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Born from a secret liaison between a British mother and an Icelandic father, Kari Gislason was the subject of a promise: a promise elicited by his father not to reveal his identity in order to spare his wife and five other children. At the age of 27, Kari decides to break the pact between his parents by contacting his father's family; what follows makes for a riveting journey over landscapes, time, and memory. From the shark net at Sydney's Balmoral and an unsettled life in the English countryside to the harsh yellow summer of Brisbane and the freezing cold winters of Iceland, the author traces his mother's steps into the arms of a secret lover. At the culmination of this poignant, painful, and joyous story, Kari's determination to defy his father's wishes results in his uniting with his relatives.
'I adored this book - a wondrous compendium of Iceland's best sagas' - Hannah Kent A new friendship. An unforgettable journey. A beautiful and bloody history. This is Iceland as you've never read it before ... Broadcaster Richard Fidler and author Kári Gíslason are good friends. They share a deep attachment to the sagas of Iceland - the true stories of the first Viking families who settled on that remote island in the Middle Ages.These are tales of blood feuds, of dangerous women, and people who are compelled to kill the ones they love the most. The sagas are among the greatest stories ever written, but the identity of their authors is largely unknown. Together, Richard and Kári travel across Iceland, to the places where the sagas unfolded a thousand years ago. They cross fields, streams and fjords to immerse themselves in the folklore of this fiercely beautiful island. And there is another mission: to resolve a longstanding family mystery - a gift from Kari's Icelandic father that might connect him to the greatest of the saga authors.
An epic and compelling novel that reimagines the fate of one of Iceland's famous women of history. After committing an audacious act of revenge for her brother's murder, Disa flees with her son through the fjords of Iceland. She has already endured the death of her loved ones. Now she must run to save her son, and her honour. In a society where betrayals and revenge killings are rife, all Disa has is her pride and her courage. Will it be enough for her and her son to escape retribution? Dramatic and urgent in its telling, The Sorrow Stone celebrates one woman's quest, against the dramatic backdrop of the Icelandic countryside. In this gripping novel, the co-author of the bestselling Saga Land takes a sidelined figure from the Viking tales and finally puts her where she belongs – at the centre of the story.
"In Where We Live Now, John Iceland documents the levels and changes in residential segregation of African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans from Census 2000. Although the concentration of new immigrants in neighborhoods with more co-ethnics temporarily increases segregation, there is a clear trend toward lowered residential segregation of native born Hispanics and Asians, especially for those with higher socioeconomic status. There has been a modest decrease in black-white segregation, especially in multi-ethnic cities, but African Americans, including black immigrants, continue to experience much higher levels of housing discrimination than any other group. These important findings are clearly explained in a well written story of the continuing American struggle to live the promise of E Pluribus Unum."—Charles Hirschman, University of Washington "Where We Live Now puts on dazzling display all the virtues of rigorous social science to go beyond mere headlines about contemporary American neighborhoods. Iceland's book reveals much more complex developments than can be summarized in a simple storyline and dissects them with admirable precision to identify their dynamics and implications. The reader comes away with a more sophisticated understanding of the ways in which residential patterns are moving in the direction of the American ideal of integration and the ways in which they come grossly short of it."—Richard Alba, co-author of Remaking the American Mainstream "A unique work that takes on immigration, race and ethnicity in a novel way. It presents cutting-edge research and scholarship in a manner that policy makers and other nonspecialist social scientists can easily see how the trends he examines are reshaping American life."—Andrew A. Beveridge, Queens College and the Graduate Center of City University of New York “This is the new major book about racial residential segregation; one that will influence research in this field for several decades. Using new measures, John Iceland convincingly shows that the Asian and Hispanic immigrants who are arriving in large numbers gradually adopt the residential patterns of whites. The presence of many immigrants, he demonstrates, is also linked to declining black-white segregation. His analysis shows that the era of 'white flight' has ended since many racially mixed neighborhoods now are stable over time. This careful analysis cogently explains how race, economic status, nativity and length of residence in the United States contribute to declining residential segregation. Future investigators who conduct research about racial and ethnic residential patterns will begin by citing Iceland's Where We Live Now.”—Reynolds Farley, Research Scientist, University of Michigan Population Studies Center "Where We Live Now is both a very timely and highly significant study of changes in living patterns among racial/ethnic groups in the United States, showing how such groups are being affected by immigration, and what this means for racial/ethnic relations today and tomorrow. This book is a must-read for all persons interested in the country's new diversity."—Frank D. Bean, Director, Center for Research on Immigration "In Where We Live Now, John Iceland paints a clear yet nuanced picture of the complex racial and ethnic residential landscape that characterizes contemporary metropolitan America. No other book of which I am aware places residential segregation so squarely or effectively in the context of immigration-fueled diversity. Thanks to its rare blend of theoretical insight, empirical rigor, and readability, Where We Live Now should appeal to audiences ranging from research and policy experts to undergraduate students."—Barrett Lee, Professor of Sociology and Demography, Pennsylvania State University
Chilling and complex, Nightblind is an extraordinary thriller from Ragnar Jónasson, an undeniable new talent. Ari Thor Arason is a local policeman who has an uneasy relationship with the villagers in an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland—where no one locks their doors. The peace of this close-knit community is shattered by a murder. One of Ari’s colleagues is gunned down at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house. With a killer on the loose and the dark Arctic waters closing in, it falls to Ari Thor to piece together a puzzle that involves a new mayor and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik. It becomes all too clear that tragic events from the past are weaving a sinister spell that may threaten them all.
In The Ash Burner, a sensitive, poignant novel about growing up, running away, and the many guises of love, 12-year-old Ted lives with his father, the local magistrate, in the small coastal town of Lion's Head. All Ted knows about his mother is that she died when he was a boy, and that his father—despite moving halfway across the world to start anew—still grieves for her privately. When he is hospitalized after a swimming accident, Ted meets Anthony and Claire, and is immediately captivated by the older pair. Intelligent and perspicacious, they introduce him to poetry and art, and he feels a sense of belonging at last. But as the trio's friendship intensifies over the years, Ted must learn to negotiate the boundaries of love and come to terms with a legacy of secrets and silence.
This work explores the role of orality in shaping and evaluating medieval Icelandic literature. Applying field studies of oral cultures in modern times to this distinguished medieval literature, G sli Sigur sson asks how it would alter our reading of medieval Icelandic sagas if it were assumed they had grown out of a tradition of oral storytelling, similar to that observed in living cultures. Sigur sson examines how orally trained lawspeakers regarded the emergent written culture, especially in light of the fact that the writing down of the law in the early twelfth century undermined their social status. Part II considers characters, genealogies, and events common to several sagas from the east of Iceland between which a written link cannot be established. Part III explores the immanent or mental map provided to the listening audience of the location of Vinland by the sagas about the Vinland voyages. Finally, this volume focuses on how accepted foundations for research on medieval texts are affected if an underlying oral tradition (of the kind we know from the modern field work) is assumed as part of their cultural background. This point is emphasized through the examination of parallel passages from two sagas and from mythological overlays in an otherwise secular text.
Poet and novelist Lavinia Greenlaw's poetic reflections on William Morris's Icelandic Journal, one of the overlooked masterpieces of travel literature The great Victorian designer and decorative artist William Morris was fascinated by Iceland and wrote a book documenting his travels there. He gets caught up with questions of travel, noting his reaction to the idea of leaving or arriving, to hurry and delay, what it means to dread a place you’ve never been to or to encounter the actuality of a long-held vision. He is sensitive to the emotional landscape of his band of travelers and, above all, continuously analyzing and fixing this “most romantic of all deserts.” Lavinia Greenlaw follows in his footsteps, and interposes his prose with her own “questions of travel.” The result is a new and composite work that brilliantly explores our conflicted reasons for not staying at home.
When a woman's body is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic town of Akranes, investigators discover shocking secrets in her past. First in the disturbing, chillingly atmospheric, addictive new Forbidden Iceland series. **WINNER of the CWA New Blood Dagger** **WINNER OF THE CWA JOHN CREASEY NEW BLOOD DAGGER** **WINNER of the Storytel Award for Best Crime Novel 2020** **WINNER of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Novel** **SHORTLISTED for the Amazon Publishing Readers Award for Best Independent Voice** **SHORTLISTED for the Amazon Publishing Readers Award for Best Debut Novel** 'Eva Björg Ægisdóttir's accomplished first novel is not only a full-fat mystery, but also a chilling demonstration of how monsters are made' The Times 'Fans of Nordic Noir will love this moving debut from Icelander Eva Björg Ægisdóttir's. It's subtle, nuanced, with a sympathetic central character and the possibilities of great stories to come' Ann Cleeves 'An exciting and harrowing tale from one of Iceland's rising stars' Ragnar Jónasson _________________ When a body of a woman is discovered at a lighthouse in the Icelandic town of Akranes, it soon becomes clear that she's no stranger to the area. Chief Investigating Officer Elma, who has returned to Akranes following a failed relationship, and her collegues Sævar and Hörður, commence an uneasy investigation, which uncovers a shocking secret in the dead woman's past that continues to reverberate in the present day ... But as Elma and her team make a series of discoveries, they bring to light a host of long-hidden crimes that shake the entire community. Sifting through the rubble of the townspeople's shattered memories, they have to dodge increasingly serious threats, and find justice ... before it's too late. For fans of Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Ruth Rendell, P D James, Sarah Hilary and Camilla Lackberg _________________ 'Elma leaves Reykjavik CID for a job with the police in her hometown of Akranes, deeming it "every bit as quiet as it appeared to be" — until the discovery of a murdered woman starts to unravel a thread of long-buried crimes hidden deep in the community. Elma is a fantastic heroine' Sunday Times 'We're used to Icelandic writers lowering the temperature — in more ways than one — and Ægisdóttir proves to be adept at this chilly art as any of her confrères (and consoeurs). Elma is a memorably complex character, and Victoria Cribb's translation is (as usual) non-pareil' Financial Times 'A deserted lighthouse and a murdered woman set the scene for this haunting and compelling mystery where the dark secrets of a small town are shockingly exposed. As chilling and atmospheric as an Icelandic winter' Lisa Gray, author of Thin Air 'The setting in Iceland is fascinating, the descriptions creating a vivid picture of the reality of living in a small town. The Creak on the Stairs is a captivating tale with plenty of tension and a plot to really get your teeth into' LoveReading 'At each stage, Ægisdóttir is not giving us information but asking things of us. She's getting us to think through the implications: what if it's him, what if it's her, what would it mean? We're involved, we've got skin in the game and we can't ask for more as readers' Café Thinking
SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWN | THE BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD | THE MCKITTERICK PRIZE | THE PAUL TORDAY MEMORIAL PRIZE | THE WAVERTON GOOD READ AWARD | A ZOE BALL ITV BOOK CLUB PICK 'REMARKABLE' Sarah Perry 'EXTRAORDINARILY IMMERSIVE' Guardian 'A REALLY, REALLY GOOD READ' BBC R2 Book Club' 'LYRICAL' Stylist 'POETIC' Daily Mail 1627. In a notorious historical event, pirates raided the coast of Iceland and abducted 400 people into slavery in Algiers. Among them a pastor, his wife, and their children. In her acclaimed debut novel Sally Magnusson imagines what history does not record: the experience of Asta, the pastor's wife, as she faces her losses with the one thing left to her - the stories from home - and forges an ambiguous bond with the man who bought her. Uplifting, moving, and sharply witty, The Sealwoman's Gift speaks across centuries and oceans about loss, love, resilience and redemption. 'Sally Magnusson has taken an amazing true event and created a brilliant first novel. It's an epic journey in every sense: although it's historical, it's incredibly relevant to our world today. We had to pick it' Zoe Ball Book Club 'Richly imagined and energetically told' Sunday Times 'The best sort of historical novel' Scotsman 'Compelling ' Good Housekeeping 'An accomplished and intelligent novel' Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, author of Why Did You Lie? 'Vivid and compelling' Adam Nichols, co-translator of The Travels of Reverend Ólafur Egilsson