REYKJAVÍK INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL – livestream
This biannual festival has been held since 1985 and is one of the most important literary festivals in Europe.
Meet authors, attend readings and seminars or dance with your favorite author at the Literary Ball!
Find the whole program here.
For more information please visit the Reykjavík International Literary Festival website.
Discussions are conducted in English. Readings will be held in the authors’ native languages, with English and Icelandic translations available.
All events are free and open to the public.
Reykjavík
Tuesday, September 5
16:00-17:00
Hljómskálagarður Park: A Literary Cricket Match: The Authors Cricket Club, a cricket-playing society of authors from the U.K., will face off, showing spectators some of the basic moves in the sport.
21:00-22:00
Stúdentakjallarinn: What is Cricket?: The Authors speak about themselves, their writing projects, and the magic of playing cricket. Moderator: Stefán Pálsson
Wednesday, September 6
16:00-16:45
Iðnó: The Absent Author: Avijit Roy was an author from Bangladesh who was murdered two years ago. Bangladeshi author, blogger, and activist Naila Zahin Ana and Sjón, the president of PEN Iceland, will discuss Roy’s life and work.
16:00-17:00
Stúdentakjallarinn: Manifestos: Creative Writing students at the University of Iceland read from their writing manifestos. The reading will be held in Icelandic.
17:00
Reykjavik City Hall: The Reykjavik International Literary Festival Opening Reception:
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir and Eka Kurniawan give opening addresses to officially launch the Literary Festival. Featuring live music from Tómas R. Einarsson, Gunnar Gunnarsson, Sigríður Thorlacius.
20:00-20:50
Iðnó: The Politics of Language: A roundtable discussion with Jonas Hassen Khemiri and Auður Ava ÓIafsdóttir. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith
21:00-21:50
Iðnó: Stories and Struggles: A roundtable discussion with Yaa Gyasi and Tapio Koivukari. Moderator: Antje Deistler.
Thursday, September 7
11:15-12:00
Nordic House: The Self in Autobiographical Poetry: A roundtable discussion with Maja Lee Langvad and Eva Rún Snorradóttir. Moderator: Halla Þórlaug Óskarsdóttir.
12:00-12:30
Nordic House: Everything That I Don’t Remember: In conversation with Jonas Hassen Khemiri. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith.
12:30-13:00
Nordic House: Homegoing: In conversation with Yaa Gyasi. Moderator: Antje Deistler.
13:00-13:45
Nordic House: Not Just Noir: Nordic Crime Fiction: A roundtable discussion with Lone Theils, Jónína Leósdóttir, and Ragnar Jónasson. Moderator: Katrín Jakobsdóttir.
16:00-18:00
Stúdentakjallarinn: Literary Pub Quiz: Join poets Anton Helgi og Kristín Svava Tómasdóttir for a late-afternoon beer and quiz. The quiz will be held in Icelandic.
20:00-20:50
Iðnó: Man And Nature: A roundtable discussion with Fredrik Sjöberg and Morten Strøksnes.
Moderator: Antje Deistler.
21:00-22:00
Iðnó: A Poetry Reading: Featuring poets Maja Lee Langvad, Aase Berg, Christine De Luca, Bubbi, Anton Helgi Jónsson and Kött Grá Pje.
Friday, September 8
10:00-10:50
Nordic House: A Morning Cup of Poetry: Christine de Luca speaks about her work and her favorite poetry over a cup of coffee in the library at Nordic House.
11:30-12:00,
Nordic House: The Fly Trap: In conversation with Fredrik Sjöberg. Moderator: Antje Deistler.
12:00-12:30
Nordic House: The Vegetarian: In conversation with Han Kang. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith
12:30-13:15
Nordic House: Beauty and Ugliness: A roundtable discussion with Man Booker prize finalists, Eka Kurniawan and Jón Kalman Stefánsson. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith.
14:00-16:00
University of Iceland, Askja 132L: On Tyranny: Professor Timothy Snyder delivers the Jón Sigurðsson Memorial Lecture, hosted by the Historical Institute of the University of Iceland. Moderator: The President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson.
15:15-16:00
University of Iceland, Veröld: Escribiendo una vida/Writing a Life: Esmeralda Santiago discusses translating her own work. In collaboration with the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages.
16:00-18:00
Stúdentakjallarinn: Endings: Creative Writing students at the University of Iceland read work on the theme ENDINGS.
20:00-20:50
Iðnó: In Their Own Words: A multilingual reading, featuring work from Hiromi Kawakami, Tapio Koivukari, Etgar Keret, Arnaldur Indriðason and Sigrún Pálsdóttir.
21:00-21:50
Iðnó: Politics of the Flesh: A roundtable discussion with Aase Berg, Han Kang, and Kristín Eiríksdóttir. Moderator: Björn Halldórsson.
22:00-22:45
Iðnó: Digested Reads: Shakespeare and More: Reading with satirical book critic John Crace.
Saturday, September 9
11:00-11:50
Nordic House: Lessons From the 20th Century: In conversation with Timothy Snyder. Moderator: Halldór Guðmundsson.
12:00-12:50
Nordic House: Form and Fantasy: A roundtable discussion with Etgar Keret and Sjón. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith.
13:00-13:50
Nordic House: Story, Origin, Identity: A roundtable discussion with Esmeralda Santiago and Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir. Moderator: Jón Yngvi Jóhannsson.
13:00-13:30
Nordic House: The storyteller Ingibjörg Ásdís Sveinsdóttir will tell the folk tale of the good cow Búkolla, using stones, bones, branches etc. with the participation of the audience (for children
6-9 years old).
13:30-15:30
Nordic House: Filling the Gaps: Lóa Hjálmtýsdóttir in charge of a workshop session.
14:00-14:30
Nordic House: Women and War: In conversation with Anne-Cathrine Riebnitzsky. Moderator: Max Easterman.
14:30-15:00
Nordic House: Shark Drunk: In conversation with Morten Strøksnes. Moderator: Antje Deistler.
15:00-15:30
Nordic House: In Brief: In conversation with John Crace. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith.
15:00-16:30
The public library in Gróf (Borgarbókasafnið í Grófinni): A Literary Walk Through The Thief Of Time (Tímaþjófurinn). Accompanied by the author, Steinunn Sigurðardóttir. The literary walk will be conducted in Icelandic.
22:00-01:00
Iðnó: The Book Ball: Live band – dancing highly encouraged. Tickets at the door.
Sunday, September 10
14:00-16:00
Veröld: Orðstír – Authors and Translators: An afternoon packed full of translation talk. The recipients of the Orðstír translation award and other translators chat with the authors they’ve translated over the years.