How Iceland Changed the World The Big History of a Small Island

"[A] joyously peculiar book." -- The New York Times

"A chronicle of those thousand-plus years is breezily and likably unfolded in Egill Bjarnason s How Iceland Changed the World. -- Wall Street Journal

How Iceland Changed the World is not only surprising and informative. It is amusing and evocatively animates a place that I have been fascinated with for most of my life. Well worth the read! --Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize-winning author

Egill Bjarnason has written a delightful reminder that, when it comes to countries, size doesn t always matter. His writing is a pleasure to read, reminiscent of Bill Bryson or Louis Theroux. He has made sure we will never take Iceland for granted again. --A.J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of Thanks a Thousand and The Year of Living Biblically

"Giving history new life"--Morgunblaðið (Iceland)

Egill Bjarnason places Iceland at the center of everything, and his narrative not only entertains but enlightens, uncovering unexpected connections. --Andri Snær, author of On Time and Water

Icelander Egill Bjarnason takes us on a high-speed, rough-and-tumble ride through 1,000-plus years of history from the discovery of America to Tolkien s muse, from the French Revolution to the NASA moonwalk, from Israel s birth to the first woman president all to display his home island s mind-opening legacy. --Nancy Marie Brown, author of The Real Valkyrie and The Far Traveler

I always assumed the history of Iceland had, by law or fate, to match the tone of an October morning: dark, gray, and uninviting to most mankind. This book challenges that assumption, and about time. Our past, much like the present, can be a little fun. --Jón Gnarr, former mayor of Reykjavík and author of The Pirate and The Outlaw

A fascinating insight into Icelandic culture and a fresh perspective on her global influence. Warning: may well make readers wish they were Icelandic, too.   Helen Russell, author of The Year of Living Danishly

"For the foreign reader, Egill s book is well suited to strengthen the understanding of contemporary Iceland, even though it is mostly about the past and tells the nation's history from foundation."-- Björn Bjarnason, former Minister of Justice, in Morgunblaðið (Reykjavík)
 
"An in-depth, informative, and fascinating chronicle of Iceland's mostly unknown contributions to the world ."-- Arab News

"An entertaining, offbeat (and pleasingly concise) history of the remote North Atlantic nation ... perfect for a summer getaway read." -- The Critic (London)

"Bjarnason's intriguing book might be about a cold place, but it's tailor-made to be read on the beach. "-- New Statesman