Rating:  Summary: Great Land, Great Book Review: I always try to buy a good traveling book about the country I'm going to so I can be aware of things to look for while I'm there. This was a great book about Iceland. The pictures are great, the articles interesting and helpful,... although military members at Keflavik are no longer allowed to put tin foil on their windows at night to keep out the sun...
Rating:  Summary: Great Land, Great Book Review: I always try to buy a good traveling book about the country I'm going to so I can be aware of things to look for while I'm there. This was a great book about Iceland. The pictures are great, the articles interesting and helpful,... although military members at Keflavik are no longer allowed to put tin foil on their windows at night to keep out the sun...
Rating:  Summary: A book with a bang!!! Review: I have scrutinized this book read and studied it. Very conscise for anyone who has no clue??? From past to present this book gives an excellent overview about Iceland and its many wonders including its volcanos and geysers. Colorfully illustrated all the way through. If you like short and to the point this book covers all travelling essentials(brief language tips per example)must buy for the wayward traveller backpackers included.
Rating:  Summary: Get this book Review: I just returned from a trip to Iceland and found this book to be very useful. It has great photos and good information. I would suggest using this in conjunction with the Lonely Planet guide--they cover each other's weaknesses. My only complaint with this book was the index, which we found to be inadequate. I spent a lot of time paging through the book looking for things I knew it contained but which weren't listed in the index. Still, it is a must-have if you are traveling to Iceland.
Rating:  Summary: An American Marine Stationed in Iceland Review: Insight Guides is a handy, virtually all encompassing overview of Iceland. From history and culture to geography and tourism, the collection is superb. Many of the chapters are written by native Icelanders and there are a lot of beautiful pictures. As a Marine stationed in Iceland for the past eight months, I found the book to be extremely helpful both before and after arrival here. I would enthusiastically recommend it as a superb introduction to the country and its' people!
Rating:  Summary: Beautiful pictures and thorough information Review: Let me introduce you to this Insight Guide on Iceland, the beautiful aurora borealis-lit island in the North Atlantic. I bought this book because it is adorned with some truly beautiful pictures, only to find out that its contents are of the same quality or better.<>The information is provided in three ways: YELLOW (pages 15-139): Just for this part, it is worth buying the book. Every little detail of Icelandic history, society and nature is given here. Vikings, whales and the notorious weather are dealt with, but also "the push for independence", the 300-species bird life, and the purifying of the Icelandic language. BLUE (pages 147-327): Almost all places in Iceland are covered. It kicks off with Icelandic metropolis ReykjavÃk, and continues counter-clockwise around the whole island, supplying you with information about the attractions you'll encounter. RED (pages 329-378): The practical side. Climate, cycling, what to buy, media... easy to find info for the quick look-up. Although it isn't the aim of the book to give EVERY tiny restaurant or hotel, and though you can find it elsewhere, quite a bit of those places are listed here. What follows is an emergency-style two-pages course in Icelandic, and after that the index, which could just be slightly better (too few things are covered). ****1/2 <>Too many to count: historic drawings, children, nature, towns... they show both the negative and the positive sides of the island: a desolate farm in the snow under an ink-blue sky, but also a young girl on her father's shoulders, with the national flag on Independance Day. ***** <>The lay out is very good. The reading pleasure is high, because a lot of different fonts are used, and the keywords in the text are bold. A word that refers to a place on the map is marked with (1), (2), (3), (...). The same sign is used on the map, which I found extremely useful and easy. Another good feature is the use of a mark at the top of the pages, saying: "Map on page xxx", so you don't have to look for the map yourself. ***** <>The book and the fat glossy paper feels good to the hands, the weight is perfect (thank God it's a paperback). The top side of the book is printed with the colors as shown above, so you can easily find what you are looking for. And there are two cover foldouts with maps of Iceland and Reykjavik bus routes. **** <>This book is just what you need if you are planning a trip to Iceland, or after it to see where you've been and find more interesting facts and figures. Highly recommended. *****
Rating:  Summary: This was a very good guide, very comprehensive. Review: Many travel guides are merely lists of accomodations and sights, but this guide was like a well written encyclopedia of the country. It is logically organized into sections that correspond to particular sections of the country and reads very well. I highly recommend it.
Rating:  Summary: An excellent resource and travel guide. Review: Not only is this book a travel guide, but it is a history and profile of the people and their island. It reads very well and is richly illustrated with many photographs. The color is beautiful.
Rating:  Summary: Beautiful book; great introduction Review: The photos in this book sparked my initial interest in Iceland. I too have just returned from a trip, and agree with the reader from WI that this book works well in conjunction with the Lonely Planet guide. I relied on Lonely Planet for the nitty-gritty details of finding hotels, restaurants, etc., but the Insight Guide was great for easy-to-read bkgd info, and the many photos helped shape my ideal itinerary. A well-organized introduction to the country that will definitely fan the flames of your desire to travel there.
Rating:  Summary: Beautiful book; great introduction Review: The photos in this book sparked my initial interest in Iceland. I too have just returned from a trip, and agree with the reader from WI that this book works well in conjunction with the Lonely Planet guide. I relied on Lonely Planet for the nitty-gritty details of finding hotels, restaurants, etc., but the Insight Guide was great for easy-to-read bkgd info, and the many photos helped shape my ideal itinerary. A well-organized introduction to the country that will definitely fan the flames of your desire to travel there.
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