Fish have no feet : a family history

Keflavik: a town that has been called the darkest place in Iceland, surrounded by black lava fields, hemmed in by a sea that may not be fished. Its livelihood depends entirely on a U.S. military base, a conduit for American influences that shaped Icelandic culture and ethics from the 1950s to the dawning of the new millennium. It is to Keflavik that Ari - a writer and publisher - returns from Copenhagen at the behest of his dying father, two years after walking out on his wife and children. He is beset by memories of his youth, spent or misspent listening to Pink Floyd and the Beatles, fraternising with American servicemen - who are regarded by the locals with a mixture of admiration and contempt - and discovering girls. There is one girl in particular he could never forget - her fate has stayed with him all his life. Lost in grief and nostalgia, he is also caught up in the story of how his grandparents fell in love in Nordfjordur on the eastern coast, a fishing village a world away from modern Keflavik, at time when the old ways still held sway. Their tragic love affair unfolded against the backdrop of Iceland's harsh nature and unforgiving elements. Fish have no Feet is at once the story of a singular family and an epic of Icelandic history and culture. It offers an unique insight into modern Iceland, and the ways in which it has been shaped by outside influences. A sparkling novel of love, pain, loss and lifelong desire that marries the poetic, elemental style of Heaven and Hell , The Sorrow of Angels and The Heart of Man to a modern frame of reference and sensibility. Keflavik: A Town That Has Been Called The Darkest Place In Iceland, Surrounded By Black Lava Fields, Hemmed In By A Sea That May Not Be Fished. Its Livelihood Depends Entirely On A U.s. Military Base, A Conduit For American Influences That Shaped Icelandic Culture And Ethics From The 1950s To The Dawning Of The New Millennium. It Is To Keflavik That Ari - A Writer And Publisher - Returns From Copenhagen At The Behest Of His Dying Father, Two Years After Walking Out On His Wife And Children. He Is Beset By Memories Of His Youth, Spent Or Misspent Listening To Pink Floyd And The Beatles, Fraternising With American Servicemen - Who Are Regarded By The Locals With A Mixture Of Admiration And Contempt - And Discovering Girls. There Is One Girl In Particular He Could Never Forget - Her Fate Has Stayed With Him All His Life. Lost In Grief And Nostalgia, He Is Also Caught Up In The Story Of How His Grandparents Fell In Love In Nordfjordur On The Eastern Coast, A Fishing Village A World Away From Modern Keflavik, At Time When The Old Ways Still Held Sway. Their Tragic Love Affair Unfolded Against The Backdrop Of Iceland's Harsh Nature And Unforgiving Elements. Jón Kalman Stefansson ; Translated From The Icelandic By Philip Roughton. Translated From The Icelandic. Longlisted For The Man Booker International Prize 2017 Keflavik: A Town That May Be The Darkest Place In Iceland, Surrounded By Black Lava Fields, Hemmed In By A Sea That May Not Be Fished, And Site Of The U.s. Military Base, Whose Influences Shaped Icelandic Culture From The '50s To The Dawning Of The New Millennium. Ari - A Writer And Publisher - Lands Back In Keflavik From Copenhagen. His Father Is Dying, And He Is Flooded By Memories Of His Youth In The '70s And '80s, Listening To Pink Floyd And The Beatles, Raiding American Supply Lorries And Discovering Girls. And One Girl He Could Never Forget. Layered Through Ari's Story Is That Of His Grandparents In A Village On The Eastern Coast, A World Away From Modern Keflavik. For His Grandfather Oddur, Life At Sea Was A Destiny; For Margrét Its Elemental Power Brings Only Loneliness And Fear. Both The Story Of A Singular Family And An Epic That Sparkles With Love, Pain And Lifelong Desire - With All Of Human Life - Fish Have No Feet Is A Novel Of Profound Beauty And Wisdom By A Major International Writer. By The Author Of The Acclaimed Trilogy, Heaven And Hell, The Sorrow Of Angels And The Heart Of Man. A poetic, elemental yet modern Icelandic family saga spanning the whole of Iceland's 20th-century history, by the country's most distinguished and distinctive contemporary writer