Adventures in 19th-century Iceland : Les Fumerolles de Thulé

And now for something completely different… Today it is time to reveal what my big project was all about…

My friend Guillaume and I started a discussion one day on how broad and eclectic our subjects of interest were and how difficult it was to find a thread to make sense of them all. We both enjoyed writing, were captivated by nineteenth century literature and beautiful books with engravings from this period. Besides, I was fascinated by Iceland and the Icelandic language while Guillaume would spend hours copying Olaus Magnus‘ Carta Marina.

One day we  decided to board a brig heading towards northern latitudes and see where it would lead us. The journey was a long and perilous one, the outcome uncertain… After more than a year of brain turmoil, writing whirlwinds, and drawing maelströms, a book was born : Les Fumerolles de Thulé.

Guillaume, who has co-written Les Fumerolles de Thulé with me, has also richly illustrated our book with beautiful ink drawings.  The book is written in our native language, French, and not yet translated, but here is a synopsis :

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, a young couple set for Iceland to try and escape life in a city where rules and social conventions constrain them. In Islandia, they discover a country with dramatic landscapes where Nature is at the forefront, a country where myths and legends abound, a place where their imaginations can spurt freely.  A series of events and encounters will incite them to head even further North…