Customer Reviews

Letters from Iceland (Armchair Traveller Series)

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A very unusual and enjoyable travel book by the British poets WH Auden and Louis MacNeice. In the mid-30s, Auden and MacNeice undertook a tour of Iceland. Auden and MacNeice were then apparently supporting themselves partly by journalism and writing, and apparently had a contract for a travel book. Auden had an interest in Scandinavian mythology and the saga literature dating back to his childhood. The result is a unusual and rather entertaining book. To a large extent, this book is a pastiche. Much of the book is ostensible letters to friends in Britain describing the trip. Many of the letters are in the form of verse and several of Auden's letters are addressed to Lord Byron using a verse form of which Byron was fond. The poetry is a combination of description of the trip, witty commentary on current events, and some more serious reflections. The technical quality of the poetry is often impressive. Other parts of the book are equally unusual. In a set of prose letters written by MacNeice, he adopts the character of a single woman traveling with a group of English schoolgirls. Another section is a set of selections from prior travel books on Iceland. The real focus of the book is not Iceland but the authors' preoccupations. Much of the poetry is very enjoyable and some of it is excellent.

Despite the virtues of this book, it is somewhat dated. A fair amount of the book will be hard to understand without a fairly detailed knowledge of interwar Britain. To make it more readily comprehensible to most readers would require a fair amount of annotation, something no publisher would be willing to pay for at this time. This book is probably of most interest to individuals (like me) very fond of and curious about Auden and his milieu.

The book was delivered in a very short time and it was in excellent shape. I am looking forward to using the information in it in one of the stories in my book.

Yours,

SAM

Letters from Iceland (Armchair Traveller Series) is first and foremost a travel book, but it also covers history as it was first written in 1936, literature and humor.

In 1936 poets W.H. Auden and Louis MacNeice took a summer journey to Iceland and sent letters home that are a combination of poetry and prose. This is an interesting snapshot of the two poets and their journey to Iceland after World War I and before World War II. Sometimes lighthearted and filled with joy and love for the country, other times a bit snarky and mirroring a subtle disappointment in the journey.

Having been to Iceland I enjoyed their tales of the food, the people and the traditions. This book won't be for everyone, but if you like poetry, literature, and Iceland then the three elements will provide you with a really enjoyable read!