Wasteland with Words

Magnússon narrates a well-timed history of Iceland through the lives of ordinary people and local communities in a pointillist style that evokes a rich heritage. He shows how a localised barter economy, based in fishing and agriculture, became a financial system with a global strategy that fatally overreached itself with embarrassing international political and financial consequences. The dust has yet to settle. * The Times *
[a] combination of cultural depth and material backwardness is the central message of Sigurdur Gylfi Magnússon's social history of one of Europe's smallest and remotest countries . . . This book, drawing on Icelanders' astonishingly detailed diaries and letters in past centuries, gives the outsider a rare glimpse into the past lives of an extraordinary people. * Edward Lucas, The Economist *
Exhaustively and meticulously researched, Pin-Ups 1972 is essential reading. * Vive le Rock magazine *
Magnússon's ambitious work provides a unique perspective on the development of Iceland's cultural heritage . . . an unflinching look into Iceland's past through the literary legacy of many average Icelanders and attempts to construct a clearer picture of the development of Iceland's culture and educational past . . . well researched and full of rich resources, the book provides unique insight into a truly unparalleled country and culture, not found in many works available to English readers . . . an important work. Highly recommended. * Choice *
an intimate and personal history of Iceland . . . Anyone planning to travel to Iceland will find that this well-written book offers a valuable background on the island's unique social and cultural history. * Sydney Morning Herald *
Wasteland with Words is a most interesting read. The author has resisted the temptation to draw the straight line of progress from nineteenth-century backwardness to twenty-first-century glory. He presented old rural Iceland and its surprising attraction to the written word on the one hand, and the surprising continuity of the traditional lifestyle and mentality amongst the modernizing tendencies of the first half of the twentieth century on the other. These are the best features of the book, along with the richness of his narrative, full of life through the evocation of personal sources and experiences, bringing the Icelandic past very close to the reader. * Journal of Social History *
an indispensible book for everyone who is interested in the history of Iceland. It is a highly informative piece of solid scholarly work, with a clear methodology and it is simply very well written. Finally, just a word of praise about the superior choice of illustrations throughout the book and the highly informative captions that accompany them. * TijdSchrift voor Skandinavistiek *
a very welcome addition to the small number of books about Icelands modern history available in English. The few other works on modern Icelandic history are largely written in Icelandic for local consumption. This means that the rest of the world is largely starved of any broader or deeper understanding of Iceland beyond the headline-grabbing activities of its bankers and volcanoes . . . as an introduction to 19th- and 20th-century Icelandic history it is excellent. * Reviews in History *
An unusual approach to social history, with the emphasis on the last two centuries but looking back also to earlier periods, this study is impressive methodologically and conceptually and has much to offer those working on the social history of other countries. Good in its range which includes cultural history. Fascinating range of sources. * The Historian *
What fascinates about this book is the way in which the chronicles of ordinary folk breathe life into the statistics. * European History Quarterly *
[Magnússon] tells the story of Iceland from the bottom up, through examples culled from diaries, newspapers, and the histories of particular families. He avoids discussing the ceremonial and official. He has read an amazing number of Icelandic autobiographies. His writing is fluid, lithe and informal. * The Grapevine, Iceland *
In Wasteland with Words Sigurdur Gylfi Magnússon presents a wide-ranging and detailed analysis of the island’s history that examines the evolution and transformation of Icelandic culture while investigating the literary and historical factors that created the rich cultural heritage enjoyed by Icelanders today . . . Up-to-date and fascinating, Wasteland with Words is a comprehensive study of the island’s cultural and historical development, from tiny fishing settlements to a global economic power. * New Books Network *