Overview

Iceland and the Sea: Fishing, Trade, and the North Atlantic World by Adrian E. Markham traces Iceland's enduring relationship with the ocean, from the first settlers who gathered driftwood on desolate shores to the modern fleets that carried its name across the world. The book explores how geography, isolation, and ingenuity shaped a maritime culture unlike any other in Europe. It follows the evolution of subsistence fishing into a thriving export trade, the rise of coastal settlements such as Hafnarfjörður and Eyrarbakki, and the far-reaching influence of English, German, and Danish merchants on Iceland's economy and society. Markham examines the dangers of the open sea, the rituals and faith that accompanied every voyage, and the resilience of coastal communities built on cooperation and endurance. Drawing on sagas, ship logs, trade records, and archaeological evidence, he reveals how Iceland's economy, politics, and national identity were bound to the sea. The narrative continues through the age of sail and steam, the cod fisheries that transformed Iceland into a modern nation, and the twentieth-century Cod Wars that asserted its maritime sovereignty. Clear, vivid, and deeply researched, Iceland and the Sea offers a sweeping portrait of a people who turned hardship into mastery and forged their destiny on the waves.

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