Customer Reviews

The Xenophobe's Guide to the Icelanders

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is fantastic. I'm Icelandic myself and everything this book states is completely correct and a greatly humorous view of the nation. Apart from a few misspelling Icelandic names and concepts this book is wonderful

This humorous "guide" gives insight to the character and behavior of the Icelanders. Everything from knitting to politics is covered. Some of the information given in this book is now outdated, such as the restrictions on the importation of dairy products. These tend to be minor details and do not take away from the quality of the book. No pictures.

What a delightful surprise I had in store when I purchase this book for a friend that will be traveling to Iceland for the first time. I couldn't put it down once I opened it. Filled with humor and hopefully some truth it is delightful from start to finish. Now I wish I were the one traveling to Iceland!

For the outrageous price one gets a very succint introduction into the habits of the Icelanders, not entirely updated.

It is very good for a two hours fun read for someone who does not really plan to visit the country. The amount of information given is more easily gathered through a TV documentary though, and anyone wishing real help should address oneself elsewhere.

To keep matters very light but do it more usefully, about 40 more pages would have sufficed, together with a more rational partition of topics.

I would have appreciated more attention to the intercourse between foreigners and natives, not excluding the more friendly or even intimate point of view.

The author exploits the customary habit of British essayist of making fun of every detail. He does it very well and I found myself laughing silly at times, but puns in the end tend to get in the way of information instead of helping one to memorise it.