BÒKADAGAR 2026: Author talk

Hallgrímur Helgason, one of Iceland’s most distinctive writers, will be joining Bókadagar this year. In addition to writing novels, poetry, and stage scripts, he is also an active public commentator and visual artist, a true multidisciplinary artist.
He is known for books such as The Woman at 1000°, The Author’s Guide to a Beautiful Home and 101 Reykjavík, and his book 60 Kilos of Sunshine is currently being widely read across the Nordic region. It is the first book in a planned trilogy that follows the orphan Gestur while also telling the story of Iceland’s dramatic history at the beginning of the 20th century, when Norwegians came to Iceland to fish for herring.
Helgason has not yet been translated into Faroese, but his work is available in all the other Scandinavian languages, and his writing style is known for its versatility. Book reviewers often highlight his inventiveness and his command of a rich vocabulary that seems to overflow, as well as the effortless way he combines despair and humour.
Hallgrímur Helgason (b. 1959) has been nominated for the Nordic Council’s Literature Prize three times and has won the Icelandic Literary Award three times.
Organisers: Hannes Heimisson, Iceland’s Consul General in the Faroe Islands, and the Nordic House in the Faroe Islands