An island is a world out of time and place, separated by literal
and figurative oceans, where the confines of reality are tenuous
and magic may be possible. Iceland—with its relative isolation,
enchanting mythologies, creative people, and the otherworldly wild
beauty of its glaciers, geysers, volcanos, and fjords—encompases
this special magic in the minds of many, including writer Kurt
Caswell. Vividly illustrated by Julia Oldham, Iceland Summer
recounts Caswell’s journey traversing the country by foot and bus
accompanied by his lifelong friend Scott. The pair set out from
Reykjavík and travel clockwise along the Ring Road, stopping along
the way for backcountry walking trips. Caswell immerses himself in
the natural beauty and charming eccentricities of the tiny island
nation. With his drinking and hiking buddy by his side, and fueled
by a steady diet of Brennivín (fermented grain mash) and pylsur
(Icelandic hot dogs), he explores the Hornstrandir peninsula, walks
to the famed Dettifoss waterfall, waits for a glimpse of the lake
monster Lagarfljótsormurinn at Egilsstaðir, visits the world’s
only penis museum, and pays homage to centuries of Icelandic
literary tradition at the Árni Magnússon Institute. Writing in
the tradition of other pairs who have traveled in Iceland, like W.
G. Collingwood and Jón Stefánsson, and W. H. Auden and Louis
MacNeice, Caswell meditates on the value of wild places in the
modern world, travel as both pastime and occupation, the nature of
friendship, and walking, food, and literature. Scott is the Sancho
Panza to Caswell’s Don Quixote, offering a ribald humor that
grounds Caswell’s flights into the romantic. The two travel well
together and together arrive at the understanding that what anchors
them both is their lifelong friendship.
General
Imprint: |
Trinity University Press,U.S.
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
November 2023 |
Authors: |
Kurt Caswell
|
Illustrators: |
Julia Oldham
|
Dimensions: |
203 x 152mm (L x W) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
190 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-59534-269-0 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
1-59534-269-9 |
Barcode: |
9781595342690 |
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