Nancy Marie Brown

In the early 1800s, on a Hebridean beach in Scotland, the sea exposed an ancient treasure cache: 93 chessmen carved from walrus ivory. Norse netsuke, each face individual, each full of quirks, the Lewis Chessmen are probably the most famous chess pieces in the world. Harry played Wizard's Chess with them in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Housed at...

A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITOR'S CHOICE "An impassioned, informative love letter to Iceland." —New York Times Book Review "This compelling and highly readable book offers a thought-provoking examination of nature of belief itself" —Bookpage, starred review In exploring how Icelanders interact with nature—and their idea that elves live among us—Nancy Marie Brown shows us how altering our perceptions...