I always love to read books and watch shows and movies to prepare for upcoming trips. Iceland is no different. The amazing volcanic island nation is the inspiration for many books and the setting of several movies. So let’s explore a few options as you prepare and dream for an upcoming trip to Iceland!
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Books to Prepare for Iceland
There is no shortage of books you can read to prepare for your trip to Iceland. Here are a few options in various types to enjoy.
Fiction
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Most readers are familiar with Jules Vern’s Journey to the Center of the Earth. But it might have been a few decades since you read it. Preparing for a trip to Iceland would be a good time to rediscover it! A German professor wants to test his theory that there are volcanic tubes going through the center of the earth. He travels to Iceland and enters the Snæfellsjökull volcano. He and his traveling party have many adventures before emerging through Stromboli volcano in Italy.
Burial Rites
Burial Rites is about Agnes Magnúsdóttir, a young woman convicted of murder in 1829 in Iceland. Agnus goes to live with a family on an isolated farm to await her execution. The family is quite understandably not happy about this turn of events. But with the help of a priest attending to Agnus’ spiritual needs, the family soon learns that there are two sides to every story.
The Sagas of Icelanders
The Saga of Icelanders is a compilation of medieval literature that follows the Norseman who immigrated to Iceland and eventually to North America around the turn of the last millennia. Written around the year 1200, this book selection might not be for everyone! But it a must-read for those who want to thoroughly prepare for their trip to Iceland with a true understanding of the people who originally settled there.
Independent People
Independent People is a book about Bjartur of Summerhouses. He is a sheep farmer in the early 20th century who relishes his freedom after two decades of servitude. His daughter also desires freedom but finds the rural life in store for her boring. Travelers will enjoy reading the vivid descriptions of the landscape that Bjartur and his family are trying to conquer.
Jar City
Jar City is a murder mystery set in the Iceland capitol city of Reykjavík. An old man is found murdered in his apartment. The killer left a mysterious note and photo of a grave belonging to a young woman. It turns out the man was accused of, but not convicted of, a violent crime years ago. This might simply be a case of long-overdue revenge. But as Inspector Erlendur digs deeper into the case, he uncovers a tangled web of secrets where it is evident that nothing is as open and shut as it seems.
Non-Fiction
Names for the Sea
Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland is probably the most reader-friendly book on this list. It is about a woman, Sarah Moss, who visited Iceland as a teenager. Inspired by her travels, she decides to move there from her home in England in 2009. The eruption of Eyjafjallajokull Volcano and the subsequent economic collapse create challenges for Sarah. But at the same time, she finds the beauty, history, and folklore of her adopted country inspiring.
The Little Book of the Icelanders
The Little Book of the Icelanders is a collection of essays about the culture and quirks of the Icelandic people. This humorous book is a must-read for travelers who want to prepare for their trip. You definitely want insider knowledge of what makes the people in Iceland tick! You will learn about the history, customs, and idiosyncrasies of the wonderful people you will meet during your travels.
The Little Book of Tourists in Iceland
The Little Book of Tourists in Iceland will tell you exactly what the Icelandic people think of you as a tourist! Tourism has wreaked havoc on Iceland but is also necessary for the country’s economic stability. This humorous book provides you with insight on how to be a better tourist during your travels in Iceland.
Shows & Movies to Prepare for Iceland
Iceland as a Setting
There is no shortage of shows and movies that use Iceland as a setting. Watch the following for a glimpse of the beautiful scenery you will see during your trip to Iceland:
- Several James Bond movies use Iceland as a filming location. In a A View to a Kill, the opening scenes of the movie are filmed at Jökulsárlón, a glacial lake, and the fishing village of Höfn. Die Another Day has a car chase scene filmed at Jökulsárlón lake in Vatnajökull National Park.
- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider also features Jökulsárlón lake. You can see Angelina Jolie on a boat ride down the river, which is also an activity enjoyed by many tourists!
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is about a LIFE magazine photo editor who travels on an epic adventure to find a lost negative. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of Snæfellsnes peninsula, Grundarfjörður, Seyðisfjörður, Vatnajökull National Park, and Höfn.
- Captain America: Civil War is a Marvel superhero movie with some portions filmed in and around the Icelandic village of Vik.
- Thor: The Dark World, another Marvel superhero movie, was filmed extensively in Iceland. Enjoy views of the black beaches of Svartalfheim, Landmannalaugar, the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Ásbyrgi, Dettifoss waterfall, Vatnajökull National Park, Skógafoss, and Reykjavíak.
- Interstellar uses Icelandic locations of Svínafellsjökull glacier and Máfabót as various planets in this sci-fi film.
- If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you have already seen a lot of Iceland in most scenes beyond The Wall starting in Season 2. Enjoy gorgeous views of Þingvellir National Park, Kirkjufell Mountain, Höfði, Skaftafell Nature Reserve, Reynisfjara beach, and Skogafoss waterfall.
- Several recent films in the Star Wars saga used Iceland as filming locations, including Rogue One and The Force Awakens. The mountains of Mýrdalssandur, Reynisfjara beach, Krafla volcano, and Eyjafjallajökull glacier are all used in these films to create the illusion of vastly different planets.
Iceland as the Focus
The unique terrain of Iceland serves as the setting of many fictional places. But finding shows and movies featuring Iceland is a harder task. The following options may not be as exciting as the list above, but will definitely help prepare you for your trip to Iceland!
- Dreamland is a documentary that shows the beautiful scenery of Iceland while uncovering the environmental issues caused by climate change and human intervention.
- Trapped is a Icelandic TV show about a small town whose inhabitants are snowed in and dealing with a murderer on the loose.
- Under the Arctic Sky is a documentary about a group of surfers who seek to conquer the giant waves of Iceland’s northern coast during a huge storm.
- Rams is about two brothers in a remote region of Iceland who haven’t spoken in 40 years but must reunite to save their sheep from disease.
- In I Remember You, the main characters discover supernatural forces as they seek to solve crimes and tackle the unforgiving landscape of Iceland.
- Of Horses and Men illustrates that nosy neighbors are the same all over the world. But in Iceland, horses are involved in the intrigue!
- Woman at War is about an environmental activist battling the Iceland aluminum industry. As she prepares to give up her activism due to pending motherhood, she makes one last ditch effort to save the environment.
- In Arctic, a man battles nature after his plane crashes in the most inhospitable place on Earth.
What’s on your list to read & watch before your trip to Iceland?
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