Bergsveinn Birgisson sets out to rebuild his ancestors’ dilapidated barn in the remote Strandir region, a structure on the verge of collapse. This physical act of restoration sparks a profound meditation on the world and the human condition. The result is a singular journey through time and space, both spiritual and visceral, in a book unlike any other.

“How it came to pass that I took over my long-deceased grandparents’ farm here at the edge of the world is a long story. It happened primarily because I was the only one who showed interest; I began repairing the parts that were visibly crumbling. I started tinkering with it as a retreat from the world, only to find it was my way of connecting back to it.”

Written as a letter to his daughter, Birgisson explores ancestral wisdom on the art of living while grappling with the daily toil of reconstruction. As he looks toward the future, the narrative is woven with the presence of the people of Strandir—the living and the dead—who visit him in person and in memory, offering a helping hand from across the ages.