The history of Iceland / Guðni Thorlacius Johannesson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, 1968- author.

Series:

Greenwood histories of the modern nations

The Greenwood histories of the modern nations

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Iceland--History.

Iceland.

History.

Physical Description:

xv, 172 pages : map ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Santa Barbara, California : Greenwood, [2013]

Summary:

Modern-day Iceland, a rugged island in the North Atlantic Ocean roughly the size of the state of Ohio, is home to over 300,000 individuals. In the early 19th century, however, Iceland's population had dropped to less than 40,000 as a result of a series of natural disasters and epidemics. At the time, some even wondered if moving the entire population of Iceland off what seemed to be a cursed island would have been wise.

In more recent times, Iceland has faced other major challenges, most notably its economic fall in 2008 when a nationwide failure of its financial systems eroded it from its former position as one of the most developed and wealthiest countries in the world.

The History of Iceland describes how a small nation situated on a rocky and isolated island struggled for centuries to survive but then rose to great prosperity in the modern era. The work provides a comprehensive summary of Iceland's history that shares a tale of independence versus interdependence-one that underscores how recent events have forced a people with great pride in their unique heritage to reconsider well-established notions about themselves as a nation.

Based on the most recent research, this work is the first comprehensive overview to cover in detail the collapse of Iceland's economy and its subsequent effect on its people. Organized into seven main sections that chronologically cover the history of Iceland from the island's settlement to the present day, the book concludes with a revealing discussion of how each period has been perceived by later generations of Icelanders. Book jacket.

Contents:

Timeline of Historical Events

Norse Iceland : Discovery, Settlement, and Vengeance (874-999)

Catholic Iceland : Consolidation, Conflict, and Flux (999-1550)

Danish Iceland : State, Cold, and Stagnation (1550-1786)

Iceland Emerging : Optimism, Confidence, and Old Meets New (1786-1902)

Iceland on Its Own : Progress, Class, and Fragility (1902-1940)

American Iceland : Internationalization, Welfare, and Love (1940-1994)

European Iceland : Integration, Excess, and Collapse (1994-2012)

Notable People in the History of Iceland.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780313376207

0313376204

OCLC:

756577002