Publisher's Synopsis
Founded by Viking adventurers around AD 870, Reykjavik is the most northerly capital city in the world. Here, long-time resident and journalist Gérard Lemarquis plots its history, its episodes of foreign domination and its trajectory towards independence. He explores Iceland's distant past and myths and legends as well as its often troubled relationship with Britain. Looking at the capital's major landmarks, he traces the changing phases of Icelandic architecture and its distinctive districts. He surveys the country's literary and artistic heritage, the idiosyncrasies of its social conventions and the importance of religion in everyday life.
