Icelandic Fever: a Southern Saga

Happy Birthdays!

2011-08-25T00:05:00.000-04:00

This year has been a big one for our family. Milestones birthdays include: 60, the "height" of the twenties, a quarter-century ... you'll notice I'm not naming any names ... and yours truly, who has to count up from a certain year, just to calculate her age.

Well, it is time to say Happy Birthday to youngest son Peter.

Peter's birthday present may well be "Goodnight Irene" evacuation orders from the Outer Banks. Possibly he'll be lucky, and miss the hurricane by the same small margin that we missed the Great East Coast Earthquake.

You see, we were in Minneapolis, the home state of Bill Holm, who shares today's birthday with Peter. This trip had a number of superlatives, including a few Icelandic ones:

I was given a really remarkable gift in Anoka from Professor Batty. It was Halldór Laxness' Salka Valka, in a hard-to-find, English translation. (See Laxness in Translation.) The lesson is, keep searching for that special book, and it will reveal itself to you. Thank you, Professor, for your generous persistence.

The Open Book space, featuring curious and beautiful reclaimed architectural features, where I got to see the offices of Milkweed Editions, publisher of Bill Holm's books, many of which feature Iceland. If you visit the Minneapolis area, be sure to stop by to see the intriguing space and the wonderful examples of book art.

Non-Icelandic highlights of the trip: walking/strolling, eating and fun times with Coco and Family; the best beer tour and tasting ever at Schell Brewery, New Ulm; the stunning collections at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; the Baby Marx puppet exhibit at the Walker; great, independent coffee shops on every corner; beautiful weather; the Minnesota 150 Exhibit; the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum; and awesome bike paths everywhere that make Minneapolis the #1 bike city in the U.S.!

Three trips to Minneapolis/St. Paul in the past three years=good times!

Not Iceland. Hogwarts.

2011-07-15T03:09:00.003-04:00

John made the ultimate sacrifice, and accompanied me to the opening of Harry Potter 7, Pt. 2, the 12:01 am show. It was a first for me buying tickets online--good thing, as it sold out. I wanted to experience one Harry Potter opening night in my lifetime, and this was my last chance.

It is surprising to realize that I've only been a fan for 2 1/2 years! But in that time I've read the series twice, listened to it once, and, as of tonight, have seen all the movies.

It was a lovely night in Richmond; unusually cool, with a full moon. My favorite part happened as we were waiting in line, when the girl behind me said, "I feel like my childhood is ending tonight."

Favorite part #2: Despite the best efforts of Danielle-at-work, I was not costumed--but, waiting for John to return from the restroom after the movie, I got to see the costumes, the faces, and hear the comments of legions of other Potter fans. Most of them pretty darn nerdy. I loved them all.

Favorite #3: The man next to me politely turned off his cell phone as the movie started, put it away, and proceeded to fall asleep. After the movie I tapped him on the shoulder ... "did you sleep through the whole movie?" "Yes!" I said to his daughter, "and you let him!"
... John and Stranger Dad: two men who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Next it's my turn, when I have to get up and go to work at 7 am ...

Was this movie "The Best"? Probably not. But it was really quite good. Thank you Harry. Thank you, J.K. Rowling.

Hekla erupts in Richmond

2011-07-11T22:50:00.002-04:00

We have a new family member, a girl kitten who is 4 months old. She's still bitty, but my, her paws are big and her legs are long. Her volcanic-ash grey color prompted us to name her Hekla, since we signed the adoption papers right when the volcano appeared ready to blow.

I have been following news reports of Hekla, and was rather amazed to see one report placing Hekla right in the middle of Heimaey, in the Westman Islands. Hey, either do your research or get yourself a librarian! The Volcanism Blog wrapped up the issue with a nice blast of humor.

I'm happy to report that our Hekla is a women's soccer fan: she joined John and I for Sunday's World Cup U.S./Brazil game--and what a game it was! Something tells me that on Wednesday at noon I won't be focused on work. I just might have my computer on ESPN 3. Hekla will have to miss the game: she'll be at home tormenting our dogs.

Celebrate! Laxness in Translation

2011-04-19T10:47:00.000-04:00

Our friend and collaborator, the esteemed Professor Batty (aka Stephen Cowdery) has a new project. He has done himself proud. His new website celebrates (good choice of words) the life and work of Icelandic author Halldór Laxness. The revolution is at hand!

Laxness in Translation

Booksale Love: Direct from Iowa

2011-03-30T22:43:00.000-04:00

Ghosts, Witchcraft and the Other World: Icelandic Folktales I. Translated by Alan Boucher. Iceland Review Library, 1977. 91 pgs.

The stories in this book surprised and delighted me by turns. Many of the folktales were reminiscent of the sagas in their understated irony and humor. I was reminded that those of us in the living flesh lead really dull lives, compared to those non-living spirits that surround us daily and nightly--just out of view.

The Soul of my man Jon is a charming story about the lengths a woman will go to for her man. Specifically, a woman whose man was "ill-natured, little liked by his neighbours, ... lazy and useless about the house ... " But she loved him. When he died she set off for Heaven to have a talk with St. Peter. Next she talked to St. Paul, then the Virgin Mary. She finally resorted to tricking Jesus Christ Himself in order to save Jon's soul.

Rich Farmer, Poor Farmer is a wonderful cautionary tale about misconception and trust. One night a Poor Farmer has a dream that he and his Rich Farmer friend will both die in three days. The two farmers spend their remaining time on earth together, with surprising results.

All in all, a fun read.

I'm sure there are many more Icelandic treasures in Iowa waiting to be found--keep up the good work, Liz!

VCU Rams: Final Four!

2011-03-27T17:11:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Jack Berry for the banner!

Favorite "Varney the Vampyre" Quote of the Day

2011-03-15T23:59:00.000-04:00

Or, according to some of the readers, that would be "Warney the Wampyre Wuote of the Day."

So anyway, the quote:

If they are ridiculous people we shall laugh at them! (Ch. 112)

[even if they be our selves--dfd]

Pylsur comes to Richmond

2011-02-24T00:17:00.002-05:00

Antonia had big news. On her way back to VCU Library, she discovered that Captain Slappy's offers Icelandic hot dogs. She had already eaten lunch, but she bought one and took it up to John's office to share with him.

Captain Slappy is working on a source for lamb dogs, but in the meantime you can select a regular hot dog with Icelandic trimmings--remolade and fried onions.

I didn't try pylsur until my second visit to Iceland, and it tasted wonderful. Captain Slappy, I'm on my way.

Iceland Saves Shih Tzu

2011-02-19T00:32:00.001-05:00

We have two rescue dogs, both Shih Tzus; this blog's URL is named after one of them. Foo has been prone to skin problems for years. He gets bloody, crusty sores in areas he can't reach to scratch, such as the top of his head, so we know that they are aggravated by some type of allergy or irritation, not by scratching or biting at himself. To make a long, mildly disgusting story less long, he is on hypo-allergenic food, and that has helped a lot. But the sores flared up again. Our new groomer had a novel suggestion: put him on salmon oil.

Well! That worked miracles, I mean really. But it is expensive and messy. And smelly: the dogs and I go around smelling like fish all day.

To solve the dual problem of expense and messiness, I looked around for a product that comes in a bigger container and has a pump. I was surprised (and delighted) to find Unscented Salmon Oil from Iceland Pure. It isn't cheap, but it does cost a bit less than what I was buying locally, even including the shipping (it is shipped from an importer in Vista, CA). It comes in a lovely green aluminum bottle which I plan to re-purpose for something when it's empty. The pump works great: no mess. And, my dogs no longer have fishy smelling faces.

This is a product I recommend.

Valentines from Iceland

2011-02-15T00:09:00.000-05:00

Valentines: stories, by Olaf Olafsson. New York: Pantheon, 2007. 216 pgs.

Do you like depressing books? Such as, those by Annie Proulx? Shipping News is one of my favorite books, but her subsequent ones are really, I mean really depressing.

Olaf Olafsson is another favorite author of mine. Like Annie, he is the author of books that, if you pick one up to read for 5 minutes, an hour and a half later you come back to reality with a start, and reluctantly put the book down. He is a brilliant author who can immediately get you inside his protagonist's head. Olafsson's books are psychological studies of complex and disturbed individuals whose lives are revealed to the reader little by little. I want to read anything that Olafsson writes, but the reviews for Valentines hadn't left me as eager to read it, so it took me a few years to get around to it.

Just like his other books, I couldn't put this one down. I read it in two sittings: both times when I intended to just read for a few minutes. This short story collection is organized in a series of 12 stories, each titled for a month of the year. Each is an ironic play on the title, for the characters exhibit every type of falling-apart relationship. Mis-understandings, missed connections, misplaced trust. Month after month, I fervently hoped for a positive note, a redeemed character, a regained relationship: a happy ending. Would I find it in October? In November, perhaps? WHAT ABOUT DECEMBER?

We know that the author is an Icelander living in New York; an accomplished scholar and a successful business executive; a husband and the father of three (three children; three novels). Reading this book makes you seriously wonder what kind of relationships he has. Perhaps he has learned from the mistakes of his characters, and has achieved the happiness that they find so elusive. I certainly hope so.

On our emotions

2011-02-10T22:14:00.002-05:00

Charles Holland, it will be seen by some of our more philosophic neighbours, felt more acutely than he reasoned ... [italics added]

From Varney the Vampyre, by Thomas Preskett Prest or James Malcolm Rymer [authorship uncertain], 1847.

I'm usually with Charles!

On eating my own words

2011-02-09T23:58:00.006-05:00

Thoughts on the human condition:

We are the very slaves of circumstances ... and we never know what we may do, or what we may not. What appears to us so improbable as to border even upon the impossible at one time, is at another the only course of action which appears feasibly open to us to attempt to pursue.

From Varney the Vampyre, by Thomas Preskett Prest or James Malcolm Rymer [authorship uncertain], 1847.

On perfection

2011-02-08T23:58:00.004-05:00

I recently finished a book that I would probably place in my top 50 favorites ever, the monumental David Copperfield.

Dickens was born and lived and died, and he has passed like a shadow into the land of the shadows. But this enormous being whom he has hewn out of stone and who stands, colossal with carved eyes staring at the staring sun, he is the thing that we have to speak of; he is the thing that we cannot speak of. This is why the worshippers of Dickens will write ten volumes about Dicken's life and will not write one page about Dicken's work. It is because Dicken's work is indeed faulty; Dicken's work is indeed imperfect; but Dicken's work contains perfection, and when a man sees perfection he goes blind.

When a man sees one of the real beauties of Dickens abruptly he catches his breath. This book of David Copperfield is the one, perhaps, on which he expended most of his actual ambition to be exhaustive, artistic, and perfect. It is not exhaustive, artistic, nor perfect. The only thing is that, when you see it at the proper angle, it is annihilating.

G. K. Chesterton, Appendix [Introduction to the original Everyman Edition of David Copperfield, 1907]

Chesterton eloquently expressed feelings I share about David Copperfield--and that I feel towards Iceland and Halldór Laxness as well. Let me repeat his words:

... when a man sees perfection he goes blind.

When you see ... [perfection] ... it is annihilating.

A belated Gleðileg jól to me!

2011-01-24T17:41:00.003-05:00

If you're dying to know what Icelandic treasures Santa brought me, this is your lucky day.

My Minnesota relatives have the inside track on Icelandic goods, since many folks from Iceland settled in that part of the country. Here's what they came up with:

Flag bumper sticker

That's right: an AWESOME light switch plate!

My Booksale Scout's haul

Now my keys won't get lost at work

I am also very excited about more Booksale Treasure, due to arrive from Iowa.

Last, but surely not least, a panoramic photo of Reykjavík, compliments of Professor Batty:

This doesn't do it justice, but you can use your imagination. Thanks to all of my personal Santas--from Ames, to Anoka, from Minneapolis to Richmond--you're the best!

More Letters From Iceland

2011-01-19T23:41:00.001-05:00

Letters from Iceland 1936, by Jean Young. Transcribed by Marion Agnes Harvey. University of Birmingham, 1992. 80 pgs.

Snapshots from a life: a lady scholar from England achieves her lifelong dream of visiting Iceland. We experience a summer of travel and hard manual labor first-hand, through her letters home. Just as we are getting to know her, she vanishes abruptly from our life, leaving us to wonder: was her boat home late? Did an Icelander accompany her home, to work in England? Did she ever return to Iceland? What were the basic facts of her life: when and where was she born, and when did she die; what were her successes in life, her significant relationships? I haven’t been able to answer most of these questions but--my wig!--it has been fun sharing these few months of 1936 with Jean Young.

Jean had an abiding interest in Iceland. Her post-graduate work dealt with Old Icelandic literature, and literary relations between Icelandic and Irish literature. Jean began to study Icelandic literature in 1921, but it wasn't until 1936 that she was finally able to visit Iceland in person. Her letters were published posthumously in 1992, and are readily available at http://www.vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Young_Letters.pdf, complete with her sketches and photographs.

W.H. Auden published a book with the same title, written in the same year, but much better known. In one section of Auden’s Letters from Iceland, he and co-author MacNeice present letters “written” by Hetty, girl scout leader extraordinaire. While Hetty is imaginary, she was likely based upon Jean Young. While in the Snaefellsness area, Jean spies the rucksack of "Auden the Oxford poet!”, catches up with him, and discovers he's producing a book on Iceland-- little knowing it will feature a thinly disguised version of herself.

Jean's letters aren't written with the care and literary panache of Auden and MacNeice's contemporaneous accounts, but hers weren't intended for publication or a wider audience. They do convey a very personal response to Our Favorite Homeland, and are written in a conversational manner. Her account features lots of slang, which makes it seem as though she is talking to us ('em, 'tho, 'cept, summat). In one of her earliest letters she exclaims, "I feel in my bones I'm going to love Iceland just as much as I thought I should!" Followed in short order by, "Oh, my wig how I love Iceland!"

Jean faces the daunting challenge that many others have: "it is a damn hard language." She takes the option that Bill Holm, E. Paul Durrenberger and countless others have: she elects to work on a farm. First she goes to Arkvorni, then travels a bit through Iceland, and finally goes to another farm, Fljótshlíð (near Thorsmork), where she works for an entire month.

Jean’s farm labor includes darning, cooking for a large household, emptying chamber pots, cutting hay, and caring for children. Oh, and washing: "... then I took several pairs of heavy socks down to the stream to wash under the waterfall medieval fashion on a flat stone with a wooden clapper." The job benefits? Riding some of the finest horses in the area, learning Icelandic, and discovering a great appreciation for simple food after 15-hour days of manual labor. Typical meals consisted of cold porridge, salted fish, potatoes, pancakes, and always coffee with sweet cakes.

When she has a few brief minutes free from labor, she takes time to write letters and read. When Jean meets Icelanders, her standard is: have they read Laxness? She comes to understand Independent People " ... from within as well as from outside ... which, if you read, take with much salt." She also comes to believe that many of the farm women she encounters are like Salka Valka, the heroine of another Laxness novel.

Some of my favorite quotes from Jean’s letters:

I foresee that the oilskins'l be useful.
Dolorite forms itself into octagonal columns here--and here only in the world apparently.
No railing to prevent folk from throwing themselves in [Gullfoss].
It's the space and silence that are so marvelous here.
The sanitary arrangements are good ... just the cow shed but here it's goats!
How I'd love to see the sun shine again!

When Jean finally returns to Reykjavik at the end of August, she goes shopping and forgets to take any money with her. She hasn’t used or thought about money in over a month.

I did learn that Jean returns to her studies in Great Britain and eventually becomes Dr. Jean Young, the author/translator of books in at least three languages. But alas, though she had hoped to meet Halldór Laxness and ask to translate one of his books into English, that never transpired. Nor could I learn if she ever returned to Iceland.

First On My List

2011-01-13T17:13:00.000-05:00

The New York Times January 7 edition featured an intriguing article, "The 41 Places to go in 2011." And Iceland was #4 on the list! Readers are sure to find familiar places as well as surprises. It's worth reading the article just to discover yet a few more reasons to get Iceland on the Brain.

The article didn't mention swimming

Good news for East Coasters

2010-10-10T12:04:00.002-04:00

...East Coasters with Iceland on the Brain:

Icelandair will begin seasonal service from Dulles International Airport (Washington, D.C.) with four flights a week starting May 17, 2011 through September 12, 2011.

Of course that won't get the music fanatics (hello, Batty) to the Iceland Airwaves Festival in October. But it is a start.

And, a postscript: Dear readers, I'm sorry to be so lax about writing. I have a number of books and films I would love to review here, but the Condemnation Plantation is taking up most of my free time, as it must for the next 9 months or so. Iceland will take its former place of prominence in my thoughts again, once day soon. --And, I will continue to post, infrequently.

a long way to go

Happy Birthday

2010-08-25T19:30:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday to our beloved writer and friend, Bill Holm.

Churches!

2010-08-06T23:11:00.004-04:00

We saw a lot of churches this trip, and performed in a number of them. I used to wonder how tourists would travel to, let's say Italy, and go to an amazing number of churches without tiring of them. Now I understand.

Chartres

Each church we visited was different. The towers, the organs, the art, the accoustics, the gargoyles and chimeras, the history and often the literature attached to each one.

Rouen

And the stained glass! We learned how to read stained glass from Malcolm Miller (bottom up, left to right), who discussed the biblical references, symbolism, manufacture and reconstruction of stained glass. I will never see stained glass again in the same way. Sometimes the plain glass spoke the loudest. It spoke of irreplaceable loss--loss of beauty, loss of humanity, the innumerable losses of war.

When we entered Saint Gervais in Paris we were struck by the reverent, contemplative silence. The monastery at Mont Saint Michel was full of unexpected surprises and beautiful vistas. The bell towers in Paris at Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur, and Notre Dame de Chartres were well worth the climb, even for big chickens. The cathedral at Notre Dame de Rouen was one whose plain glass windows spoke so loudly--although there were also lovely stained glass windows there.

From the tower, photo by Antonia

I just re-discovered an excerpt from a book that I read prior to the trip (France in Mind), in which Henry Adams described the old west tower of Chartres as "the most perfect piece of architecture in the world." That same tower where I discarded my Sigg water bottle so as to have both hands free to clutch the wall as I ascended and descended; the same tower we saw from our room at Le Parvis. I'll have to take a look at his book, Mont St. Michel and Chartres (written in 1904)--happily available at VCU Library.

Mont Saint Michel, late evening

Jar City on Netflix

2010-08-05T17:58:00.003-04:00

I've read three of the Arnaldur Indridason books that have been translated into English--the fourth, Arctic Chill, is on my shelf waiting to be read. When I read his first Icelandic thriller, Jar City (also published under the title Tainted Blood), I liked it fairly well, and hoped that the series would improve with each book. Others liked it even more: it won a number of awards, the Reykjavik Murder Mystery series have been translated into many languages, and they do well on the bestseller lists. I find Erlendur, the main character, engaging and sympathetic, I enjoy the occasional flashes of humor, and like the descriptions of Iceland, but the books are a bit too bleak to be my personal favorites.

I've been waiting a long time to see the (2006) film version of Jar City, and it finally became available on Netflix. The movie version is very bleak as well. But it does provide wonderful glimpses of Icelandic culture and scenery, and the casting is excellent. For a more in-depth review of the movie or the books, check out Professor Batty's pages. Fans can look forward to the English version of Hypothermia, due out in September 2010.

Vacation Reading

2010-08-02T09:19:00.006-04:00

3 adults, 17 nights away from home, 9 different lodgings: a whirlwind trip by our standards. We minimized what would have been a hectic pace by spending lots of time relaxing (read: eating and drinking). Our trip was to France, but flying IcelandAir gave us the welcome opportunity to stop in Iceland for a few days on the way home.

What was my reading material while traveling? I finished Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame while in France, and read two of Flaubert's Three Tales as well.

Hunchback is such a powerful book that I find the characters living in my head--including one of the main "characters", the cathedral itself. Touring and performing in the cathedral, and climbing the towers to see the bells close up were greatly enhanced by reading this book. I found Hugo's discourses about architecture and the advent of printing fascinating since I am a librarian, and am presently--and seemingly for eternity--a home renovator. My enjoyment of the book was also heightened by both reading it in print and listening to an audio version. I find that reading a book and listening to it are very different experiences.

South Tower above Emmanuel, the current big bell--it would have been Big Marie in Quasimodo's time.

Flaubert's first story, A Simple Heart, takes place in the countryside around Deauville, an area of France that we visited. We also stayed in Rouen, where Flaubert spent much of his life. Our choir performed at the cathedral there, which has a lovely stained glass window we saw that inspired his second story, The Legend of St. Julian Hospitator. I'm looking forward to reading more Flaubert.

Since you asked, John was busy reading The Three Musketeers, and Antonia read A.J. Jacobs' The Know It All, and began Hunchback. (Regarding The Know It All--all you have to do is read the introduction to get hooked. Just ask me--I read it in the ER waiting room on Saturday).

My first few days back from vacation, when I had so much work I should be doing, I made the mistake of picking up vol. 3 of Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter (published 1920-22). I couldn't work or sleep until I finished it. Historical novels often excel at portraying a time period--this book, by a well-deserving Nobel prize winning author, succeeds at history, character development, dialog, and plot. Heartily recommended to anyone who wants to be consumed by literature!

The school year will be starting soon, so I am reading two of our student book club selections: The Camel Club, by Richmond/Henrico County native Baldacci, and Hearn's Across the Nightingale Floor, which I expect to like much better.

What are my readers reading this summer?

Laxness in France

2010-07-22T00:05:00.001-04:00

I've been touring France with my choir, and what did I discover on the shelves of the library ("Mediatheque") in Honfleur? A copy of Independent People, in French.

More about our travels, including stops in Iceland, soon.

More Minneapolis

2010-06-06T10:31:00.004-04:00

I was in Minneapolis ten months ago for the conclusion of the Great Half-Continental Girlie Road Trip. Boy Howdy, was that fun. This time I flew there, and John came too. Although time didn't permit a return to the Flippist World Headquarters, we fit a lot of fun into 3 1/2 days.

Top items on this year's list, not in any order (some of them repeats for me):

Coco Love: she's teetering on the edge of walking, and she's turning ONE!
Walking the neighborhoods
Neighborhood coffee shops, especially J & S Bean Factory
Seeing a play at the Guthrie Theater
Meeting up with Kathryn and Stephen at the Guthrie
Touring the Cathedral in St. Paul
Tour of the James J. Hill House art gallery and grounds, St. Paul
Naps
Quality time with the best Parents and Grandparents ever
Izzy's Ice Cream
Touring Minnesota Public Radio with a local radio celebrity
Getting to see Jody and Skip's wonderful new house, right near ...
Sea Salt Eatery Just as great as last year only better!
Returned to the Como Zoo after 27 years, and it was great even in record heat (hottest day in 135 years)
Shish Mediterranean food
Great church choir on Sunday
Lot's of great meals with the fam.
Birthday presents!

Down for a nap

John at James J. Hill House

A new home for Jody and Skip

A New Saga!

2010-06-05T22:08:00.002-04:00

Professor Batty sent me a new Icelandic saga: Andrés Önd. For the uninitiated, that would be Donald Duck.
I'll have to learn to read Icelandic before I can report on its literary merit, but hey! The pictures are great! I was surprised to find that, according to Edda Publishing, this is the "number one children's magazine in Iceland."

Thanks to the Professor for keeping me up on trends in Iceland. No telling what I will discover when I visit his favorite bookstore, next month.

Mother's Day is a Great Holiday!

2010-05-17T22:38:00.005-04:00

A quick report on my Mother's Day. All the kids were in town, and we had a wonderful meal together. Ok, I cooked it but that was only because I made lasagna the week before and figured I might as well double it, freeze it, and pull it out for Mother's Day. My thinking was, that would give the kids time to focus on dessert. Good call!

Lace cookie dessert cradles--or Lace cookie dessert tacos? You vote.

Another benefit was that we had time to indulge in the Fun Family Activity I requested: a stationery stamping party!

Jonathan hand-carved stamps for us at Christmas, and I wanted to learn how to use them. We had a great time, and we all now own lot's of lovely stationery, which is likely to appear in the mailboxes of many of my readers.

Red roses, a plant for the garden, and a lesson in pinning my hair up (from my favorite cosmetologist, Rachel) rounded off a lovely day.