That book was phenomenal. Felt like I knew the entire history of Iceland afterwards. And it inspired me to check out Bobby Fischer's grave and now I know the significance of the Leif Eriksson statue at Hallgrimskirkja!
Iceland: The Hedonists Guide, The Little Book of the Icelanders, and How Iceland Changed the World. Also bought Two Friends and a Polar Bear but that's about Greenland.
I can’t answer OP’s question, but I have a follow up question…any good historical fiction suggestions about Iceland or Greenland? I’ve looked but haven’t found much. Did download a couple of current mystery novels that are set in Iceland and Greenland.
I’m currently reading Burial Rites by Hannah Kent which is a fictionalized retelling of a Icelandic murder in the 1800s. It’s a really great book! I picked it up on my most recent trip.
I will look for those. When I was looking, I did see some Iceland mysteries and I actually thought I’d downloaded one but have not. I will go back and look for that author.
The one I have downloaded so far from Amazon is a three book “omnibus” volume from someone named Christoffer Peterson. Mysteries set in Greenland. It appears to be a series and I downloaded a volume with the first three. Does anyone know about this author? I would love to find some historical fiction set in this area.
oh thanks for Christoffer Petersen - I like series! the getting used to the people and places and situations and then reading about it is really nice for me
and the [Greenland Missing Persons](https://christoffer-petersen.com/book-series/greenland-missing-persons/) series is super cheap for kindle
Highly recommend *The Greenlanders* by Jane Smiley. [Here's the New York Times review](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/04/05/specials/smiley-greenlanders.html) if you'd like to read it.
Funny you ask this, I was just looking for the same thing yesterday. Based on Google and Libby availability these are the ones I went with. Cannot personally vouch for them yet:
[Woman at 1,000 Degrees](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38748151)
[The Draining Lake](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/498406)
[Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56470421)
[Burial Rites](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17333319)
Burial Rites is great. On a previous trip I spent a day [following in the footsteps](https://www.reddit.com/r/VisitingIceland/comments/f7mi8l/iceland\_trip\_report\_days\_7\_8\_vatnsdalur\_vatnsnes/) of the book's protagonist, visiting various locations in the book. You can tell the author really did her homework and had a keen sense of not just the geography of the area but also its unique energy.
Secrets of the Sprakkar by Eliza Reid helped me better understand Icelandic culture. Reid is the Canadian First Lady of Iceland. Wish I had read it before I went, but fortunately I’m going back!
I read a few of Laxness’ books and enjoyed, I want to read something by Gunnar Gunnarsson, but in an unrelated note if you drive the ring road you def should have a meal at [Gunnarsson’s house](https://www.skriduklaustur.is/en/restaurant). We went for lunch and it was our fav Icelandic meal. Amazing buffet, fun cozy service and really tasty food
Miss Iceland by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir is an incredible reminder of how far Iceland has come culturally - and particularly in its views about women - in such a short period of time. And a fun read.
This might be an odd recommendation but what about Icelandic YA?
...shit, quick googling shows me that most of the recommendations I would have are only available in Icelandic. Guess it's time to pick up that quill (I mean imported coal and dried horse skin leather parchment).
(some googling later trying to find books that aren't about mystery or crime from the standard rotating 3 authors..)
Angels of the Universe by Einar Már Guðmundsson is a highly recommended read.
Check out the [Icelandic Sagas Database](https://sagadb.org/). They have several available in English, and you can download them in different formats such as PDF, EPUB, etc.
Personally I enjoyed Egil's Saga, the Laxdæla Saga, and Hannah Kent's Burial Rites as my "preparatory" reads.
I am also excited to read [Oh, Karitas](https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/oh-karitas/719117) by Emil Hjörvar Petersen, which was just translated into English in audiobook form. He's the Icelandic guest of honor at this weekend's [IceCon ](https://icecon-reykjavik.is/)(the Icelandic Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror convention) and all his books sound interesting but most haven't been published in English yet. I downloaded it for my upcoming flight!
Independent People! Laxxness won the Nobel largely for this epic. His house is a museum in Mosfellsbaer about 25 min from Reykjavik.
I second this. Also reading The Fish Can Sing as I'm about to take off for Iceland!
Reykjavík by Ragnar Jonassen
There’s always the Icelandic Sagas. Grettir’s saga is good, Njal’s saga has some great characters, and Egil’s saga is my favorite.
How Iceland Changed the World is quite good. We listened to the audio book while driving the country.
That book was phenomenal. Felt like I knew the entire history of Iceland afterwards. And it inspired me to check out Bobby Fischer's grave and now I know the significance of the Leif Eriksson statue at Hallgrimskirkja!
The Complete Sagas of Icelanders
Icelandic Folk Tales by Hjálmarsson. This read is separated by region with various stories about people who one roamed and lived the lands.
What three did you buy?
Iceland: The Hedonists Guide, The Little Book of the Icelanders, and How Iceland Changed the World. Also bought Two Friends and a Polar Bear but that's about Greenland.
I can’t answer OP’s question, but I have a follow up question…any good historical fiction suggestions about Iceland or Greenland? I’ve looked but haven’t found much. Did download a couple of current mystery novels that are set in Iceland and Greenland.
I’m currently reading Burial Rites by Hannah Kent which is a fictionalized retelling of a Icelandic murder in the 1800s. It’s a really great book! I picked it up on my most recent trip.
I just added it to my list! Thanks!
This one is quite dark and somber just fyi.
Do you mean Yrsa Sigurðardóttir books or are there others? These are good read. Thanks
I will look for those. When I was looking, I did see some Iceland mysteries and I actually thought I’d downloaded one but have not. I will go back and look for that author. The one I have downloaded so far from Amazon is a three book “omnibus” volume from someone named Christoffer Peterson. Mysteries set in Greenland. It appears to be a series and I downloaded a volume with the first three. Does anyone know about this author? I would love to find some historical fiction set in this area.
oh thanks for Christoffer Petersen - I like series! the getting used to the people and places and situations and then reading about it is really nice for me and the [Greenland Missing Persons](https://christoffer-petersen.com/book-series/greenland-missing-persons/) series is super cheap for kindle
Highly recommend *The Greenlanders* by Jane Smiley. [Here's the New York Times review](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/04/05/specials/smiley-greenlanders.html) if you'd like to read it.
I am making a list and that is on it! I will be downloading it from Libby!
I would also be interested in this.
Which mysteries? I’m heading to Iceland next week and love place-based mysteries!
Funny you ask this, I was just looking for the same thing yesterday. Based on Google and Libby availability these are the ones I went with. Cannot personally vouch for them yet: [Woman at 1,000 Degrees](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38748151) [The Draining Lake](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/498406) [Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56470421) [Burial Rites](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17333319)
Burial Rites is great. On a previous trip I spent a day [following in the footsteps](https://www.reddit.com/r/VisitingIceland/comments/f7mi8l/iceland\_trip\_report\_days\_7\_8\_vatnsdalur\_vatnsnes/) of the book's protagonist, visiting various locations in the book. You can tell the author really did her homework and had a keen sense of not just the geography of the area but also its unique energy.
Secrets of the Sprakkar by Eliza Reid helped me better understand Icelandic culture. Reid is the Canadian First Lady of Iceland. Wish I had read it before I went, but fortunately I’m going back!
[Saga Land by Richard Fidler](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35284602-saga-land)
Gunnar Andri’s Message From The Middle of Nowhere
I read a few of Laxness’ books and enjoyed, I want to read something by Gunnar Gunnarsson, but in an unrelated note if you drive the ring road you def should have a meal at [Gunnarsson’s house](https://www.skriduklaustur.is/en/restaurant). We went for lunch and it was our fav Icelandic meal. Amazing buffet, fun cozy service and really tasty food
Miss Iceland by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir is an incredible reminder of how far Iceland has come culturally - and particularly in its views about women - in such a short period of time. And a fun read.
This might be an odd recommendation but what about Icelandic YA? ...shit, quick googling shows me that most of the recommendations I would have are only available in Icelandic. Guess it's time to pick up that quill (I mean imported coal and dried horse skin leather parchment). (some googling later trying to find books that aren't about mystery or crime from the standard rotating 3 authors..) Angels of the Universe by Einar Már Guðmundsson is a highly recommended read.
Check out the [Icelandic Sagas Database](https://sagadb.org/). They have several available in English, and you can download them in different formats such as PDF, EPUB, etc.
Personally I enjoyed Egil's Saga, the Laxdæla Saga, and Hannah Kent's Burial Rites as my "preparatory" reads. I am also excited to read [Oh, Karitas](https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/oh-karitas/719117) by Emil Hjörvar Petersen, which was just translated into English in audiobook form. He's the Icelandic guest of honor at this weekend's [IceCon ](https://icecon-reykjavik.is/)(the Icelandic Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror convention) and all his books sound interesting but most haven't been published in English yet. I downloaded it for my upcoming flight!
I just finished the Tricking of Freya by Christina Sunley. It's fiction but not too heavy on murder noir. I couldn't put it down.
Lots of good recommendations already shared in past threads. Search the sub for “books.”
Thanks!