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Thoughts From Iceland: A Travelogue Comic
An autobiographical travelogue comic about Lonnie Mann's experiences on his first trip to Iceland. Originally published online as a webcomic, this book also contains new art and stories about his second trip, a glossary of Icelandic terms from the comic, and an Icelandic pronunciation guide.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
633 people want to read
About the author
Lonnie Mann
6 books49 followersI grew up doodling in class and reading comics outside of class.
Though I always knew I loved drawing, I didn’t realize how much I liked telling stories (and that I could combine those two passions) until I went back to school for a while at the School of Visual Arts in NYC.
My new full-length graphic novel about growing up gay and Orthodox Jewish, "Gaytheist: Coming Out of My Orthodox Childhood", will be released February 6, 2024 from Street Noise Books! Please consider pre-ordering it at your local comic shop / bookstore, online, and/or requesting it at your local library!
You can follow me on all the socials @LonnieComics.
Though I always knew I loved drawing, I didn’t realize how much I liked telling stories (and that I could combine those two passions) until I went back to school for a while at the School of Visual Arts in NYC.
My new full-length graphic novel about growing up gay and Orthodox Jewish, "Gaytheist: Coming Out of My Orthodox Childhood", will be released February 6, 2024 from Street Noise Books! Please consider pre-ordering it at your local comic shop / bookstore, online, and/or requesting it at your local library!
You can follow me on all the socials @LonnieComics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 30, 2015
In 2012, Lonnie Mann visited Iceland for a brief four days to create this comic of his experiences. He doesn’t do a whole lot on his trip. He hikes a glacier and falls over - that’s the drama - and then spends the rest of the time in cafes sampling fancy coffees and treats!
The drawing style is pleasant with its very colourful look and each day is accompanied with photo references. Also included is Mann’s second trip to Iceland (this time he went for a whole week!) which is covered by watercolours and paragraphs rather than as a comic strip.
To be fair to Mann, you do get a strong impression of having visited the place after reading this (Iceland seems charming and peaceful) as well as a good idea of Icelandic snacks! He’s an affable, enthusiastic host to listen to and there’s enough of a personal touch to the book to make it stand out individually. But the whole thing is a lot like watching a slideshow of someone’s holiday - and unfortunately not a terribly interesting one at that!
Perhaps some readers of slice-of-life comics and/or travelogues will get something out of this though I’d say this one has a very limited appeal even within those niche sub-genres.
The drawing style is pleasant with its very colourful look and each day is accompanied with photo references. Also included is Mann’s second trip to Iceland (this time he went for a whole week!) which is covered by watercolours and paragraphs rather than as a comic strip.
To be fair to Mann, you do get a strong impression of having visited the place after reading this (Iceland seems charming and peaceful) as well as a good idea of Icelandic snacks! He’s an affable, enthusiastic host to listen to and there’s enough of a personal touch to the book to make it stand out individually. But the whole thing is a lot like watching a slideshow of someone’s holiday - and unfortunately not a terribly interesting one at that!
Perhaps some readers of slice-of-life comics and/or travelogues will get something out of this though I’d say this one has a very limited appeal even within those niche sub-genres.
November 17, 2020
SOLO TRAVEL is a Thing.
Half my life ago (like legitimately, it's a bit shocking to realize) I traveled alone a LOT. I traveled across the country multiple times for college, and ended that chapter of my life with a solo trip to France and Italy. A little later in life, I took a solo road trip or two. I like traveling alone.
This book is a cute travel diary by a sweet-seeming white gay young professional. It's self-published, and I can tell, but it takes some effort for me to do so. The shape of the book is conducive to including two strips of content per page, with a few exceptions. The illustrations are full color, and recognizably computer-created. Many of the panels have voiceover style captions, and there are plenty of maps (!!) placed in various points of the book.
There's little explanation about the purpose of the trip, besides wanting to see the sights of Iceland. Mann gives us a day by day, activity by activity description of where he went, what he ate, and small incidents along the way. The bulk of the book covers a four-day trip, with a smaller section covering some elements of another trip, a year later.
I liked seeing the nitty gritty of what being in this unfamiliar place was like. Difficulties navigating, momentary crushes on the nice people you end up spending time with, the experience of experiencing things without a familiar filter by your side. I recognized how this feels.
Worth a read, for those interested in Iceland or the Travelogue form, at very least.
Half my life ago (like legitimately, it's a bit shocking to realize) I traveled alone a LOT. I traveled across the country multiple times for college, and ended that chapter of my life with a solo trip to France and Italy. A little later in life, I took a solo road trip or two. I like traveling alone.
This book is a cute travel diary by a sweet-seeming white gay young professional. It's self-published, and I can tell, but it takes some effort for me to do so. The shape of the book is conducive to including two strips of content per page, with a few exceptions. The illustrations are full color, and recognizably computer-created. Many of the panels have voiceover style captions, and there are plenty of maps (!!) placed in various points of the book.
There's little explanation about the purpose of the trip, besides wanting to see the sights of Iceland. Mann gives us a day by day, activity by activity description of where he went, what he ate, and small incidents along the way. The bulk of the book covers a four-day trip, with a smaller section covering some elements of another trip, a year later.
I liked seeing the nitty gritty of what being in this unfamiliar place was like. Difficulties navigating, momentary crushes on the nice people you end up spending time with, the experience of experiencing things without a familiar filter by your side. I recognized how this feels.
Worth a read, for those interested in Iceland or the Travelogue form, at very least.
April 7, 2026
un roman grafic drăguț, care te poartă prin obiective turistice importante din Islanda, iar la finalul lecturii ai impresia că le-ai vizitat și tu
este o lectură ușoară, dar care reușește să sublinieze asemănările și deosebirile dintre state. protagonistul fiind din America, sunt accentuate câteva discrepanțe între comportamentul americanilor și al europenilor, însă tocmai aceste diferențe atrag personajul înspre explorare
am aflat câteva lucruri chiar interesante despre Islanda, unul dintre ele fiind faptul că acolo nu există Mc Donald’s din 2009, când moneda națională a scăzut atât de mult încât nu reușea să acopere costurile de producție. probabil mănâncă mai sănătos, ceea ce ar trebui și noi să facem!!
este o lectură ușoară, dar care reușește să sublinieze asemănările și deosebirile dintre state. protagonistul fiind din America, sunt accentuate câteva discrepanțe între comportamentul americanilor și al europenilor, însă tocmai aceste diferențe atrag personajul înspre explorare
am aflat câteva lucruri chiar interesante despre Islanda, unul dintre ele fiind faptul că acolo nu există Mc Donald’s din 2009, când moneda națională a scăzut atât de mult încât nu reușea să acopere costurile de producție. probabil mănâncă mai sănătos, ceea ce ar trebui și noi să facem!!
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January 15, 2016Delightful and informative. I've always wanted to visit Iceland and this makes me want to go more. Even in winter! I've always wondered what fermented shark tastes like from an outside perspective.
September 17, 2017
The comics medium is diverse and capacious and, it turns out, one of the things it can do is present an unvarnished diary of a solo trip to Iceland. Lonnie Mann's experiences are typical of lone travellers everywhere - he wanders around, misses buses, eats a lot of cake (food features prominently here), has touristic experiences planned and unplanned. It's beautifully coloured and you do get some sense of what Iceland is like to visit (very nice). There's no plot, no drama, no theme, the arrangement of the material into a comic feels determinedly naturalistic. In its unassuming way this is one of the most unusual comics I've read.
August 7, 2015
An extremely detailed and personalised account of the author's vacation spent in Iceland, mostly within the Reykjavik area, using a very colourful graphical style.
By reading this book, you definitely get into the head space of the author, right down to the various moments of awkwardness or excitement that occur.
Some of my enjoyment may be influenced by nostalgia, as I recently took a trip to Iceland myself and also fell in love with the country and it's culture. Additionally, I share the author's terrible navigational skills when visiting a new place alone.
Correction: As of 2014, the Saga Museum is no longer located at The Pearl!
By reading this book, you definitely get into the head space of the author, right down to the various moments of awkwardness or excitement that occur.
Some of my enjoyment may be influenced by nostalgia, as I recently took a trip to Iceland myself and also fell in love with the country and it's culture. Additionally, I share the author's terrible navigational skills when visiting a new place alone.
Correction: As of 2014, the Saga Museum is no longer located at The Pearl!
October 11, 2015
Being an Icelandic expat in the US, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked both learning about the author's experience in Iceland and seeing the artwork of the familiar places.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Iceland.
I was very impressed how well the author caught the Icelandic words of things he tried and the places he saw. Of course, the camera doesn't forget anything! But it was more than that. But there were couple of little things he got wrong, like Icelanders learning English and Dutch, but it's Danish (although many study German as well - maybe the tour guide meant to say German).
I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Iceland.
I was very impressed how well the author caught the Icelandic words of things he tried and the places he saw. Of course, the camera doesn't forget anything! But it was more than that. But there were couple of little things he got wrong, like Icelanders learning English and Dutch, but it's Danish (although many study German as well - maybe the tour guide meant to say German).
November 7, 2017
Didn’t really care for this travelogue, most likely as I’m comparing it to Lucy Knisley’s work, where she manages to blend together memories and still immerse the readers in her journeys. This, instead, felt like tiny snapshots of what he did on his trip, with his narrative laid on top. If it had been written/drawn in a more flexible style, where we’re in the moment with him, with a full-page spread of the breathtaking glacier, this travelogue would’ve done more for me. But I did like the cute, minimal drawing style.
January 19, 2017
this is getting a 4 and not a 3 because i love iceland and its clear that Lonnie loves Iceland too so i enjoyed seeing his artistic recreations of the landscape.
HOWEVER. He needs a thesaurus. I got reaaaaaaaal tired of his descriptions saying "it was quite lovely", "this place was crazy cool", and "it was pretty neat". it was as if he was using general text speak. i kept thinking, "that's all? that's all you can muster?".
his writing style really needed work but his art is incredible.
HOWEVER. He needs a thesaurus. I got reaaaaaaaal tired of his descriptions saying "it was quite lovely", "this place was crazy cool", and "it was pretty neat". it was as if he was using general text speak. i kept thinking, "that's all? that's all you can muster?".
his writing style really needed work but his art is incredible.
June 20, 2017
i picked this up at the meltdown comic store in LA. it was on the shelf for "local artists/zines", neither of which is really true, but i bought it because a) i want to go to iceland b) the lucy knisley quote on the back and c) i love memoir comics, especially in full color! overall, a really fun read and i'm glad i found it. i'll look for more from mann in the future.
September 26, 2016
Mann really portrayed Iceland well and has me itching for another trip there sooner rather than later. The first half covers his first trip to Iceland in standard comic panels. The second half recaps snapshots of his second trip in watercolor paintings with longer captions.
The perfect read before we see Sigur Ros this weekend.
The perfect read before we see Sigur Ros this weekend.
December 21, 2015
So, in his book, Lonnie mentions talking with another tourist and planning a return trip WHILE STILL IN ICELAND. Which is my exact experience. I think I even visited a few of the places Lonnie had been, and ugh...I want to go back so bad. And I've only been away for 7 months!
August 5, 2015
This comic really made me want to go back to Iceland.
August 5, 2015
A sweet and informative graphic novel about the author's trip to Reykjavik.
September 6, 2015
Utterly charming and captures many of the same feelings I had on my trips to Iceland. ❤️
December 30, 2015
A nicely illustrated and entertaining travelogue.
December 30, 2017
Warning - reading this will make you want to go to Iceland.
December 3, 2018
A bit on the naive side but I liked it. I mean, Americans seem always a bit naive when they travel overseas. The are surprised by so little things; whereas Europeans seem to be more navigate when they get across the pond. Maybe this depends on the amount of US cultural produtcs we're exposed to.
In 2012 Lonnie Mann took a short trip to Iceland and made a short comic about his experience.
First thing: Lonnie, get a map!! A real one, made of paper! It's way more useful than a cell phone, it works without Wi-Fi and it becomes a nice keepsake when you're back home. For instance, I still have my NY subway map nicely folded on my writing desk.
I really like the part about the Icelandic snacks. It gives a unique flavor to the travelouge. I was less interested in Lonnie's attempt at making friends but I love the part when he decides to learn Icelandic.
I read it on the Kindle app for PC and sometimes I had troubles making out the little writings on the screen. Otherwise it was a good comics. It kind of reminded me of Lucy Knisley.
I had the chance to go to Iceland back when I was 14, around 1998. I didin't got there because the trip foresaw sleeping in sleeping bags... And I didn't feel like it back then. I still regret it!
In 2012 Lonnie Mann took a short trip to Iceland and made a short comic about his experience.
First thing: Lonnie, get a map!! A real one, made of paper! It's way more useful than a cell phone, it works without Wi-Fi and it becomes a nice keepsake when you're back home. For instance, I still have my NY subway map nicely folded on my writing desk.
I really like the part about the Icelandic snacks. It gives a unique flavor to the travelouge. I was less interested in Lonnie's attempt at making friends but I love the part when he decides to learn Icelandic.
I read it on the Kindle app for PC and sometimes I had troubles making out the little writings on the screen. Otherwise it was a good comics. It kind of reminded me of Lucy Knisley.
I had the chance to go to Iceland back when I was 14, around 1998. I didin't got there because the trip foresaw sleeping in sleeping bags... And I didn't feel like it back then. I still regret it!
August 17, 2018
A friend picked this book up for me because of my obsession with Iceland and dream of visiting there art some point. Lonnie is a queer man living in NYC who goes on a brief vacation in Iceland during the winter and writes a comic about it. It starts off pretty slow and is mostly about what he eats (including whale meat, by the way). Eventually I started to be interested in the story, and then at the airport to return to NYC, he realizes he is in the security line right in front of Jonsi (of Sigur Ros) and his boyfriend Alex! And they get a picture together. It's basically my dream come true.
When he gets back to NYC, Lonnie takes Icelandic language lessons and makes a second trip back, which he only describes with photographs. I really wish that the book had either made that second part (the lessons and the second trip) as expanded as the first trip was, or that there was a whole second book. I think the story would have benefited if the second half had been as extensive as the first.
When he gets back to NYC, Lonnie takes Icelandic language lessons and makes a second trip back, which he only describes with photographs. I really wish that the book had either made that second part (the lessons and the second trip) as expanded as the first trip was, or that there was a whole second book. I think the story would have benefited if the second half had been as extensive as the first.
August 31, 2017
This was...kinda perfect to be honest with you. I loved it.
I've been to Iceland twice. The first was a solo trip after losing a job, and while it was good to get away, it was also the first time I'd left the US on a trip--so I definitely experienced some loneliness and small bits of homesickness. I recognized just about all of the places in this comic and in some cases had identical experiences.
Reading this brought back many good memories, and made me consider it could soon be time for another trip to Iceland.
I've been to Iceland twice. The first was a solo trip after losing a job, and while it was good to get away, it was also the first time I'd left the US on a trip--so I definitely experienced some loneliness and small bits of homesickness. I recognized just about all of the places in this comic and in some cases had identical experiences.
Reading this brought back many good memories, and made me consider it could soon be time for another trip to Iceland.
November 23, 2018
A quick underwhelming read. The concept was cute as were the doodles. It felt like a grade school journal, brief captions of his small experiences in Iceland. I definitely felt that I was skimming the work of a beginner who will hopefuly grow into more maturity in his writing over time. I wish him well as he develops his craft. PS: Reading this on a Kindle definitely compromises the artwork experience.
May 6, 2018
What a wonderful travelogue. It’s super immersive. I love the maps, drawings, watercolor and photographs. I felt like I was actually there with Lonnie, and I was confused when I was driving around after finishing the book. Like.... “wait... this isn’t Iceland. Where am I?”
Also this makes me want to visit Iceland even more!
Also this makes me want to visit Iceland even more!
August 10, 2018
3.5 stars
What a fun idea. A short comic collection detailing the author's experiences over two trips to Iceland. Very casual, nothing outstanding, but really familiar in the way that you could see yourself having many of the same incidents and conversations that he does. I recognized a lot of places from my own trip to Iceland which always adds to the delight.
What a fun idea. A short comic collection detailing the author's experiences over two trips to Iceland. Very casual, nothing outstanding, but really familiar in the way that you could see yourself having many of the same incidents and conversations that he does. I recognized a lot of places from my own trip to Iceland which always adds to the delight.
November 10, 2017
I liked the drawings, but the writing was way too surface-level for my liking. There were a lot of missed opportunities to reflect, comment, analyze. It was less "thoughts from Iceland" and more like "what I did in Iceland".
May 5, 2018
What an enjoyable read! Iceland has been on my travel list for a long time and Lonnie Mann brought the images home. I liked his urban explorations. I wish the graphic novel had been longer. Looking forward to more from Lonnie Mann.
August 13, 2017
Gave me some insight into a country I don't know much about. The author's voice is genuine and sweet.
December 31, 2018
I enjoyed it, but I thought there could have been some more detail or more from his second trip to Iceland that he mentions at the end of the story.
June 23, 2020
This was such a cute graphic novel that makes me want to visit Iceland all the more. ^_^
December 31, 2022
It was wordier than I expected but very educational.
March 12, 2017
Aw, I loved this one! The writing is personable, sweet, and honest, and I enjoyed reading about the glacier hike, the many restaurants and cafes, and his attempts to connect with the locals. It was a pleasant surprise to find this was really two travelogues in one--he returns to Iceland a second time and chronicles that trip with some lovely paintings and commentary. I picked this up at Outsider Comics in Seattle (along with a comic about narwhals--seemed like a good pair).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews