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sanjastajdohar's review against another edition
5.0
Insightful, informative, amusing and witty at times. An easy and fun read.
vayolet's review against another edition
5.0
Very much enjoyed this small book of interesting facts about the Iceland of old. Told in an engaging and funny way, makes it a very accessible and easy read. Obviously if you want to read something more academic and in-detail this is not the book for you. I'm here for the fun, not the dense research.
salonirohatgi's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved reading this book. It was such a brilliant little window to the past Icelandic life- the people, their beliefs, their strife and the whole resilient Icelandic spirit of survival! It was such an easy read too, punctuated with witty one-liners and anecdotes. I think I will definitely go back and re-read some personal favorite sections because they are so informative and funny. After marveling at everything in Iceland during my recent first trip there, I feel like I carry back with me this little piece of Iceland as a keepsake- my own personal portkey to an Icelandic escape!
annabarbarabittner's review against another edition
4.0
Wydawało mi się, że o Islandczykach wiem wszystko. No dobra, może nie wszystko, ale dużo. Tymczasem okazało się, że jednak nie, a to dlatego, że ta książka nie traktuje o Islandczykach współczesnych, lecz o ich przodkach.
Znana z social mediów Alda Sigmundsdóttir bardzo dowcipnie w krótkich rozdziałach opisała wiele aspektów życia w dawnej Islandii. Książka ta ukazała się po angielsku i miała szansę pojawienia się na polskim rynku tylko dzięki historii z plagiatem. Bardzo mnie cieszy, że taki był efekt tego skandalu, bo to urocza pozycja i choć nie zawsze moje poczucie humoru koreluje z tym Islandki, to wiele się z tej książki dowiedziałam i faktycznie kilka razy się uśmiechnęłam. Od razu dodam, że czasem powodu uśmiechu było tłumaczenie, a zwłaszcza słynny "Ojat", które wyczaiłam chyba dwa razy.
Ciąg dalszy: http://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot.com/2021/06/maa-ksiega-dawnych-islandczykow-alda.html
sssnoo's review against another edition
4.0
This books gets 4 stars for people LOOKING for a book that tells them a bit about Iceland. If you are looking for a novel, great nonfiction or some other meaty tome then this is not the book to chose. I have embarcked on the Goodreads Around the World Challenge which means that over the next - what - decade???? - I am going to try and read a book from or about/set in every country in the world. This is Iceland. I have another book - a classic Icelandic novel, I may also read, but I am glad I read this first as it taught me a lot about the history and culture of this island country. I do want to visit someday - yet I am exceedingly glad I did not live there in the olden days. The Middle Ages were rough everywhere in Europe, for sure, but I think Icelanders had some unique challenges. If you plan on traveling there, have travelled there, or are just curious about other places and like a well written, witty read then you will enjoy this book. And for sure if you are facing your own personal challenges, they will all seem less onerous once you see what Icelanders in the olden days faced.
culturenator's review against another edition
4.0
In her signature, incredibly easy to read style, Alda gives you a lesson in the history of olden days of Iceland with facts and fun in equal measures over the course of 50 mini essays. Covering everything from the quirks and superstitions of what happens when someone visits a croft (when to knock on the window rather than the door), to food, sheep, community, evening entertainment. All this interspersed with the etymology of the Icelandic words and some cute illustrations - highly recommended to anyone with a passing interest in Iceland and/or its history.
truestorydesu's review
4.0
A lighthearted and hilarious look at just how shitty it was to be an Icelander from basically the time of the settlement until....recently.