Seawomen of Iceland: Survival on the Edge (Naomi B. Pascal Editor's Endowment) - Hardcover

Willson, Margaret

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0295995505 ISBN 13: 9780295995502

Publisher: University of Washington Press, 2016

Synopsis

Finalist for the 2017 Washington State Book Award in General Nonfiction / History

The plaque said this was the winter fishing hut of Thurídur Einarsdóttir, one of Iceland's greatest fishing captains, and that she lived from 1777 to 1863.

"Wait," anthropologist and former seawoman Margaret Willson said. "She??"

So began a quest. Were there more Icelandic seawomen? Most Icelanders said no, and, after all, in most parts of the world fishing is considered a male profession. What could she expect in Iceland?

She found a surprise. This book is a glimpse into the lives of vibrant women who have braved the sea for centuries. Their accounts include the excitement, accidents, trials, and tribulations of fishing in Iceland from the historic times of small open rowboats to today's high-tech fisheries. Based on extensive historical and field research, Seawomen of Iceland allows the seawomen's voices to speak directly with strength, intelligence, and - above all - a knowledge of how to survive.

This engaging ethnographic narrative will intrigue both general and academic readers interested in maritime culture, the anthropology of work, Nordic life, and gender studies.

About this title

Book Description

Seawomen of Iceland: courage, insight, and adventure, braving Arctic seas for a thousand years

About the Author

Margaret Willson is affiliate associate professor of anthropology and Canadian studies at the University of Washington. She is the author of Dance Lest We All Fall Down: Breaking Cycles of Poverty in Brazil and Beyond.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0295995505
• ISBN 13: 9780295995502
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 312