Reykjavík Literature Festival: Events on April 26th

26.04.2025

Auditorium & Library

Free entry

The Reykjavík International Literature Festival has been operating since 1985. This pleasant festival is a meeting place for readers and authors and a lively forum for discussions about literature, fiction, social issues and much more, because literature touches many people and the topics covered are countless.

Admission to the events is free and they are open to everyone. Conversations are held in English, but readings are in the authors’ native language.

See the festival program by clicking here.

Events at the Nordic House are the following :

26. Apríl

Speaker: HERVÉ LE TELLIER
at 11:00

Hervé Le Tellier is a French writer and linguist who began his career as a science journalist. He is part of a group of writers and mathematicians who call themselves Oulipo. Le Tellier published his first book in 1991, but he is best known for L’Anomalie, published in 2020 and awarded the Prix Goncourt that same year.

Alexandre LaBruffe moderates the conversation.

Speaker: DINCER GÜÇYETER OG KNUT ØDEGÅRD
at 12:00

Dinçer Güçyeter is a German poet and the founder of Elif Publishing, which specializes in poetry publishing and is the largest publishing house for Icelandic poetry outside of Iceland. He has published four poetry books and one novel, and has received numerous awards for his works, including the Literature Prize at the Leipzig Book Fair.

Knut Ødegård studied theology and philology at the Universities of Oslo and Cambridge. He’s been living in Reykjavik since 1984, partly also in his hometown Molde where he is taking care of his Norwegian duties. He is a poet and writer who published his first poetry book in 1967, since then he has published 44 books (poetry, novels, childrens books, essays, also three books about Iceland). His poetry books are translated into 43 languages, more than any other contemporary Norwegian poet.

Ödegaard organized the first international literary festival of Norway and also the literary academy (both named after the Nobel prize winner Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson). When moving to Iceland in 1984, he was offered the position as director of Nordic House and as such he was the founder – together with Thor Vilhjálmsson and Einar Bragi – of the Reykjavík International Literary Festival in 1984.

Ragnar Helgi Ólafsson moderates a conversation about poetry.

Speaker: HERNAN DIAZ OG PAJTIM STATOVCI
at 13:00

Hernan Diaz is an award-winning bestselling author. Born in Argentina but raised in Sweden, he now lives and works in the United States. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel Trust, which was selected as one of The New York Times’ 100 Best Books of the 21st Century.

Pajtim Statovci was born in Kosovo and is of Albanian descent. As a child, he fled the Yugoslav Wars and his family settled in Finland. Pajtim is the author of three novels that have won awards around the world.

The discussion will be moderated by Larissa Kyzer.

Speaker: ANNETTE BJERGFELDT
at 14:00

Annette Bjergfeldt is a Danish singer, songwriter, pianist, and author who has garnered significant attention for her lively and captivating novels. Additionally, she is a multi-award-winning musician and has been nominated for Grammy Awards. Her book Mr. Saitos Travelling Cinema was listed by Politiken as one of the best books of the year when it was released.

Freyr Eyjólfsson moderates the discussion.

Accessibility in Elissa auditorium is good, there is a low threshold into the hall. On the same floor is a toilet with good access and changing facilities. There is a ramp leading to the Nordic House from the parking lot, and an automatic button at the main door. Further questions about accessibility can be sent to: kolbrun(at)nordichouse.is