Excerpt from Bibliography of the Icelandic Sagas and Minor Tales Of the collections given by him to the University Library the Icelandic collection is much the largest. It is also the oldest and perhaps the richest in rare books and editions. Its forma tion was the work of a lifetime, for its beginning was made by Mr. Fiske when a student in the University of Upsala more than fifty years ago. Here he became imbued with a deep and abiding love for the old-icelandic language and literature, and took advantage of the favorable opportunity offered by his residence in Scandinavia to collect books in this field. Upon his return to America in 18 5 3, he became an assistant in the Astor Library, then just about to open its doors under the superintendence of that able and learned librarian J. G. Cogswell, from whom he received valuable training in bibliographical methods. At the same time he kept up his Icelandic studies and gradually added to his Icelandic collection A description of the collection was given in 1860 in Wynne's Private Libraries of New York, and it was then reputed to be the richest collection of Icelandic literature and history in the country. A later account of the collection is given by M. W. Plummer in the Bulletin of Bibliography for April, 1897; but the fullest description is that given by E. P. Evans in the Beilage zur Allgemeinen Zeitung, I3, 14 Sept. 1896. Since then it has been largely increased and now contains about nine thousand volumes. Some idea of the completeness of the collection in its special field may be gained from the four numbers of Mr. Fiske's privately printed Bibliographical Notices which contain supplements to the British Museum Catalogue of Books printed in Iceland, and from the Bibliography of the Icelandic Sagas here printed. But a clearer conception of the scope and extent of the collection will perhaps be obtained from the following general description of it, given by Mr. Fiske himself in No. V. Of his Bibliographical Notices. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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The current revival of interest in the rich and varied literature of early Scandinavia has prompted a corresponding interest in its background: its origins, social and historical context, and relationship to other medieval literatures. Even readers with a knowledge of Old Norse and Icelandic have found these subjects difficult to pursue, however, for up-to-date reference works in any language are few and none exist in English. To fill the gap, six distinguished scholars have contributed ambitious new essays to this volume. The contributors summarize and comment on scholarly work in the major branches of the field: Eddie and skaldic poetry, family and kings' sagas, courtly writing, and mythology. Taken together, their judicious and attractively written essays-each with a full bibliography-make up the first book-length survey of Old Norse literature in English and a basic reference work that will stimulate research in these areas and help to open up the field to a wider academic readership.

Iceland demonstrates most of the characteristics of a modern liberal democracy. It has maintained political stability through a democratic process which enjoys universal legitimacy. Rapid economic modernization has also secured its inhabitants one of the highest living standards in the world, and a comprehensive and highly developed health system has ensured them longevity and one of the lowest rates of infant mortality in the world. Icelanders face, however, formidable challenges in maintaining their status as an independent nation. First, the Icelandic economy is fairly fragile, as overexploitation threatens the fish stocks that remain among Iceland’s principal economic resources. Second, the country is rich in unused energy resources, because many of its rivers are still not harnessed, and geothermal power is abundant. But using these resources will necessarily damage the pristine nature of the country, forcing the politicians and the Icelandic public to choose between environmental protection and industrial expansion. Finally, it remains to be seen if a country with just over 329.740 inhabitants will be able to manage its foreign relations in a complex and constantly changing world. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Iceland contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 200 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Iceland.