Read Around Europe Challenge
Read at least one book by an author from each country in Europe.
Best books from Europe (2863)
1131.
Iceland1132.
Under the Glacier by Halldor Laxness EN
Description:
Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness’s Under the Glacier is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, a wryly provocative novel at once earthy and otherworldly. At its outset, the Bishop of Iceland dispatches a young emissary to investigate certain charges against the pastor at Snæfells Glacier, who, among other things, appears to have given up burying the dead. But once he arrives, the emissary finds that this dereliction counts only as a mild eccentricity in a community that regards itself as the center of the world and where Creation itself is a work in progress. What is the emissary to make, for example, of ... continue
1133.
Heaven and Hell by Jón Kalman Stefánsson EN
Description:
In a remote part of Iceland, a boy and his friend Barður join a boat to fish for cod. A winter storm surprises them out at sea and Barður, who has forgotten his waterproof as he was too absorbed in 'Paradise Lost', succumbs to the ferocious cold and dies. Appalled by the death and by the fishermen's callous ability to set about gutting the fatal catch, the boy leaves the village, intending to return the book to its owner. The extreme hardship and danger of the journey is of little consequence to him - he has already resolved to join his friend in death. But once in the town he immerses himself... continue
1134.
Miss Iceland by Audur Ava Olafsdottir EN
Description:
The extraordinary new novel from Nordic Council Literature Prize-winning Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, Miss Iceland tells the incisive story of Hekla, a brilliant young woman named after an active volcano who longs to make it as a writer in 1960s Iceland
1135.
Gnarr : How I Became the Mayor of a Large City in Iceland and Changed the World by Jón Gnarr EN
Description:
Following the collapse of the Icelandic banking system in 2008, comedian Jn Gnarr was inspired to invent a political party and run for mayor of Reykjavik. He decided to satirise the current political parties and instead promised voters that he wanted to make their lives more fun. In this entertaining memoir Gnarr recounts his experiences with admirable candour, describing his career, his visions and the mistakes he made, while also sharing some lessons from his campaign and his time in office.
1136.
Death at the Sanatorium by Ragnar Jónasson EN
Description:
PRE-ORDER the new locked-room mystery by Sunday Times bestseller, Ragnar Jónasson now One Murder. Five Suspects. Step into Death At The Sanatorium . . . 'Is this the best crime writer in the world today?' THE TIMES 'An automatic must-read for me' LEE CHILD 'Master of the Icelandic thriller' NEW YORK POST --- An old sanatorium. A terrifying murder. Six suspects and a case that never closed . . . Akureyri, Northern Iceland, 1983. High up in the most northern part of Iceland stands The Akureyri Sanatorium. Once a hospital dedicated to treating tuberculosis, it now sits haunted by the ghosts of it... continue
1138.
The Saga of the People of Laxardal and Bolli Bollason's Tale by Anonymous EN
Description:
The Penguin Classics list of medieval sagas grows ever more impressive with these two thrilling Norse sagas One of the best-loved works of Icelandic literature, this stirring tale of war and romance follows three generations of strong women, wise leaders, and hotheaded warriors. The only saga rumored to have been written by a woman, it tells of the centuries predating 1245, when magic rites and sorcery clashed with the spread of Christianity throughout a rapidly changing Viking world. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speak... continue
1139.
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir EN
Description:
Hildur Knútsdóttir's The Night Guest is an eerie and ensnaring story set in contemporary Reykjavík that’s sure to keep you awake at night. Iðunn is in yet another doctor's office. She knows her constant fatigue is a sign that something's not right, but practitioners dismiss her symptoms and blood tests haven't revealed any cause. When she talks to friends and family about it, the refrain is the same — have you tried eating better? exercising more? establishing a nighttime routine? She tries to follow their advice, buying everything from vitamins to sleeping pills to a step-counting watch. Noth... continue
1140.
Description:
Station Eleven and Leave the World Behind by way of The Memory Police, a debut novel of urgent big ideas imbued with pacy plotting and atmospheric power, by an exciting Icelandic literary talent.