I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fascinating book!

It walks you through what life is like in Iceland. From the geography to cultural expectations around children to agricultural practices this is a very thorough book. There are lots of beautiful pictures and information about living in Iceland.

I learned a lot from this book. It includes the Icelandic alphabet, naming conventions, major cultural practices and celebrations, and more! The book highlights how eco-friendly Iceland is while also talking about how people in Iceland retire later in life than other Eastern Europeans and are an incredibly homogenous group.

It's a really informative read!

It’s funny how memes can prompt interest.

I really knew next to nothing about Iceland until a meme started floating around social media (as it’s wont to do), all about Jolabokaflod–a Christmas Eve tradition of giving books. (Read more on Martha Stewart and elsewhere, if so inclined!) For obvious reasons, the tradition sounds right up my alley! (Can I start reading now?)

So when I saw this book at NetGalley, I immediately jumped on it. It reads to me like part travel guide, part coffee-table book, including restaurant and activity recommendations as well as history, politics, art, music, and more. And of course, the photographs! Wow–utterly stunning; photographer Gunnar Freyr does a smashing job at capturing the country’s essence, whether in landscapes or close-up shots of chess pieces.

Just like any country (including mine :D), or any book for that matter, Iceland has its own quirks, some of which I was less inclined to read about than others. But there are plenteous highlights! The overview of the year, from Jolabakstur (in essence, making Christmas cookies) on through to the first day of summer, was particularly fascinating (and now I’m hungry!).

I will say, I expected more on incorporating Icelandic components into one’s own life–more “home how-to”-meets-the-Icelandic-version-of-hygge than Icelandic-life overview, the reader living Icelandic versus learning how others do–but it’s still an intriguing read, and serves as a good starting point for learning more. I suppose I need to know how the Icelanders themselves live before I imitate it, no? :)

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

How To Live Icelandic is an amazing book full of stunning photographs and interesting information about the country. Perfect for anyone wanting to make a trip there, or for the armchair traveller who wants to indulge their senses. I loved all the tips and tricks and details about the places, and I definitely have it on my list of places I would love to visit. The itinerary for a day is Reykjavik is brilliant and when I get the chance to go, this book will be coming with me. What a stunning book (and country).

How to Live Icelandic is another lovely addition to this series of books (of which I have already read, and reviewed How to Live Japanese and How to Live Korean). The book covers everything from nature to festivals to language, accompanied by stunning photographs and a beautiful layout. I visited Iceland for the first time in 2015 and fell in love with the place, so this book was a beautiful reminder of a wonderful trip. I am also learning Icelandic (teaching myself, so it's slow-going) and therefore I found the section on idioms especially useful and interesting. For anyone interested in Iceland and Icelandic culture, this volume will be a perfect addition to your bookshelf.