More About SAMTÖL CONVERSATIONS

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SAMTÖL CONVERSATIONS has its origin in those imaginary conversations between individuals, in simple everyday speech, that students typically see and are asked to imitate when they begin learning a foreign language. Wes made use of such conversations in Icelandic textbooks, but then, for fun, started writing new ones himself to learn additional vocabulary and grammar. Over time, the conversations seemed to take on a life of their own. They became lengthier, used some speakers who were dead or purely imagined (or even were animals or inanimate objects), and also contained narrative, meditative and confessional subject matter. Iceland’s past history, current culture, geography and tourist attractions came to be included as subjects too. More mysteriously, it seemed, the conversations ultimately morphed into poems, in the long tradition of conversation poetry. As a reader, you now are invited to join in on all these conversations, as you meet, among others, a friendly elf woman, a supposedly dead glacier, a very flirtatious barista, a Polish Yule Lad, a sardonic cat, a murderous beach, and a twelfth-century woman scholar.

Skálda Bókabúð, Vesturgata 10, Reykjavík

Bóksala Stúdenta, Háskóli Íslands, Reykjavík

Bókakaffið, Austurvegur 22, Selfoss

Simply Scandinavian, 19 Temple St., Portland

Gulf of Maine Books, 134 Maine St., Brunswick

Stone Broke Bread & Books, 347 Water St., Gardiner