable reading. The stories (there are several) are well-told.

I do have a small complaint, however. I think the author would do well to add more detail and then split this book into several books. Take the first chapter, for example. Definitely fascinating but I found myself saying, "Oh. That's all there is." when I reached Chapter 2.

Complaints about story length aside, I still highly recommend this book. If you're a fan of Tim Cahill, you'll definitely see some similarities.

This book provides a great introduction to the Geology of Iceland. It covers all facets of the topic; it is a shame that it is out of print. I refer to it constantly when I lead field trips in Iceland.

I loved to read this book, very informative and true. I can say that because i live in Iceland!

Worth reading for insights into Iceland's rural rigours and to understand how mad this unassisted project seems to have been. Edwards may not have undertaken the trek had he been fully aware of the dangers. I enjoyed travelling vicariously with him and admire his achievement.

Finally travellers to Reykjavik get to buy a book that doesn't cover the whole of Iceland. As a result, it's much more compact (pocket-sized) and relevant to people who are going to stay in the capital most of the time.

This will apply to most first-time visitors to Iceland. The book does mention some of the more obvious trips you might make from the capital, but concentrates on the city itself.

It's a bit like a mini Rough Guide. Not stuffy, seems to know about the 'in' places to eat and be seen, the cool places to go, and yet has all the basic, sensible stuff you'll want to know about a city before you go there.

I'd say it's just about on the money.

Bryant Bachman has brought to life some of the most fascinating tales in literature. Originally written in Old Icelandic, these stories contain bold dynamic characters and dark existentialist themes that resonate for the modern reader as strongly today as when they were written. Bachman's book is probably the best in this field. While exactingly precise, his translations still manage to capture all of the excitement, humor, and poignancy of these stories.