The Little Book of the Icelanders

50 Miniature Essays on the Quirks and Foibles of the Icelandic People

By: Alda Sigmundsdottir

Narrated by: Alda Sigmundsdottir

After more than 20 years away, Alda Sigmundsdottir returned to her native Iceland as a foreigner. With a native person's insight yet an outsider's perspective, Alda quickly set about dissecting the national psyche of the Icelanders. This second edition, from 2018, contains new and updated chapters from the original edition, reflecting the changes in Icelandic society and among the Icelandic people since the book was first published in 2012.

Among the fascinating subjects broached in The Little Book of the Icelanders are the appalling driving habits of the Icelanders, naming conventions and customs, the Icelanders’ profound fear of commitment, the irreverence of the Icelanders, why Icelandic women are really men, how the Icelanders manage to make social interactions really complicated, the importance of the family in Icelandic society, where to go to meet the real Icelanders (and possibly score some free financial advice), rituals associated with weddings, confirmations, graduations, and deaths, and many, many more!

Praise for the book:

"One chapter leads to the next, creating a continuous chain of storytelling. It feels as if you’re sitting in the author’s kitchen, enjoying a cup of coffee and conversing with her about the quirks of her countrymen, every now and then, bursting out laughing. [I’m] going to heartily recommend The Little Book of the Icelanders, both to fans of Sigmundsdóttir’s blog and those unfamiliar with her work." (Iceland Review Online)

"There aren’t many books I’d recommend reading over morning coffee, but The Little Book of the Iceanders is one of them. [I] laughed at the essays in this book, not because I was laughing at Icelanders but because I recognize much of the behaviour in myself and members of my family. It felt good. It’s not just the sanest, most impressive characteristics that we pass on and share but also some of the zaniest. As I read this book, I frequently thought, yup, I’m definitely part Icelandic." (Lögberg-Heimskringla, Canada)

©2012 Alda Sigmundsdóttir (P)2020 Alda Sigmundsdóttir

OK

The stories are not very entertaining. I was excited about visiting Iceland, the home of Saga literature and history and exciting landscapes and wonderful horses, but now I'll have to rethink this if Icelanders are really such a bunch of self-absorbed, dour alcoholics.

Succinct and interesting

This little book tells it like it is of the Icelandic people. Pretty unique perspective

Loved it.

Very interesting listen. Love to learn about other nationalities and their habits. Short and sweet too.

Little book of gross generalizations

This book is not at all what it is described to be.
I understand that much of this was intended as tongue-in-cheek humor, but it was not funny or even "quirky", just came off as mean spirited. Each essay was nothing more than gross generalizations of the Icelandic people, painting them as rude, self-absorbed, drunks that can't drive.
The reading sounded automated and impersonal.

disappointed

The author seems so bratty, obnoxious and full of herself, insufferable. On a positive note, two stars for a few, pithy and precious phrases of Icelandic.