top of page
Free!
**Never Miss a Blog Post: Subscribe to Icelandic Roots!**
Are you eager to stay informed about all things Icelandic? Look no further than the Icelandic Roots newsletter! Our dedicated team of authors and guest writers brings you insightful and engaging content on various topics related to Icelandic culture, history, travel, famous people, language, genealogy, and upcoming events.
Subscribe Today!


The Saga of the Golden Curse - Part One
Icelandic Roots is pleased to help introduce a new book: A Viking Legend: The Descendants of Odin written by Ainsley Bloomer. We present...
Feb 3, 20247 min read


The Power of the Word: The Mead of Poetry
By Karen Gummo A poet, dancer, and visual artist, Karen Gummo has been performing as a storyteller for almost 40 years in schools,...
Jan 6, 20242 min read


November's Interesting Icelander
Árni Magnússon (I41634) 13 November 1663 – 7 January 1730 By Brian Borgford "And that is the way of the world, that some men put errors...
Nov 24, 20232 min read


The Fourth Annual Icelandic Roots Jólabókaflóð (Book Flood)
Iceland is one of the most literate countries in the world and has a long literary history going back to the Icelandic Sagas. The love of...
Nov 24, 20232 min read


Edda - From Ashes to Majestic
This post is twofold. Enjoy the photos, history, and Ainsley Bloomer’s article. #1 - A short post with pictures about the new EDDA House...
Oct 1, 20234 min read


Mundi, the boy from the West Fjords
By Bryndís Víglundsdóttir Editor's Note: Bryndís Víglundsdóttir is the beloved story-teller and author of Guðríður’s Saga. She has just...
Sep 17, 20233 min read


The Fire Priest - September's Interesting Icelander
Jón Steingrímsson IR#I71175 10 September 1728 – 11 August 1791 For September we are profiling Jón Steingrímsson also known as The Fire...
Sep 17, 20234 min read


Icelandic Roots Online Book Club is Back - October 5
Join Heather online for the upcoming season of the Icelandic Roots Book Club. The first book this Fall is Burial Rites by Hannah Kent....
Sep 2, 20236 min read


Drawing Mundi
By Gay Strandemo Bryndís Víglundsdóttir is a superb storyteller and my job is to keep up with her as an illustrator. After we...
Sep 1, 20231 min read


Torfhildur Hólm
The story of Torfhildur Þorsteinsdóttir Hólm (2 February 1845- 14 November 1918) is the third in a three-series article of famous...
Jul 8, 20239 min read


Mother of Light: A Novel
The Journey of an IR Volunteer from Genealogist to Author By Elin de Ruyter Writing a book is no easy feat, and though it appears from...
Jul 8, 20234 min read


2023 Scandinavian Festival Features Iceland!
Special Icelandic Events - Please share by Romayne Kilde, Nordic Culture Clubs Scandinavian Festival The Nordic Culture Clubs and the...
May 27, 20231 min read


Dare to Share: Do You Have a Favourite Book or Author?
The Icelandic Roots Book Club reaches its First Anniversary. Heather recaps the past year and provides a glimpse of what is to come for...
May 13, 20234 min read


Reading Laxness' Salka Valka
The Icelandic Roots Book Club for May 4, 2023, will discuss Salka Valka by Halldór Laxness, featuring the translator, Philip Roughton. By...
Apr 16, 20235 min read


The 1816 Iceland Census
The 1816 Census is a wonderful resource that includes names, household positions, the farm they are living on, their marital status, age,...
Apr 2, 20234 min read


Bréfin frá sólskinsbörnum (The letters from sunshine children)
An interview with scholar Christopher Crocker In June of 1916, the children’s newspaper Sólskin, a supplement to the weekly North...
Mar 5, 20235 min read


2023 Book Club Titles Announced
By Beth Finnson The first Samtal Hour of 2023 was hosted by Becky Byerly Adams and featured a presentation by Heather Goodman Lytwyn who...
Jan 22, 20233 min read


The Saga of Hrafnkel Frey’s Godi
The Icelandic Roots Book Club for Thursday, February 2, 2023, will feature The Saga of Hrafnkel Frey’s Godi, with Jason Doctor as our...
Jan 22, 20233 min read


How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small Island
The Icelandic Roots Book Club for Thursday, January 5, 2023, will feature How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small...
Dec 11, 20223 min read


What the Yule Boys Have Brought Me
by Gay Strandemo Author Heidi Herman and I once again team up at Samtal Hour to discuss the Icelandic Yule Boys - Jólasveinar. To join us...
Nov 26, 20223 min read
bottom of page
