Jonathan Brand, a graduate student in anthropology, has decided to do his fieldwork in the remote Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic. B...
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Sep 11, 2007
Jamie
rated it: 
I have spent my summer furiously and rapidly reading a spate of excellent books, and this was my favorite. This was one that I had seen prominently displayed at the public library's randomly chosen display of "Paperback fun!". I actually felt guilty when I checked it out (because the cover is emblazoned with "BY THE AUTHOR OF GIRL INTERRUPTED" - a book that I didn't read that was made into an imperfect movie that I assumed was written and consumed by the type of person who g
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Aug 01, 2011
Not a bad book at all. There were some parts that I had to skim due to the fact that it was so much useless details that had nothing to do with the overall story, but that is just my personal distaste, I'm sure others enjoy tremendous amounts of details in their stories, with me, I am content knowing that there is a green hill and a man on the top of it, not that there is a single red flower with red ants, their antlers holding on to a single green leaf, etc.
I recommend this book to be read, bec More...
I recommend this book to be read, bec More...
Jan 21, 2010
Trilby
rated it: 
A sort of graduate-student Bildungsroman, this novel centers on the protagonist's year in the Faroe Islands working on his dissertation.
I was pretty excited when I got this book as a gift from my friend Pat, whose college friend at Cornell provided the model for Kaysen's main character, Jonathan Brand. After all, I love all things Northern Atlantic (read: Iceland) and the Faroes are just smaller, more exotic Icelands, right? Well, not quite.
Since I have never been to the Faroes More...
I was pretty excited when I got this book as a gift from my friend Pat, whose college friend at Cornell provided the model for Kaysen's main character, Jonathan Brand. After all, I love all things Northern Atlantic (read: Iceland) and the Faroes are just smaller, more exotic Icelands, right? Well, not quite.
Since I have never been to the Faroes More...
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Nov 29, 2010
Ann
rated it:
Sooooo much fun! raed a few years ago....this is the woman who wrote the autobiography, "Girl Interrupted". Int his case the book is fictional, takes place on the Faroe Islands off the coast of Iceland. It is the story of an anthropology student who goes there to study the locals and ends up in a relationship/romance while there. It is witty, smart and great fun to read.
Apr 04, 2011
i got to page 29, where our intrepid, and whiny, anthropologist phd student has been invited to his first supper with and "authentic" Faroese, and he and his host are chatting and the Faroese says (in english)they burn "pat" for fuel and its the land. you have to cut it out of the land but you can keep warm and cook with it.
the anthro has NO IDEA what he's talking about. i closed book.
the anthro has NO IDEA what he's talking about. i closed book.
Jun 16, 2010
Ellen
rated it:
neat to learn about the Faroes. The book was slow for me to get into, but I enjoyed the scenery enough to keep going. In the end, I liked it fine. Not earth-shaking for sure, but nice company.
Dec 11, 2011
Wendy
rated it: 
The writing lacks a flow. This book put me to sleep every time I picked it up and I finally gave up after getting one quarter of the way through. Life is too short to waste so I'm off to the more promising books on my reading list!
Feb 13, 2009
SmarterLilac
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Curious and thoughtful, it's a far cry from "Girl, Interrupted."
Jun 10, 2008
Elin
rated it:
A re-read for me, but very good, and I appreciated it more this time. About an anthrolpolgy grad student who goes to remote islands in Scandinavia to study a culture that has remained fairly unchanged by technologic progress for 100 years. He spends a year there, and is forced to re-examine himself and his motives as well as he realizes "what the f** am I doing here?"
Nov 16, 2010
Christie
rated it:
An engaging book about the nature of civilization, and about being an "outsider" living abroad. Very readable. Surprisingly, I was able to better understand the ritual whale kill that takes place in the Faroe Islands after reading this book. (Still horrific, but the tradition is more complex than I would have imagined before reading this book.)
Jun 04, 2011
Josey
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This is a humorous book that I would enjoy reading again. It is a story about a young man who goes to the Faroe Islands to apply his archeological skills and finds himself really having to adapt, but the natives there are more than willing to teach him. It is quite humorous at times.
Jan 22, 2008
Suzanne
rated it:
I was a bit skeptical of this book when it was recommended to me, but I really enjoyed it. Based on the subject matter (a Harvard grad doing research in the remote Faroe Islands), I didn't think it would be so interesting. Thanks for the great recommendation, Dana!
Nov 26, 2007
Hena
rated it: 
I usually don't really enjoy books written in the first person from a male's perspective, but this one was an exception. What happens when an overachieving Harvard grad student ends up in the middle of nowhere in Iceland for research?
Dec 17, 2009
Someone I met in a youth hostel in Italy gave me this book after hearing me talk about my crazy adventures in Poland. She figured I could relate to the main character. Oh, I sure could!
Jun 06, 2011
Lena
rated it:
Picked it up by accident and enjoyed every minute of it's account of Farosen's way of life the Faroe Islands, north atlantic
Feb 24, 2008
Megan
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I really enjoyed this account of an anthropologist's year on the Faroe islands. Of course, it made me want to go there.
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