Icelandophiles discussion

Three different Icelandic girls lived with my family when I was growing up--I adored them. I would love to read some quality Icelandic literature. Any good recommendations? Thanks!

Elizabeth wrote: "Three different Icelandic girls lived with my family when I was growing up--I adored them. I would love to read some quality Icelandic literature. Any good recommendations? Thanks!"

Halldór Laxness is the Nobel Prize winner, so he's the best known outside of Iceland probably, and also an extremely talented writer. He's my favourite author. In my opinion his best books are Independent People (Sjálfstætt fólk), The Fish Can Sing (Brekkukotsannáll) and World Light (Heimsljós).

There are a few bits and bobs available in translation from other Icelandic writers, mostly published by Mare's Nest, a company which no longer exists. You can still get second hand copies well cheap off Amazon, though. I've read, and would recommend, Z, a love story by Vigdís Grímsdóttir and The Swan by Guðbergur Bergsson.

There are also a few Icelandic crime writers that have achieved international acclaim, especially Arnaldur Indriðason, author of the series about detective Erlendur Sveinsson. I don't know what these are like in English, but they are a lot of fun in Icelandic.

Hi Abi,
Thank you so much for the recommendations! I will look into them.
Best,
Elizabeth

Laxness is one of my all time favourite writers. His rich style and the humanist and almost animist approach of his characters make his stories some of the most beautiful, unforgettable I've ever read.
World Light and The Fish Can Sing are my faves :)

I'm reading this and I'm enjoying it very much!
The Stars of Constantinople: Stories

Authors I thoroughly recommend
1. Ronald Simonar an Icelandic Author living in Sweden his first book is a dark thriller

2. Michael Ridpath a British Author who writes Crime Fiction set in Iceland he has 3 books in the Fire and Ice Series and

If you have a Kindle, the first and second books in the Fire and Ice series are currently available on Amazon.co.uk for 99p and £1.39. I have bought them but not read them yet.

My current read is a non-fiction travel book called "A Girl's Ride in Iceland", first published in 1889. The author travelled to Iceland on holiday with her brother and three friends. It's an outsider's view of late 19th century Iceland which makes an interesting contrast to books set in the present day. It's available from Project Gutenberg as it is well out of copyright.

Thank you, Isabel, for bringing this book to my attention. I rather enjoyed it, as it described pretty well the 'old Iceland' of turf houses, poverty etc. It reflected the English attitudes of the time pretty accurately too - I mean, calling the Icelanders 'natives'?!! But on the other hand, she praised their egalitarianism and total literacy.

I just finished reading the new English translation of Bergsveinn Birgisson's Reply to a Letter from Helga and would recommend it. The writing is beautiful and the story deals almost as much with a man's love for the Icelandic countryside where he lives and his animals as it does with the narrative about his lost love. There are some passages which are a bit difficult, subject-wise, but there is a sensuality (not always sexual) to this novel which is really wonderful. Also, the narrator is constantly referencing great works of Icelandic literature and the English version has an index in the back, so it is a nice way to pick up other things to read in the future, too.

Larissa wrote: "I just finished reading the new English translation of Bergsveinn Birgisson's Reply to a Letter from Helga and would recommend it. The writing is beautiful and the story deals almost as much with a..."

Hi Larissa, Bergsveinn's book is one of those I have on my TBR list, so now I'll definitely bump it up closer to the top.
Still living in Iceland? How goes it?

Quentin wrote: "Hi Larissa, Bergsveinn's book is one of those I have on my TBR list, so now I'll definitely bump it up closer to the top. Still living in Iceland? How goes it? "

Hi, Quentin!

I'm still here, yes, and it is going very well. Classes for the second semester have just kicked off and there is a whole lot more Icelandic being spoken in class, which is very helpful. When you read Letter from Helga, let me know what you think!

Geri það!

Yrsa Sigurðsrdóttir's next book is out in the US on May 9, 2013 called "Someone Watch Over Me".

Thanks Kenneth on my to read list

Ragna Sigurðardóttir has a book out in Engliah called The Perfect Landscape.

Andri Snær Magnason has a book out called Lovestar.

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