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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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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


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


Iceland's January Holidays
According to the old Norse calendar, the year is made up of Winter and Summer. January is the halfway point of winter, and several...
Jan 8, 20234 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


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


Cataloging the Icelandic Roots Library
by Angela Beaton, IR Librarian: This is a quick update on the Icelandic Roots Library Hello! My name is Angela Beaton and I have had the...
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


My War Years
By Sverrir Sigurdsson Friday, May 10, 1940, was a momentous day in the world’s history. Nazi Germany unleashed blitzkrieg attacks against...
Nov 10, 20226 min read


The Bachelor Invasion
By W.D. Valgardson The Royal Navy and Royal Marines, who occupied Iceland on May 10, 1940, weren’t invited. They just appeared like...
Nov 10, 20225 min read


Happy Birthday, Icelandic Roots!
Nine years ago, Icelandic Roots was a dream shared by a group of Western Icelanders who wanted to connect with others across North...
Oct 30, 20222 min read


What about Guðríður?
Guðríður who??? A very good day to you! The majority of the people who left Iceland for America did so because the story traveled from...
Oct 30, 20224 min read


Snorri Plus Program Tour August 8-22, 2022
By Judy Dickson This August I was fortunate to be a participant in the Snorri Plus Program which had been forced to cancel plans in 2020...
Oct 14, 202210 min read


The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans
The Icelandic Roots Book Club Nov 3 Featuring: The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans with L.K. Bertram By Heather Goodman...
Oct 14, 20224 min read


Borgarfjarðarsýsla
The historic Borgarfjarðarsýsla may not be one of the largest geographic areas in Iceland, but many of the historic sagas feature this...
Oct 14, 20221 min read


2022 IR Fitness Challenge Completed
The Icelandic Roots Fitness Challenge 2022 officially ended on August 6th. Altogether there were 14 teams ranging from 2 to 10 people and...
Sep 4, 20223 min read


Write Your Family Story
Coming fall 2022 - Icelandic Roots Members Only Writing Seminars We believe your life story is important and deserves to be written down...
Aug 20, 20221 min read
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