A good week for Icelandic literature
At the Leipzig Book Fair and beyond, the spring's first Icelandic titles in Germany are warmly received.
One day before the start of the Leipzig Book Fair, the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitungran a story on five Icelandic titles appearing in German translation this spring: “The financial crisis plunged Iceland into ruin,” were the opening words. “Its literary riches, however, are anything but depleted. The Icelandic books being published in the run-up to the Iceland's appearance this autumn as Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair are good evidence of this.”
One of the the books discussed in the piece was Gyrðir Elíasson's Wandering Squirrel (in German: Eichhörnchen auf Wanderschaft), which premiered at a reading in the Icelandic embassy in Berlin on March 15. At the sold-out event, Gyrðir and Sagenhaftes Island director Halldór Guðmundsson (who first published the Icelandic version 25 years ago) discussed the book, which is now considered a pivotal work in Iceland. Reading from the German translation was Thomas Sarbacher, one of Germany's most well-known film and television actors.
Press conference in Leipzig
The following Thursday, Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir and Einar Kárason represented Icelandic authors at a press conference given by Sagenhaftes Island in Leipzig. Kristín Marja emphasized the importance of the guest appearance at the Frankfurt Book Fair to Icelandic authors:
“Writers everywhere want their works to travel as widely as possible. This has to do with both the creative urge and the wish for recognition. So, you can imagine how important it is to writers from one of Europe's smallest countries to have their work read in other countries.”
At the press conference, Thomas Böhm, project manager in Germany, introduced the literary programme of Iceland's guest year in Frankfurt, including a “Day of Icelandic Poetry” held in collaboration with the network of German-speaking literature houses and ARTE. Also discussed was the year's programme of Icelandic medieval literature:
“Stories, motives and characters from the Eddas and sagas continually find new expression in Icelandic contemporary literature,” Mr Böhm said. “Similarly, the Guest of Honour literary programme will combine classic literature with new forms of presentation and performance. We are very happy with the many offers we have received from renowned event organizers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.”
Publisher of Icelandic books receives prize
The Icelandic readings at the book fair and in the city went down well with literature enthusiasts. Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir, Andri Snær Magnason, Einar Kárason, Gyrðir Elíasson and Sjón all read to large crowds, respectively at the fair's Nordic Forum, the stand of the television station ARTE and the well-established Long Night of Nordic Literature.
Especially successful was the reading from Indriði G. Þorsteinsson's Car 79(in German: Taxi 79 auf Station” and Óskar Árni Óskarson's Silhouettes – From a Journey(German: Das Glitzern der Heringsschuppe in der Stirnlocke). Over 280 guests turned up at the Leipzig Museum of Visual Art to listen to renowned actor Joachim Król and translator Kristof Magnusson read from the works, and the enthusiastic applause testified to the appeal of these two “small” books.
Both works are published by Transit Verlag, which received the Kurt-Wolff Prize at the book fair. The prize is the most important prize awarded to publishing houses in Germany.
The book fair had not yet come to an end when more good news arrived: Einar Kárason's reading in Cologne, moderated by Kristof Magnusson and featuring Gert Köster as reader, had drawn more than 500 listeners. On top of that, the prestigious radio station HR-2 had chosen audiobook Leben im Fisch. Kristín Steinsdóttir erzählt ihre Kindheit in Island(lit. Life with Fish. Kristín Steinsdóttir tells of her Icelandic Childhood) as its “Audiobook of the Month” for April.