Books from Iceland
67 popular icelandic books
Travel the world without leaving your chair.
The target of the Read Around The World Challenge is to read at least one book written by an author from each and every country in the world.
All books that are listed here as part of the "Read Around Europe Challenge" were written by authors from Iceland.
Find a great book for the next part of your reading journey around the world from this book list. The following popular books have been recommended so far.
2.
Am Gletscher by Halldór Laxness DE
Description:
Ein Pfarrhaus in nordischer Gletschereinsamkeit ist der Schauplatz dieses ironisch-weisen Romans des isländischen Nobelpreisträgers Halldor Laxness. Ein junger Theologe, vom Bischof zur Aufklärung mysteriöser Vorfälle dorthin entsandt, sieht sich mit Reden und Taten konfrontiert, die er nicht versteht. Die bodenständige Esoterik der Einheimischen lässt sich mit seinem Tonbandgerät nicht einfangen, und die frappierende, humane Logik des Lebens am Gletscher ist so offenbar, dass sie leicht übersehen werden kann. Es ist dieselbe Logik, die auch die Sag... continue
3.
And the Wind Sees All (Valeyrarvalsinn) by Gudmundur Andri Thorsson EN
Description:
"Relaxing in Nordic Hygge in a novel; the entire story takes place in two minutes. In this story we hear the voices of an Icelandic fishing village. On a summer's day a young woman in a polka-dot dress cycles down the main street. Her name is Kata and she is the conductor of the village choir. As she passes, we get a glimpse of the villagers: a priest with a gambling habit, an old brother and sister who have not talked for years, and a sea captain who has lost his son. But perhaps the most interesting story of all belongs to the young woman on the bicycle. Why is she reticent to talk about her... continue
4.
Animal Life by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir EN
Description:
From winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize and the Icelandic Literature Prize, Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, comes a dazzling novel about a family of midwives set in the run-up to Christmas in Iceland In the days leading up to Christmas, Dómhildur delivers her 1,922nd baby. Beginnings and endings are her family trade; she comes from a long line of midwives on her mother's side and a long line of undertakers on her father's. She even lives in the apartment that she inherited from her grandaunt, a midwife with a unique reputation for her unconventional methods. As a terrible storm races towards... continue
5.
Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indriðason EN
Description:
On a January day the Reykjavik police are called to a block of flats where a body has been found: a young boy frozen to the ground in a pool of his own blood. The discovery of a stab wound on his stomach extinguishes any hope that this was an accident. Erlendur & his team embark on their investigation with little to go on.
7.
Bettý by Arnaldur Indriðason ES
Description:
EL ARTE DE LA MANIPULACIÓN LLEGA A SU CIMA. Desde mi celda pienso en ella, en Bettý, tan bella, tan libre... Se me acercó en aquel congreso para decirme cuánto le había gustado mi conferencia. ¿Quién se habría resistido? ¿Y luego? ¿Qué pasó? No quería ese trabajo ni esa relación. Debería haber detectado las señales de peligro. Debería haber entendido mucho antes lo que pasaba. Debería, debería, debería... Recuerdo toda nuestra historia desde la primera mirada y descubro lentamente cómo mi culpabilidad parece indiscutible, pero sé que no soy culpable.
9.
Butterflies in November by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir EN
Description:
After being dumped and then winning the lottery, a woman in her thirties, along with her best friend's four-year-old deaf-mute son, takes a transformative road trip through Iceland, encountering eccentrics and finding herself.
10.
Cold As Hell by Lilja Sigurdardottir EN
Description:
Áróra returns to Iceland when her estranged sister goes missing, and her search leads to places she could never have imagined. A chilling, tense standalone thriller from one of Iceland's bestselling authors... _________________ Icelandic sisters Áróra and Ísafold live in different countries and aren't on speaking terms, but when their mother loses contact with Ísafold, Áróra reluctantly returns to Iceland to find her sister. But she soon realizes that her sister isn't avoiding her ... she has disappeared, without trace. As she confonts Ísafold's abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend Björn, and begin... continue