Icelanders Arrive and Strive - A Manitoba Story

Book excerpt: Since the Viking era, Icelandic emigrants have been forging new paths and communities. Icelanders Arrive and Strive – A Manitoba Story shares, through the journey of one family, the story of how Icelandic immigrants settled in Canada and shaped the country's history. Author Robert C. A. Frederickson connects a personal history—full of memorable characters at momentous moments—to the broader story of how Canada came to be. His great grandparents, Fridjon and Gudny Fridriksson, played a significant part in Manitoba’s development through pioneering, community building, interacting with key historic figures, such as Lord Dufferin, and paving the way for the legal and political contributions of their son-in-law, Thomas Hermann Johnson, who became one of Manitoba’s most popular politicians and contributed to major liberal legislative achievements. Set shortly after Confederation, between 1872 and 1927, this epic of nation building is a model for modern times, showcasing strength, courage, liberalism, humanitarianism, and moderation in leadership and governance. The first historical chronicle of the series, New Iceland and Beyond—A 175-Year Icelandic-Canadian Saga, this book sets the stage for recounting the ongoing adventures of Icelandic descendants in Manitoba and across the country and globe.