Dozens of Icelandic Books Translated into English

Close to 40 books by Icelandic authors have recently been or are about to be published in English – in the UK, as well as in the US. These include novels, poetry, crime novels, children’s books and non-fiction – by well-known authors, as well as new ones.

Books by Icelandic authors are being translated into more and more foreign languages. During the past decade, the number of works translated has tripled, and Icelandic books have already been translated into about 50 languages.

The translation of most of these books has been supported by the Icelandic Literature Center.

Novels recently translated into English include the following:

Shadows of the Short Days, by Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson

Miss Iceland and Hotel Silence, by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir

CoDex 1962, by Sjón

Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night and About the Size of the Universe by Jón Kalman Stefánsson

Stormbirds, by Einar Kárason

A Fist or a Heart, by Kristín Eiríksdóttir

Woman at 1000 Degrees, by Hallgrímur Helgason

Magma, by Þóra Hjörleifsdóttir

Smarties, by Gerður Kristný Guðjónsdóttir

And the Swans Began to Sing, by Þóra Karítas Árnadóttir

Aftershock, by Auður Jónsdóttir

And the Wind Sees All, by Guðmundur  Andri Thorsson

That Little Dark Room, by Sigrún Pálsdóttir

Narrator, by Bragi Ólafsson

An English title is not available for these books yet:

Öræfi, by Ófeigur Sigurðsson

Að Heiman, by Arngunnur Árnadóttir

Millilending, by Jónas Reynir Gunnarsson

Crime novels recently translated into English are as follows:

The Shadow District and The Shadow Killer, by Arnaldur Indriðason

The Hole and The Doll, by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir

Cage and  Betrayal, by Lilja Sigurðardóttir

Darkness and The Island, by Ragnar Jónasson

The Creak on the Stairs, by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir

Black Magic, by Stefán Máni

Poetry:

Drápa  and Requiem, by Gerður Kristný Guðjónsdóttir

Waitress in Fall, by Kristín Ómarsdóttir

Children’s books  and young adult literature:

The Casket of Time, by Andri Snær Magnason

Non-fiction:

On Time and Water, by Andri Snær Magnason

Heida: A Shepherd at the Edge of the World, by Steinunn Sigurðardóttir

Sagan af Guðrúnu Ketilsdóttur, by Guðný Hallgrímsdóttir (English title not available)