On Modern Icelandic Literature

Salóme, my penpal via PostCrossing, went all out when I asked her to recommend some Icelandic literature. Here it is, including all of her helpful hyperlinks:

Icelandic authors you should read. This could become tricky since you don't read Icelandic and I'm not sure what has been translated... but.. I know that Angels of the Universe by Einar Már Guðmundsson has been and that's a good book (the movie made after it is too). Oh, and his poems are good. My favourite Icelandic book ever would be LoveStar by Andri Snær Magnason. He is the best... I know that his children's book The Story of the Blue Planet has been translated to some other languages... (everybody should read that beautiful book) and his poems are also great (the only FUN poems I've ever read).

Another favourite is Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir, I don't know how many times I've read her book From House from House and her other books are very good too (Karítas, Without Title and Seagull's Laughter). I'm quite fond of Vilborg Davíðsdóttir too, her books The Well of Fates and The Witch's Judgement (or combined in one book as Saga of Korka).

But then again... I don't read so many icelandic books usually... I don't recommend the old sagas like some would do but I do recommend Snorra Edda (from around 1220). Also, Iceland's most famouse author (probably) is Halldór Laxness. He has written some interesting books... I don't know what to think of them... they are long... and strange... and those I've read made me angry... so don't read them.

It has only just occurred to me that a great deal of this is probably available in McSweeney's #15, which is sitting on my least chaotic bookshelf.

Salóme's other recommended Europeans: Jostein Gaarder, Roald Dahl and Patrick Süskind. I'm reading Süskind's Perfume now.