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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.
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Interesting Icelanders
A monthly feature profiling an interesting person of Icelandic birth or ancestry found in the Icelandic Roots database. This is the first...
Apr 30, 20232 min read


Snorri Scholarships 2023
Introducing six Snorri scholarship recipients that will be travelling to Iceland this summer for a life-changing cultural experience....
Apr 30, 20233 min read


The Emigration Variations
INTERESTING EMIGRATION VARIATIONS By Dave Jonasson You may have already read articles about mass emigrations from Iceland during the...
Apr 16, 20234 min read


Discovering Your Past
Learning about and sharing our stories with Icelandic Roots By Shaune Jonasson Have you ever wondered what life was like back “when”?...
Apr 16, 20232 min read


Fond Memory of Our First Trip to Iceland
By Valdine (Scrymgeour) Hernes My husband, Sigfred (I640085), and I (I639986) have visited Iceland four times. On our first trip in July...
Mar 19, 20232 min read


The Icelandic Settlement of Spanish Fork, Utah Part II - The Icelandic Association of Utah
by Susan Bearnson Huff Many Icelanders lived near each other in Spanish Fork and gathered often both formally and informally. For the...
Mar 19, 20237 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


The Sólskin Children, a Reykjavík Hobo, and a Poem
By Ruth Cartwright Poem by Nelson S. Gerrard One hundred fifty letters from first, second, and third-generation Icelandic children living...
Mar 5, 20234 min read


Trying to Identify 13,000 Photos of Unknown People
By Rus Magnusson Over the years, Icelandic Roots has collected thousands of wonderful old photos submitted by our members. Over 13,000...
Feb 19, 20236 min read


Prophetic Dreams: A Curse or a Legacy
The Icelandic Roots Book Club for Thursday, March 2, 2023, will feature Prophetic Dreams: a Curse or a Legacy with author Alfreða...
Feb 19, 20233 min read


A Cherished Object
By Sverrir Sigurdsson As a young child, I loved tales of the Vikings: how they traveled abroad to seek fame and fortune, while those who...
Feb 5, 20232 min read


The Icelanders Go West
By W. D. Valgardson Note: These remarks were originally delivered by the author at the Icelandic National League of North America...
Feb 5, 202313 min read


50th Anniversary of Eldfell Eruption at Westman Islands
By Susan Huff Turbulent seas and severe storms made it unsafe for fishing, so almost the entire fishing fleet of 60-70 fishing ships lay...
Jan 22, 20236 min read


2023: The Journey is Just Starting...
2023 is shaping up to be a momentous year for Icelandic Roots. On November 12th, we will celebrate our tenth anniversary as an official...
Jan 8, 20232 min read


Snorri Plus Program - Lectures in Reykjavík, 2022
Editor's note: Laura Hackney wrote this report to give a sense of the valuable background information that is a part of the Snorri Plus...
Dec 25, 20228 min read


My Saga with Saint Thorlák
Submitted By Aimée O’Connell, Guest Author It was one of those mornings that homeschooling families know very well: the kids were...
Dec 11, 20227 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


A Brief Look Inside Reykdæla Saga
This month's newsletter is about Suður Þingeyjarsýsla and there is no better saga to represent this region than Reykdæla saga ok...
Dec 11, 20222 min read


Christmas at Árbær Open-Air Museum (Árbæjarsafn)
Located just south and east of Reykjavík city center, along Route 1 (the Ring Road), and east of the River Elliðaá, lies the Árbær...
Nov 26, 20222 min read


Gullbringusýsla
Historic Gullbringusýsla isn't the largest county by land mass in Iceland, but it certainly holds great significance in the present day....
Nov 10, 20221 min read
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