2024 the best land under heaven review

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(as of Nov 16, 2024 13:09:09 UTC - Details)

"We raised our fists and cheered. . . . With the sagas in our heads, with Iceland at its wildest beneath our boots, it would not have been impossible to see Bárdr clumping along the summit ridge, prodding the glacier with his staff, ready to show us the way down."

Iceland is a pictorial classic on one of the last "undiscovered" countries in Europe--reissued for the first time in paperback.
        Iceland is often thought to be covered by ice, but in fact it is gloriously green. Lush meadows, wildflower fields, and miles of rich tundra cover a landscape of remarkable variety: deep lakes, bubbling hot springs, tumbling waterfalls, snow-capped mountains. It's also a landscape amazingly alive with massive lava flows and enormous glaciers. The human story of Iceland goes back more than eleven thousand years, and its heritage is told here in a treasury of riveting sagas of real-life heroes and all manner of supernatural beings.
        Both the land and the people of one of Europe's most gorgeous countries come to life in this colorful account of the authors' adventures as they walk, climb, and photograph their way through Iceland and connect to the bone-chilling sagas and the unfamiliar terrain. With breathtaking photographs from critically acclaimed writer and journalist Jon Krakauer, author of the international bestsellers Into Thin Air and Into the Wild, and a penetrating narrative from Outside contributing editor and travel writer David Roberts, Iceland splendidly captures the spirit of this enigmatic country.
        Circumnavigating Iceland in summer and winter, Krakauer and Roberts encounter tales of monks and Vikings, outlaws and adventurers, trolls and witches. While touring and photographing, they discover the myths and legends of Iceland's stirring history. Numerous other feats--including a hazardous winter climb to the summit of one of Iceland's tallest mountains--round out a fascinating introduction to this unique and beautiful land.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Villard (October 6, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0375752676
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0375752674
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.58 x 0.48 x 11.5 inches
Reviewer: Chad M
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Nice book about Iceland with wonderful full-page photos and engaging chapters
Review: While it is a challenge to summarize any one nation in a book, the author and photographer here do a good job. Iceland is one of the most advanced countries in the world. In this book the detailed history, geography, sagas, industries, and natural features are revealed. One can tell the author has a real love for Iceland.What I gather from this book is the variety and contrasts of Iceland. Pagan and Viking history, but also one of the oldest commonwealth and parliaments; very reliant on outdoor labor and respectful of manly virtues, but also one of the first to provide women with the vote; appreciative of nature and scenic vistas, but also a nation that intensely uses energy and natural resources; a sub-Arctic country that would seem inhospitable, yet also a land with numerous dairy farms, sheep ranches, and some of the best ocean catches.This book was written in 1990 just after Reykjavik attained fame in Cold War arms negotiations, and a good amount of change has occurred since then, most notably the real estate and financial crisis of 2008-2010. Iceland has a made a good recovery and is attracting a lot of attention. Tourism is a big part of the economy. The country is accessible by Icelandair and several other major airlines with connections to most European cities. As an optimist, I look forward to continued strong US-Iceland relations, good relations with the UK and the EU, as well as the continuation of their unique Icelandic culture, their safe communities, and their intriguing language.

Reviewer: H. Lundwell
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Stunning photography---enjoyed this view of Iceland immensely.
Review: I purchased this book at the same time I purchased "Iceland," by Jonnson. Two entirely different approaches to a fascinating land I had never taken the time to try to understand or appreciate. I must confess I purchased this book strictly for the photos, and I would do it again. Someone else will have to comment on the sagas, but I understand they are a very important, and beloved, part of Iceland's tradition. Jonnson's photos are of the physical land itself--no signs of man--and it is a stunning book, especially as you begin to understand the nature of the land. Krakauer, on the other hand, appreciates how man has settled into this land, and his photographs are equally stunning. A small farm, set against the base of a quiet volcano, beautiful and artistic sections of Reykjavik, trees, flowers---sort of like the great western landscapes of the US in their scope, but uniquely Icelandic. If you asked a tour guide to take you to the most beautiful and interesting places in Iceland, this would be your tour.

Reviewer: Christopher R. Travers
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Helps the sagas come to life, but some issues
Review: First, the good. This book, both text and photo, help the sagas come to life, as well as bring them to a new relevance regarding Iceland today. It's a valuable book in this regard, but little more can be said because the pictures and text have to be experienced to have this effect.On to the bad. While less than 1% of the land is inhabited, and while Iceland as a whole has a population of the same as a smallish city in the US, nearly every picture seems to be a picture of that 1% of inhabited and cultivated land. Moreover the text does not represent current thinking regarding the Sagas and is a bit dated (sagas are treated as purely historical).On the whole, this is a book worth owning if you like sagas and have never been to Iceland. Otherwise, I am not sure I'd recommend it.

Reviewer: B. Harding
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Prelude to a visit
Review: I was going to Iceland in June. I wanted something that would present the country in several ways. This book was ideal. The photographs were beautiful. Because I own it, I did not have to spend all my time taking photos; the book has wonderful pictures. I learned economic, historical, political facts about Iceland. I learned about their sagas and their meanings to the Icelandic people. I had an overview of everything Icelandic without being buried in any one set of facts. The book prepared me for a wonderful visit to this country, which is so different from our own.

Reviewer: K. Kenney
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Treasure
Review: This book added a dimension to our trip to Iceland that was very pleasurable. It shows how the Icelandic people carry the folklore of their country very proudly. Living Icelanders can connect real places on the island with the folkloric/historic Sagas, and they have been doing this since the Sagas were first transmitted. The stories and photos in the book really give a taste of how Icelanders love their land and heritage. It is written for pleasure reading, flipping between a tour guide, anecdotes and Sagas, very nicely. And not only do the photos show the real sites of the Sagas, they are also art in themselves.This book's coupling of storytelling and photography gives a sense of Icelandic history and values. Iceland is a very unique and special place. It's uniqueness is not entirely evident until we change the cultural lens through which we view a place we visit. This book successfully does just that.

Reviewer: Cheryl Carpinello, author of MG Arthurian Tales and others. See my Amazon Author Page
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fabulous read and outstanding photos!
Review: Started reading this for background for my next book and to learn more about Iceland before our 3 week Ring Road drive in Sept. 2021. Krakauer's photos are second to none, and the narration and tales by Roberts bring this country to life even for those not destined to visit. I highly recommend this for any travelers, even arm-chair travelers!!

Reviewer: Sally L. Dunn
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Bought as a Christmas gift for my son of a memorable trip to this fabulous island.

Reviewer: Bob
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I read this book prior to travelling in Iceland. It was good to know some of these stories before doing so.

Reviewer: Nt
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I thought this would be a much smaller book and more along the lines of Jon Krakauer's other books - my mistake for not realising he was only the photographer and not the author. I haven't read it fully yet, but the print quality leaves a lot to be desired and the text is not all that compelling.

Reviewer: Laurent
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: If you read and appreciated the Icelandic Sagas, this should be a great book for you!The pictures are very impressing, the text is solid and the impression is great.

Reviewer: Milly
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A useful book to have before visiting IcelandIt provides historical information together with legendary sagas of its pastIn addition atmospheric photographs are enticing for the would be visitor