Dreamland: A Self-Help Manual for a Frightened Nation [Paperback]

My siblings gave me a copy of Dreamland for my birthday when I was in Iceland in 2006. As an environmental scientist who has lived abroad for almost 30 years I was fascinated that - finally - Andri Snaer was waking up the icelandic nation to what has been going on with regard to the relationship between "cheap" energy and the selling off of the unique nature of the island. In my own work related to environment and sustainability I have come to understand that awareness raising and truth telling is at the heart of leading change. Dreamland indeed soon became an all-time best seller in Iceland selling over 20,000 copies. For a nation of 300,000 this equates to selling 4 million copies in the UK.

Dreamland looks at ideas, what constitutes reality as well as ethics and the environment. Andri Snaer demonstrates love for nature, the nation and future generations. But he is also funny and makes you think. This is defininetely the most important environmental book published in Iceland and I'm certain that it will make many people in the English speaking world think also. The iconic musicians Bjork and Sigurros as well as National Geographic have taken up the baton from Dreamland and raised awareness about the issues discussed in the book.

I recommend Dreamland to everyone who cares about the planet and future generations. I also recommend it to anyone who wants to lead change towards a fairer and more sustainable future.

I came across the book on a recent trip to Iceland and thoroughly enjoyed its mix of humour, politics and rather grave subject matter - the flattening of Icelandic nature to make way for aluminium smelting plants so the rest of the word can carry on throwing away tin cans all day, every day.

But its not all serious (its less of a serious book about politics, more of a discussion down the pub about important things that you care about) and there are enough funny observations, witty asides and interesting explorations of things we take for granted to keep me reading solidly for several hours at a time.

If you have any interest in Iceland, nature, the environment or politics then I promise you won't regret buying Dreamland. I loved it.

Dreamland deals with subjects that can give most people a glazed look in a manner that makes them interesting and enthralling being written in generally short pithy chapters with wide margins for notes making it easy to read.

It is full of witty observations and word picture illustrations that make the reader view things they thought they knew about in a completely different light as the author takes the reader on a journey that questions the nature of reality and views it from a different perspective. In some cases it takes the skill of a comedian to show how ridiculous a position has been taken by organisations that are supposed to know better! The book made me laugh/cry and I was completely hooked - It was a page turner that could not be put down - gripping the reader!

The author looks at the underbelly of business and democracy and shows the reality of the greed of big business and govenment. It details the destruction of our planet in following the heavy industrial trail of carnage involved in smelting aluminium - questioning the relationships that are involved, the hiding of truth for gain, for expediency. It explains facts in a context that is easily grasped by both experts and the ordinary man/woman in the street. It questions our values as humans not as conditioned by lies - IT MAKES THE READER THINK DEEPLY!

The narrative leaves you breathless, stunned and amazed with facts and information - as an experienced engineer it provided me with information I was not aware of in fields I have had partial involvement with - it is without doubt one of the greatest works of the 21st century - truely ground-breaking. This book should be mandatory reading for all over the the age of 15 years - it should be in every school library - PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS IMPORTANT WORK OF LITERATURE!

Whilst I do not believe I am qualified to compare this book to others that cover a similar subject - I do however think that I have read widely... No book with the exception of the Bible has had a more profound effect on my outlook on life than this book...it would be fair to state that it serves to demonstrate the accuracy of the following scriptual references found at:-LUKE 21:25,26; ECCLESIASTES 8:9; GENESIS 6:11,12; 1 JOHN 5:19,20A; and REVELATION 11:18B!

In the end this snap shot of Iceland can be applied to the whole world society - on a realitively small scale it asks the READER TO LOOK AROUND AND FIND ANSWERS ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE - to upscale the reasoned auguments / the questions...In summary the book details and questions issues that not only effect the country of Iceland but bear well on issues that face mankind in general - it will be of interest to all; but environmentalists, lovers of nature and created beauty, engineers and anyone with an enquiring and open mind will find this book truely astonishing...PLEASE READ IT!