Andrew Evans (1) (1975–)

Thorough, informative, and witty, once again the Bradt guide was my trusted companion on an international adventure. Online travel sites have their place, especially for convenience, but nothing beats a well-written guidebook when venturing to points unknown, and I found the Iceland Bradt guide to excel. When my eyes were glazing over at all the 5-star and 1-star reviews for Reykjavík hotels (come on, they can't all be AMAZING! or WORST EVER!), the Bradt guide offered brief, honest appraisals along with price ranges, which made it much easier to winnow our choices. The section on cultural customs and mores cannot be oversold either. TripAdvisor won't tell you that Icelanders love to dress up for a night out, despite the freezing temps, or that punctuality is a must. The Iceland Bradt guide does, and we were the more comfortable travelers for the info. The book is also packed with historical and geographical information regarding Iceland's countless natural wonders, all of which we wanted to see if only time and money permitted.

Get thee a Bradt guide and then to Iceland!

… (mais)

Best for: Those traveling to Iceland who want some more history beyond a couple pages in the back of the book.

In a nutshell: Author Andrew Evans provides a (more than usual) in-depth history of Iceland before sharing standard guide-book fare.

Worth quoting:
“Iceland is the most literate country in the world and one out of every ten Icelanders will write a book in their lifetime.”
“Also, don’t bring a pair of shorts just in case it gets warm. It won’t.”

Why I chose it:
I’m heading to Iceland for a long weekend next month.

Review:
As I write this it is currently 94 degrees outside. In London. A place roundly mocked for being rainy and mild year round.

Ninety. Four. Degrees.

What I’m saying is, I CANNOT WAIT to get to Iceland, where it’s going to be in the low 50s. It’s possible I will be cold again soon.

Anyway, I bought this book awhile ago and then realized the trip was coming up quickly. I am not familiar with Bradt guides, so I figured I’d try it out on a low-stakes weekend away to see if it’s worth seeking out for longer trips in the future.

It definitely is.

I think I’ve said before that I appreciate guides that provide more than just the tourist info. And I don’t mean that I need hidden gems or whatever; I mean I want to know something about the place I’m going. And this guide delivers. The first four chapters - nearly a quarter of the book - focuses on the background, history, natural history, and practical information one needs when visiting Iceland.

The book then breaks the country down into a few regions, focusing on how to get around and then providing details on the towns in the region. The only area that took some getting used to was the “things to do” piece isn’t broken down the way it normally is. Instead of little chunks of info listed out (like the accommodation and restaurant sections), it’s more of a narrative, with the needed details (like opening hours) includes in parenthesis. Not my favorite way to get information, but a little easier to read.… (mais)