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Woman, Captain, Rebel
The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain
A daring and magnificent historical narrative nonfiction account of Iceland’s most famous female sea captain who constantly fought for women’s rights and equality—and who also solved one of the country’s most notorious robberies.
Every day was a fight for survival, equality, and justice for Iceland’s most renowned female fishing captain of the 19th century.
History would have us believe the sea has always been a male realm, the idea of female captains almost unthinkable. But there is one exception, so notable she defies any expectation.
This is her remarkable story.
Captain Thurídur, born in Iceland in 1777, lived a life that was both controversial and unconventional. Her first time fishing, on the open unprotected rowboats of her time, was at age 11. Soon after, she audaciously began wearing trousers. She later became an acclaimed fishing captain brilliant at weather-reading and seacraft and consistently brought in the largest catches. In the Arctic seas where drownings occurred with terrifying regularity, she never lost a single crewmember. Renowned for her acute powers of observation, she also solved a notorious crime. In this extremely unequal society, she used the courts to fight for justice for the abused, and in her sixties, embarked on perilous journeys over trackless mountains.
Weaving together fastidious research and captivating prose, Margaret Willson reveals Captain Thurídur’s fascinating story, her extraordinary courage, intelligence, and personal integrity.
Through adventure, oppression, joy, betrayal, and grief, Captain Thurídur speaks a universal voice. Here is a woman so ahead of her times she remains modern and inspirational today. Her story can now finally be told.
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Praise for Woman, Captain, Rebel:
“Meticulously researched and evocatively written, Woman, Captain, Rebel provides not only a captivating insight into 19th-century Iceland, but also introduces readers to the inspirational, real-life fishing captain Thurídur, a tough and fiercely independent woman who deserves to be a role model of determination and perseverance for us all.” — Eliza Reid, internationally bestselling author of Secrets of the Sprakkar
“An earnest and admiring biography of pioneering Icelandic fishing captain Thurídur Einarsdóttir … Throughout, Willson draws from Iceland’s rich storytelling tradition to evoke Thurídur’s intelligence, courage, and ‘pithy wit’ and to describe life in the island’s rural communities. This earthy portrait will win its subject plenty of new fans. ” — Publishers Weekly
“Through rich details and beautiful sometimes poetic prose, Willson honors this remarkable, yet nearly forgotten, heroine. …This exceptional biography does justice to the life of a unique woman, captain and rebel. Highly recommended.” — Historical Novel Society
MARGARET WILLSON is a cultural anthropologist whose current research interests focus on issues relating to Arctic and Northern concerns, including fisheries, gender and small-scale communities. She is an Affiliate Associate Professor with the Departments of Anthropology and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington. Her previous books include Seawomen of Iceland: Survival on the Edge and Dance Lest We All Fall Down: Breaking Cycles of Poverty in Brazil and Beyond.