Vignettes X contains twenty four stories about Iceland\u2019s new age Vikings, their unbridled greed, the collapse of the banks, the recession, and the consequences of a man-made catastrophe on both individuals and the Icelandic nation. There are also ten tales relating directly to the author\u2019s family in the years 1850\u20132000 that tell of their daily lives and struggles. These are people who worked hard work to survive and\u00a0 who laid the basis for national independence and prosperity with a belief in their country as their guiding light. The remaining nine vignettes are varied in their content. \u00c1rmann Reynisson\u2019s vignettes employ an innovatory form and have won a reputation for themselves both in Iceland and abroad. Brief but pithy, always contained within the space of a page, they open a vista into a larger world.\u00a0 They make excellent reading material either for contemplation or can read out loud, depending on the occasion in hand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"