Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World

by Eliza Reid, Jane Smiley (Foreword by)

Overview

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!

A New York Times Book Review Editor's Pick

"Secrets of the Sprakkar is a fascinating window into what a more gender-equal world could look like, and why it's worth striving for. Iceland is doing a lot to level the playing field: paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and broad support for gender equality as a core value. Reid takes us on an exploration not only around this fascinating island, but also through the triumphs and stumbles of a country as it journeys towards gender equality."

—Hillary Rodham Clinton

Iceland is the best place on earth to be a woman—but why?

For the past twelve years, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report has ranked Iceland number one on its list of countries closing the gap in equality between men and women. What is it about Iceland that makes many women's experience there so positive? Why has their society made such meaningful progress in this ongoing battle, from electing the world's first female president to passing legislation specifically designed to help even the playing field at work and at home? And how can we learn from what Icelanders have already discovered about women's powerful place in society and how increased fairness benefits everyone?

Eliza Reid, the First Lady of Iceland, examines her adopted homeland's attitude toward women—the deep-seated cultural sense of fairness, the influence of current and historical role models, and, crucially, the areas where Iceland still has room for improvement. Reid's own experience as an immigrant from small-town Canada who never expected to become a first lady is expertly interwoven with interviews with dozens of sprakkar ("extraordinary women") to form the backbone of an illuminating discussion of what it means to move through the world as a woman, and how the rules of society play more of a role in who we view as "equal" than we may understand. Secrets of the Sprakkar is a powerful and atmospheric portrait of a tiny country that could lead the way forward for us all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728259413
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	03/08/2023
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	199,734
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

Author's Note ix

Chapter 1 An Immigrant in Iceland 1

Chapter 2 Helping Parents Helps Us All 22

The Saga-Era Sprakki Who Defied Convention 45

Chapter 3 The Strength in Sisterhood 47

Chapter 4 Stigma-Free Sexuality 70

The No-Holds-Barred Sprakki of the Middle Ages 93

Chapter 5 Claiming the Corporate Purse Strings 95

Chapter 6 Being Seen and Heard in the Media 117

The Undaunted Sprakki Who Fought for Nature 137

Chapter 7 Finding Harmony in the Wild 140

Chapter 8 Art as an Instrument of Equality 160

The Sprakkar Who Rallied a Nation 183

Chapter 9 No Woman Is an Island 186

The Sprakki Who Shattered the Glass Ceiling 206

Chapter 10 Politics on Her Own Terms 209

Chapter 11 Within Reach 231

Acknowledgments 248

Appendix 1 List of Interviews 252

Appendix 2 Further Reading 255

Reading Group Guide 258

Endnotes 261

Index 271

About the Author 278

Editorial Reviews

11/15/2021

Reid, a Canadian who is married to the president of Iceland, combines memoir, feminist history, and travelogue in this immersive look at what makes her adopted home “the planet’s finest country for women.” Sprakkar, in the title, refers to an ancient Icelandic term for “extraordinary or outstanding women,” among them former president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, the “world’s first democratically elected female head of state” in 1980, and Jamaican immigrant Claudia Ashanie Wilson, who in 2016 became the first foreign-born woman to pass the bar exam and qualify as a practicing attorney in Iceland. Reid also recalls meeting her future husband, historian Gudni Jóhannesson, while studying at Oxford in 1998, and recounts his meteoric rise to the presidency after the 2016 “Panama Papers” scandal implicated the country’s prime minister and cabinet members. Throughout, Reid reflects on Iceland’s history, generous parental leave policy, and strengths as a nation of less than 370,000 people (“change is easier to demand, to implement, and to measure”), while offering an intimate look at her career and life as a mother of four. Laced with frank discussions of domestic abuse, intersectionality, and other complex issues, this is a winning portrait of a country at the forefront of the fight for gender equality. Agent: Samantha Haywood, Transatlantic Literary. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Secrets of the Sprakkar is a fascinating window into what a more gender-equal world could look like, and why it’s worth striving for. Iceland is doing a lot to level the playing field: paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and broad support for gender equality as a core value. Reid takes us on an exploration not only around this fascinating island, but also through the triumphs and stumbles of a country as it journeys towards gender equality."—Hillary Rodham Clinton

"With warmth, wit, and insight, First Lady Eliza Reid explores the reasons why Iceland is one of the best places on earth for women, as well as the challenges still ahead in achieving full gender equity. Secrets of the Sprakkar is an illuminating, inspiring, and absorbing book about how a more equitable society could elevate us all." — Cheryl Strayed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wild

"A warm and intimate exploration of what one small country can teach the world about gender equality. Eliza Reid charts her personal journey from a Canadian farm to Iceland’s Presidential Residence and along the way proves to be the best possible guide to the historical, geographical and cultural factors that helped women thrive and built a vibrant modern society." — Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author

"The fact that the Icelandic language includes the word ‘sprakkar’—an ancient term that translates to mean ‘extraordinary women’––in its lexicon tells you a great deal about the country of Iceland. And in her marvelous memoir, Eliza Reid tells us a great deal more: not only about her life in Iceland, but also about gender equality in action, and the sense of purpose that all of us seek. This is a charming and necessary book." — Meg Wolitzer, New York Times bestselling author

"What a world of possibilities Eliza Reid unveils in this warm and wonderful book! It made me want to pack my bags and move to Iceland." — Ruth Reichl, New York Times bestselling author of Save Me the Plums

"Charting her own love of the nation and her journey to becoming its First Lady, alongside histories of other formidable women, Eliza Reid’s Secrets of the Sprakkar sheds light on Iceland’s unique approach to gender equity – an emblematic look at what’s possible in the fight for women’s rights worldwide. A fascinating, hopeful and inspiring read." — Esi Edugyan, bestselling author of Washington Black

"Everyone who visits Iceland quickly learns that the little country contains some of the world’s most extraordinary women, their lives rooted in a social and political culture that nurtures equality between men and women without ignoring the pleasures and complexities of family life. It’s a pleasure to see that culture marked out for us through the sometimes wry but always beautifully personal and perceptive lens of the remarkable Eliza Reid." — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker staff writer

"A breath of fresh Icelandic air! Eliza Reid crafts a highly original, warm and honest journey into the heart of the small Nordic island nation and its rich culture and history, creating an empowering read on how striving for equality can improve everyone’s lives." — Katja Pantzar, author of The Finnish Way

"Reading Secrets of the Sprakkar is like sitting down with your favorite, smartest, warmest girlfriend and hearing all about the extraordinary women, history, and culture of her tiny adopted country. Reid celebrates Iceland and its attitudes toward women while also discussing where it has some room for improvement. By the time I finished this book, I felt I had traveled to Iceland and gotten to know its beauty and quirks and, most importantly, its sprakkar." — Ann Hood

"The fact that the Icelandic language includes the word ‘sprakkar’—an ancient term that translates to mean ‘extraordinary women’––in its lexicon tells you a great deal about the country of Iceland. And in her marvelous memoir, Eliza Reid tells us a great deal more: not only about her life in Iceland, but also about gender equality in action, and the sense of purpose that all of us seek. This is a charming and necessary book." — Meg Wolitzer, New York Times bestselling author

"Iceland is full of extraordinary women, and in this delightful and engaging book Eliza Reid will introduce you to many of them. Prepare to be charmed and enlightened by the sprakkar, and their secrets for living meaningful and fulfilling lives. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself booking a trip to visit." — Elizabeth Renzetti

"An intimate and inspiring glimpse into a better world for women—and for us all. Eliza Reid’s Iceland is utterly captivating." — Alison Pick, Man Booker Prize nominated author of Far to Go

"Laced with frank discussions of domestic abuse, intersectionality, and other complex issues, this is a winning portrait of a country at the forefront of the fight for gender equality." — Publishers Weekly

"Reid... is uniquely placed to observe the country which leads the world in gender equality, providing generous parenting leave, abundant childcare, and free prenatal services... The tiny country of Iceland should serve as an inspiration to the rest of the world.

" — Booklist

"Reid’s style is amusing, her thoughts are honest, and the issues she discusses are becoming more important by the day." — The Washington Post

"Insightful and encouraging." — Stacey Lindsay, senior editor of Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper

"Insightful and encouraging." — Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper

"First Lady of Iceland, Eliza Reid, has compiled here a daring, insightful, often humourous and often fascinating look at women in Iceland. Drawing from personal experiences that are often relatable in their vulnerability, she interweaves her own story with the words of other women, deliberately seeking out those women often overlooked in feminist discourse in this country. In between, she offers historical accounts of powerful Icelandic women over the ages. It’s a real page-turner and one that everyone should read, regardless of gender. " — Reykjavík Grapevine

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