The Öræf Herd. The Story of Reindeer in Iceland # 88708

The first reindeer were brought to Iceland from Finnmark in Norway in 1771 and were intended to be a lifeline for Icelanders during difficult times. In Öræfahjörðinn, Unnur Birna Karlsdóttir tells the story of reindeer in Iceland from the second half of the eighteenth century to the present day. The book is a comprehensive story of ideas that deals with both the reindeer themselves and the people's attitudes towards them.

Stories are told of the hard struggle for survival on reindeer trails, thrilling hunting trips and mixed attempts at reindeer husbandry. We must not forget the reindeer that used to roam in Þingeyjarsýsla, on the Reykjanes Peninsula and in Fljótshlíð but have now disappeared from view.

Unnur Birna Karlsdóttir (b. 1964) completed her PhD in history from the University of Iceland in 2010. She has published various academic works and articles on the relationship between humans and nature in Iceland. Her research on the history of reindeer in Iceland is her largest work in that field to date. Unnur Birna is the director of the University of Iceland Research Centre in East Iceland.

The book is adorned with a large number of photographs.