The Coffee Trader by David Lisa was a good education on a part of Dutch history I didn’t know much about. Also Lust for Life by Irving Stone as you may visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. And The Diary of Anne Frank, of course. Try the Blue Pepper restaurant for delicious Indonesian food. Not too far from the museums.
Amsterdam – Tulip Fever – a fantastic book by Deborah Moggach. Prague – The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Is The Girl With the Pearl Earring Amsterdam? If so, that. Just spent a week in Holland. It is a small country and in a few days you can do a lot. PM me if you want more information. Prague is fabulous!
Just finished two Amsterdam books: The Miniaturist and The Last Painting of Sara De Vos, the latter recommended by someone on this site, both very good. As for Iceland, Smilla’s Sense of Snow is a mystery that will make you feel like you want to go there.
I love Iceland, so I recommend all of the books by Arnaldur Indridason (Erlendur police procedurals… fascinating). Also Yrsa Sigurdardottir mysteries and the classic books by Halldor Laxness.
Bodie and Brock Thoene wrote a series of books around Prague, but am having brain freeze as far as titles. We heard them speak one time. Though fiction, I believe their characters and sitations were from real life.
Iceland Read these crimes series novels before my 16 day Iceland trip last year, had heard these were a good way to get to know Iceland Last Rituals My Soul to Take by Thora Gudmundsdottir-interesting authur, she is a civil engineer Inspector Erlundur series by Arnalaldur Indridason Me, Myself & Iceland by Brian Rueb-by an American photographer, could have used some editing but very informative, worth it The Vikings by Robert Ferguson-purchased in Iceland The Far Travelers by Nancy Marie Brown-I read while traveling The Ring road The Sagas of Iceland The Ice Palace by Tsrjei Vesaas Iceland’s Bell by Halldor Laxness-recommended by an Icelander, a classic Drove past the site of Burial Rites, recommended by Icelanders
Iceland: anything by Sjón, Independent People by Halldór Laxness, I also second all the references to the Nordic Noir authors listed above. (big tip DO NOT buy books you can but in the states in Iceland. You will pay literally 2-3 times as much.)
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. The debut novel takes place in Iceland in the early 1800’s loosely based on the true story of the last woman executed in Iceland for murder. Good read.
Y’all are amazing!! Thank you. Checking all of these out right now. The iceland ones were stumping me so a special thank you to these great suggestions!
following…
Thanks for asking. Off to holland and prague for xmas
The Coffee Trader by David Lisa was a good education on a part of Dutch history I didn’t know much about. Also Lust for Life by Irving Stone as you may visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. And The Diary of Anne Frank, of course. Try the Blue Pepper restaurant for delicious Indonesian food. Not too far from the museums.
Amsterdam – Tulip Fever – a fantastic book by Deborah Moggach. Prague – The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Is The Girl With the Pearl Earring Amsterdam? If so, that. Just spent a week in Holland. It is a small country and in a few days you can do a lot. PM me if you want more information. Prague is fabulous!
yes to unbearable lightness and girl with a pearl earring
Just finished two Amsterdam books: The Miniaturist and The Last Painting of Sara De Vos, the latter recommended by someone on this site, both very good. As for Iceland, Smilla’s Sense of Snow is a mystery that will make you feel like you want to go there.
yes to these
Outlander, Scotland France and the US in the 1700’s
Read them but not quite the locales I’m going for here
ok, loved the “Inspector Irene Huss” novels, about a detective in Sweden. Great sense of place.
@Maudia lol. Look at the original post, dear. Will save these for a rainy day.
Oh, I get it!
I love Iceland, so I recommend all of the books by Arnaldur Indridason (Erlendur police procedurals… fascinating). Also Yrsa Sigurdardottir mysteries and the classic books by Halldor Laxness.
me too, nordic noir!
Bodie and Brock Thoene wrote a series of books around Prague, but am having brain freeze as far as titles. We heard them speak one time. Though fiction, I believe their characters and sitations were from real life.
Iceland
Read these crimes series novels before my 16 day Iceland trip last year, had heard these were a good way to get to know Iceland
Last Rituals
My Soul to Take by Thora Gudmundsdottir-interesting authur, she is a civil engineer
Inspector Erlundur series by Arnalaldur Indridason
Me, Myself & Iceland by Brian Rueb-by an American photographer, could have used some editing but very informative, worth it
The Vikings by Robert Ferguson-purchased in Iceland
The Far Travelers by Nancy Marie Brown-I read while traveling The Ring road
The Sagas of Iceland
The Ice Palace by Tsrjei Vesaas
Iceland’s Bell by Halldor Laxness-recommended by an Icelander, a classic
Drove past the site of Burial Rites, recommended by Icelanders
Read this article, very informative about Iceland’s culture. This problem was referenced in Me, Myself & Iceland.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/01/teens-drugs-iceland/513668/
https://meljoulwan.com/
She writes a food blog but recently moved from US to Prague, writes nice blog entries on living in Prague.
Iceland: anything by Sjón, Independent People by Halldór Laxness, I also second all the references to the Nordic Noir authors listed above. (big tip DO NOT buy books you can but in the states in Iceland. You will pay literally 2-3 times as much.)
Love this thread – thank you!
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. The debut novel takes place in Iceland in the early 1800’s loosely based on the true story of the last woman executed in Iceland for murder. Good read.
Vicki Bliss series by Elizabeth Peters.
Y’all are amazing!! Thank you. Checking all of these out right now. The iceland ones were stumping me so a special thank you to these great suggestions!