Publication
Carl Hanser Verlag, c2018 Original c2016
Status
Available
Description
Heida is a solitary farmer with a flock of 500 sheep in a remorseless area bordering Iceland's highlands. It's known as the End of the World. One of her nearest neighbours is Iceland's most notorious volcano, Katla, which has periodically driven away the inhabitants of Ljotarstadir ever since people first started farming there in the twelfth century. This portrait of Heida written with wit and humour by one of Iceland's most acclaimed novelists, Steinunn Sigurdardottir, tells a heroic tale of a charismatic young woman, who at 23 walked away from a career as a model in New York to take over the family farm when her father died.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Dokfintong
Here's a book to give to a teen who is fascinated with the larger world and for whom you have secret aspirations of greatness. Leave it on your coffee table or somewhere where it will get picked up and read.
Presented in a no-nonsense translation, the life of Heida Ásgeirsdóttir is presented in
Nevertheless, Heida tells us a lot about Iceland, its climate and natural world, and the rigors of farming. We learn how solitary farming is and thus how important social conventions, including wild parties, are to a rural culture.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy Scandinavian culture, rural culture, and sheep. It's also wildly feminist.
I received a review copy of "Heida: A Shepherd at the Edge of the World" by Steinunn Sigurðardóttir (John Murray) through NetGalley.com.
Presented in a no-nonsense translation, the life of Heida Ásgeirsdóttir is presented in
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seasons of a single year. The writing is straightforward and, judging from other reviews, does not appeal to everyone. The lack of lyricism didn't bother me much as a reader, but I was curious that a culture that prides itself on extemporaneous poetry could not produce a more poetic text. The translator perhaps?Nevertheless, Heida tells us a lot about Iceland, its climate and natural world, and the rigors of farming. We learn how solitary farming is and thus how important social conventions, including wild parties, are to a rural culture.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy Scandinavian culture, rural culture, and sheep. It's also wildly feminist.
I received a review copy of "Heida: A Shepherd at the Edge of the World" by Steinunn Sigurðardóttir (John Murray) through NetGalley.com.
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LibraryThing member MarthaJeanne
The book is very interesting but the combination of topic - mostly sheep farming and Iceland - and translation into a Northern variety of German made it difficult to read.
Language
Original language
Icelandic
ISBN
9783446260320
Original publication date
2016