New York Review Of Books

New York Review Of Books

English

“What an original and haunting book! William Morris’s account of his journey through Iceland is touching, quick, vivid, often very funny, while Lavinia Greenlaw’s spare commentary acts as a kind of brilliant x-ray into the deep structures of travel itself. Combined, they form a work of strange and rare enchantment.” —James Lasdun“Morris’s journals...are precious and unique because they are so simply and beautifully written with the informed sense of wonder of a deeply learned and sophisticated man. No one except Ruskin has ever put the case for beauty with such vehemence and clarity.” —Ian McQueen, The Guardian   “At a time of endless half-truths and moral shilly-shallying, Morris’s eccentric integrity shines out.” —Fiona MacCarthy   “Greenlaw has brilliantly found a new form for writing about Morris, and for this we can only be grateful.” —Tony Pinkney, William Morris Unbound Blog   “The best book of travel written by an English poet is William Morris’s Icelandic Journal.” —Geoffrey Grigson