This was a swift and fun read about how the idea of Northern Europe (Iceland, Britain, Scandinavia) shaped cultures from the Ancient Greeks to Nazi Germany. Whether it was the concept of Ultima Thule in Athens, polar explorers racing to be the first individuals to plant their nations' flags in the 19th century, or esoteric-fascists imagining the region as the origin-point of a superior civilization, Brunner does a great job drawing you in and explaining the history in easily-digestible bites. He also briefly draws attention to the subaltern, such as gender non-conforming Inuits and African-American adventurers.