The Anthropology of Iceland  •  E. Paul Durrenberger CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1995 •  PAPER  • 286 PAGES Divided thematically, this scholarly book addresses topics such as archaeological research, gender, class and culture. (ICL10, $20.00)
Arctic Dreams, Imagination and Desire in a Northern Landscape  •  Barry Lopez NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 417 PAGES • FAVORITE One of the best books we've read on any destination, this celebrated meditation on the Arctic draws on Lopez's travels throughout the North, including Baffin Island, Siberia and Greenland. A dazzling writer and compassionate observer, Lopez weaves biology and history into his storytelling, including extended chapters on the polar bear and narwhal. (ARC11, $15.00)
The Arctic, A Guide to Coastal Wildlife  •  Tony Soper  •  Dan Powell FIELD GUIDE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A compact, illustrated guide to coastal marine mammals and seabirds of the circumpolar north featuring handsome watercolor illustrations by Dan Powell and lively text on the natural history of each species by intrepid expedition leader and bird-lover Tony Soper. An essential handbook for the ship-based traveler. With a brief overview of history, short chapters on plants and invertebrates, and glossary of snow and ice. (ARC85, $21.95)
Birds of Europe  •  Killian Mullarney  •  Lars Svensson  •  Dan Zetterstrom  •  Peter J. Grant FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES • FAVORITE This Princeton Field Guide features 3,500 illustrations by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom. Color plates depict every species -- and sometimes several different variants -- for 722 birds found from the Urals to the Atlantic, Scandinavia to the Middle East. (FG47, $29.95)
Bradt Guide Faroe Islands  •  James Proctor GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES A practical guide to the North Atlantic islands in the popular series, essential for anyone contemplating an extended visit. With islands maps, city plans, and detailed information on what to do and where to go throughout the archipelago. (ARC156, $25.99)
Chronicles of the Vikings: Records, Memorials and Myths  •  R.I. Page CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1996 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES A collection of Viking writings, organized thematically, including runic inscriptions, poems and a handful of eyewitness accounts. Scholar R.I. Page provides commentary to compliment his translations. (VIK16, $29.95)
Clara's Grand Tour, Travels With a Rhinoceros in Eighteenth-century Europe  •  Glynis Ridley HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The entertaining history of a most unusual eighteenth-century European celebrity. Clara the Indian rhinoceros was brought to Europe in 1741 by the Dutch sea captain Douwemout Van der Meer, and toured for seventeen years, to the delight of heads of state such as Louis XV and Frederick the Great. A marvelous and unique look at the introduction of Eastern wildlife into the Western world. (FRN536, $12.00)
The Complete Works of W. H. Auden, Prose and Travel Books, Volume One, 1926-1938  •  W.H. Auden ANTHOLOGY •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 952 PAGES Much more than the full, illustrated text of "Letters From Iceland," this hefty edition includes "Journey to a War" -- and practically everything else Auden wrote during his years living in England. His "Letters From Iceland", written with fellow poet Louis MacNiece, is a quirky, under-appreciated masterpiece that captures the spirit of Iceland, its people and landscapes. This is the only edition available. Buy this book -- or visit the library -- but make sure to read this travelogue. (ICL11, $100.00)
Far Afield  •  Susanna Kaysen LITERATURE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 338 PAGES This charming novel about a social anthropologist off on a grant to study the residents of the Faroes wonderfully evokes the people, culture and windswept landscapes of the islands. Kaysen must have spent time in the islands to capture such a strong sense of place. (ICL08, $14.00)
Frost on My Moustache, The Arctic Exploits of a Lord and a Loafer  •  Tim Moore TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES In this inspired folly, a British comic heads north, supposedly in pursuit of the famous Victorian explorer the "Marquess of Dufferin and Ava." Moore's account of his travels in Iceland, Spitsbergen, Norway, the Faroes and other northern locales make for good reading (especially if you appreciate dead-pan British humor on such subjects as vomiting and discomfort). (ARC74, $13.95)
Geology  •  Frank Rhodes FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER A brief, authoritative overview of the geology of Earth, its relation to the universe, and a survey of rocks, minerals and formation. A Golden Guide. (GEO18, $6.95)
The Gothic Enterprise, A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral  •  Robert A. Scott ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 307 PAGES Scott, whose interest in the history of cathedrals began when he first saw the magnificent Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury, England, takes his reader on a historical, architectural and sociological tour of the magnificent spires and stained-glass windows that dot the landscape of Europe. It's an accessible, personable overview. (EUR190, $17.95)
The Greenlanders  •  Jane Smiley LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 608 PAGES • FAVORITE This marvelously researched novel recreates life in the Viking settlements in Greenland, which disappeared 500 years ago. Smiley delves in the medieval colonies, their struggles to survive in the harsh environment, contacts with indigenous people and causes of their disappearance. It includes the tale of the Norse discovery of North America. (ARC08, $15.95)
Here Is Where We Meet  •  John Berger LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES This novel weaves a portrait of several European countries through encounters with the dead, from the narrator's mother, whom he discovers on a park bench in Lisbon, to a childhood friend wandering a market in Krakow. "The dead don't stay where they are buried," the protagonist's mother tells him, and this becomes the mantra for this most unusual journey through Europe's history and people. (EUR189, $14.00)
The History of Iceland  •  Gunnar Karlsson HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 418 PAGES A scholarly, comprehensive history of Iceland from the Viking era through independence and the 20th century, drawing on the sagas and rich literature of the North Atlantic island. The book evolved from a course the author, a professor of history in Iceland, taught at the University of London. (ICL17, $24.00)
A History of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland  •  T.K Derry HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 447 PAGES This comprehensive volume gives a historical overview of Scandinavia from prehistory to the present day, with chapters on the Viking and Lutheran kingdoms, medieval times, monarchies, the World Wars and modern period through the 1970s (with a short chapter addressing the 1990s). It emphasizes the common cultural, political and social backgrounds of the five modern states. (SCN03, $23.50)
Iceland Road Atlas  •  Mal Og Menning 2006 •  MAP  • 136 PAGES A detailed full color road atlas, this essential planning guide and reference covers all Iceland at a scale of 1:300,000. With town maps and detailed index. (ICL28, $60.00)
Iceland's Bell  •  Halldor Laxness  •  Philip Roughton LITERATURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 425 PAGES This major historical novel by Iceland's Nobel Laureate, set in the late 17th and early 18th centuries and influenced the medieval Icelandic sagas, is here translated into English for the first time. Laxness evokes the atmosphere of the period in Iceland and of Denmark. As in all his work, Laxness creates memorable characters (as decribed in his Nobel presentation speech): "the wretched tatterdemalion Jón Hreggviosson; the fair maid Snaefriour Eydalín; and above all, the learned collector of manuscripts, Arnas Arnaeus, in whom Iceland lives robustly." (ICL22, $15.95)
Laxdaela Saga  •  Magnus Magnusson LITERATURE •  1969 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A well known chronicle of medieval Iceland, including the story of Gudrun Osif's daughter. It's a compelling account of the Norse in a new land, covering the period between settlement and conversion to Christianity. Magnusson provides a long, appreciative introduction. (ICL12, $15.00)
Lonely Planet Iceland  •  Deanna Swaney GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER A concise guide to Iceland with short essays on history, culture and attractions and plenty of practical travel information. This guide replaces Lonely Planet Iceland, Greenland & the Faroes. (ICL06, $22.99)
Mammals of Europe  •  Priscilla Barrett  •  David W. MacDonald FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Published by Princeton, this is a field guide to land and marine mammals throughout Europe, both endemic and introduced. With more than 600 color illustrations of over 200 mammals, it's a comprehensive handbook, with detailed descriptions, range maps and commentary on behavior. (FG61, $34.95)
A Naturalist's Guide to the Arctic  •  E.C. Pielou NATURAL HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 327 PAGES A well written primer on Arctic climate, geography, plants, birds, mammals and insects in a single nicely written book. It's a highly recommended, enthusiastic guide to natural history throughout the North -- a good first choice for even the keenest naturalist. With line drawings, charts, and maps. (ARC03, $22.00)
Njal's Saga  •  Robert Cook LITERATURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES Like many of the Norse sagas, this epic of the heroic (and handsome) Gunnar Hamundarson and his scheming friend Njal is a tragedy shot through with black comedy. Originally written in Icelandic sometime in the 13th century AD, it's an earthy tale with a strong sense of place, featuring murder, mayhem, a famous feud, and noble deeds. (ICL16, $16.00)
The Norsemen in the Viking Age  •  Eric Christiansen HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 378 PAGES This scholary history of the Norse takes somewhat of a revisionist approach, examining the evolution of Viking culture as a direct reaction to threatening environmental and social forces at home and abroad. (VIK17, $26.95)
Northeast Iceland Map  •  Mal Og Menning MAP A regional map of Iceland at a scale of 1,300,000. (ICL29, $22.95)
The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings  •  Peter Sawyer HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This compact, well-produced book, featuring contributions by 12 experts, is an insightful overview of the Viking Age. With numerous black-and-white illustrations. (VIK18, $27.99)
Paradise Reclaimed  •  Halldor Laxness  •  Magnus Magnusson  •  Jane Smiley LITERATURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES The quirky tale of a poor rural farmer, his royal gift of a white pony and an impulsive detour into 19th century Utah, rich in irony, character and incident. Originally published in 1960, this edition celebrates the centenary of the Iceland Poet Laureate's birth. (ICL23, $13.00)
Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings  •  John Haywood REFERENCE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A thorough history of the Vikings as told through a series of innovative maps and excellent photographs of Viking artifacts. This book traces the route of the 9th-century Viking merchants and explorers throughout Europe and on to the New World. (VIK02, $20.00)
The Poetic Edda  •  Carolyne Larrington LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES The Norse-Icelandic poems of mythological deities are translated into modern English. Includes an index to Pagan names. Redisovered in the 17th century, this is the source for much of what we know of pre-christian belief systems in Northern Europe. (SCN25, $14.95)
Reykjavik City Map  •  Freytag & Berndt GUIDEBOOK •  MAP A handy, detailed city map of Reykjavik. (ICL43, $10.95)
Rick Steves' French, Italian & German Phrase Book & Dictionary  •  Rick Steves LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2003 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A compact phrase book for travelers, organized thematically and with a brief dictionary. French, German and Italian phrases are side-by-side on the page so that you can pick and choose depending on the situation. This is no dry litany but instead peppered with humor and Rick Steves' insider insight into how to break the ice and make friends around the world. (EUR142, $9.95)
Rough Guide Iceland  •  David Leffman GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 399 PAGES This comprehensive travel guide in the British series includes an excellent historical and cultural overview of Iceland along with extensive practical listings. (ICL18, $19.99)
The Royal Physician's Visit  •  Per Olov Enquist LITERATURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Swedish novelist Enquist fleshes out a footnote in Danish history in this story of the Enlightenment-era Danish court, the mad king Christian VII, the ambitious royal doctor and the passionate young queen. It's a wonderfully realized book. (DMK21, $14.00)
Scandinavia Wall Map  •  National Geographic MAP A colorful wall map of Scandinavia, including Iceland, at a scale of 1:2,770,000. Price includes additional charge for shipping via priority mail cardboard tube. (SCN28, $14.99)
Southeast Iceland Map  •  Mal Og Menning MAP A regional map of Iceland at a scale of 1,300,000. (ICL30, $22.95)
This Is Iceland Today  •  M.E. Kentta  •  Sigurdur Magnusson ANTHOLOGY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 147 PAGES A selection of recent articles and photographs from Iceland's largest daily newspaper. Intended for students of Icelandic (but with translations!), the book is also a good introduction to cultural life, politics and modern socety in iceland. With 200 photographs. With short excerpts from the paper on vikings, work life, nature, sports, the Arts, festivals, and other topics. (ICL19, $24.95)
Travelers' Tales, A Woman's Europe  •  Marybeth Bond  •  Mary Morris ANTHOLOGY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This entertaining collection depicts Europe through the eyes of a diverse group of women writers, including Frances Mayes, Jan Morris and Mary Morris. These humorous and well-written true stories capture the misadventures, discoveries and slices of life that the continent (and travel!) has to offer. (EUR160, $17.95)
Under the Glacier  •  Halldor Laxness  •  Magnus Magnusson LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Written at the height of his powers in 1968, Laxness brings the full range of his wit, humor, humanity and imagination to this wholly unclassifiable tale of a young emissary from the Bishop ("Embi") among the people of Snaeffels, a strange place indeed. This playful book, returned to print with an introduction by Susan Sontag, toys with Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth, Norse mythology and Christian conventions. Laxness won the Nobel Prize in 1955. (ICL24, $14.00)
Viking Age Iceland  •  Jesse Byock HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES In this scholarly study, Byock challenges the conventional view of Norse society in Iceland. He describes the life, economy and culture of Medieval Iceland -- including its autonomy from kings and warlords back home. Byock, a professor of Old Norse and translator of many Sagas, has also written Medieval Iceland: Society, Sagas, and Power. (ICL15, $16.00)
The Vikings  •  Else Roesdahl HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES A captivating and well-written look at Norse civilization. Roesdahl goes beyond the limited view of the ruthless Viking invaders, instead creating a full picture of the vibrant, artistic, agricultural and exploratory culture. With maps, diagrams and photographs. (VIK09, $17.00)
The Vikings, A Very Short Introduction  •  Julian D. Richards HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 152 PAGES This slim volume is a stimulating, concise introduction to the Vikings. (VIK24, $14.99)
Vikings, The North Atlantic Saga  •  William Fitzhugh  •  Elisabeth Ward HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES Published in conjunction with a Smithsonian exhibit, this excellent book explores the culture and history of the Vikings, and especially their well documented voyages to North America. Featuring 400 color photographs, the book also includes lively essays on Viking art, religion, daily life and colonies. It's especially good on Viking expansion and settlements in North America. (VIK11, $34.95)
Vinland Sagas, Norse Discovery of America  •  Magnus Magnusson EXPLORATION •  1965 •  PAPER  • 124 PAGES These Icelandic sagas, as edited by the great Magnus Magnusson, tell the compelling story of the Norse discovery of America five centuries before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. (VIK03, $13.00)
Vulcan's Fury, Man against the Volcano  •  Alwyn Scarth NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 299 PAGES In the contest of "Man against the Volcano," nature always wins. The author draws together eyewitness accounts, science, sociology and folklore in this page-turning account of 15 dramatic volcanic events from Vesuvius to Krakatau, Mt. St. Helens and Pinatubo. (GEO10, $48.00)
Vulcan's Fury, Man Against the Volcano  •  Alwyn Scarth NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES The enthralling tales of 15 notorious volcanic eruptions spanning continents and centuries make for fascinating reading. Scarth, a British geologist, combines his storytelling talent and scientific knowledge to tell the histories of the world's most deadly blasts from Vesuvius to Pinatubo. (GEO21, $24.00)
The Whale Road  •  Robert Low LITERATURE •  2007 •  HARD COVER  • 352 PAGES An adventuresome, rousing saga of Viking warriors, led by the young Oarm Rurikson, who embark on daunting journey for hidden treasure. (GBR723, $24.95)
World Light  •  Halldor Laxness  •  Magnus Magnusson LITERATURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 540 PAGES Reissued in honor of the Icelandic Nobel laureate's 100th birthday, this big novel is the sprawling, sad, funny story of a would-be (but hopelessly bad) poet in rural Iceland. Translated by Magnus Magnusson. (ICL21, $16.95)