Product Key Word: Paradise Reclaimed

A captivating novel about an idealistic Icelandic farmer who embarks on a journey to Mormon Utah and back in search of paradise is brought to readers by the Nobel Prize winner. With a writing style full of earthy poetry and wisdom, the book combines magic and reality in a manner that is entirely Scandinavian, as praised by The New York Times Book Review. The introduction is written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres.

The protagonist of this forgotten gem is Steinar of Hlidar, a generous yet impoverished man who resides peacefully on a small farm in nineteenth-century Iceland with his wife and two beloved young children. However, his peaceful life is disrupted when he impulsively offers his children's cherished pure-white pony to the visiting King of Denmark, triggering a series of disastrous events that leave his family devastated. Steinar finds himself on the other side of the world, determinedly constructing a home for his family among the devout polygamists in Utah's Promised Land.

As the fragmented family eventually reunites, Laxness weaves his unique blend of compassion and comical satire into a moving and mesmerizing tale. The story is a masterful concoction of fable, folklore, and genuine truths, creating an enchanting narrative that captivates readers from start to finish.

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