Woman, Captain, Rebel: The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain
Thurídur Einarsdóttir (1777-1863) was born in a hamlet on the harsh coast of Iceland, the child of a poor seasonal fishing and farming family. At age eleven, her parents allowed her to help in the family’s open rowboat. From that first trip running fishing line through her tiny fingers, she demonstrated a special talent at finding good fishing grounds. Soon she predicted when the weather would turn good or ugly and how best to navigate through big seas and treacherous landing areas. Crew members looked up to her, asked for her advice. By her mid-twenties and for decades after, she was the only female captain of Iceland’s fishing boats. In seas where drownings were common, she never lost one crewman.
Thurídur’s ability to see what most missed led her to solve an ugly home-invasion crime when the local authorities could not. Married three times, she took in and cared for children with special needs, helped run a major trading post, and corrected wrongs wherever she could help. Iceland’s male-centric society and the imperious governance out of Denmark never intimidated her.
Through rich details and beautiful sometimes poetic prose, Willson honors this remarkable, yet nearly forgotten, heroine. Willson’s account moves at the pace of a page-turning novel. It never bogs down in too much information, overdone scene-setting, or unnecessary history and avoids confusing time jumps. Willson used original records of weather and natural calamities. She quotes conversations from writings by those present. A map, detailed end notes, a glossary of names, and an afterword enhance the reader’s understanding. This exceptional biography does justice to the life of a unique woman, captain and rebel. Highly recommended.
