Steinunn Sigurdardottir

Steinunn Sigurðardóttir is one of Iceland´s most highly acclaimed novelists. She began her writing career at the age of 19, with a book of poetry. Her output to date includes eleven novels, seven volumes of poetry, a book about Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, former president of Iceland, a children’s book, a stage play,TV-plays, radio plays. She is also translator of poetry and prose.

Steinunn Sigurdardóttir has contributed greatly to the international recognition of contemporary Icelandic literature, being one of the most frequently translated living Icelandic writers. Her latest novel is For Lisa (2012) a sequel to Jojo (2011) Amongst her other novels are Place of the Heart (Herzort) which won The Icelandic Literary Prize in 1996, Sunshine Horse (Sonnenscheinpferd), The Good Lover (Der gute Liebhaber) and The Love of the Fish (Die Liebe der Fische). Steinunn’s first novel, The Thief of Time was made into a French feature film, Voleur de vie, directed by Yves Angelo (screenplay by writer Nancy Huston), starring Emmanuelle Béart, Sandrine Bonnaire.

Steinunn Sigurdardóttir's novels vary greatly in form and content, but the central theme is almost always love in its various aspects. All the novels are written in a clear, literary, sometimes colloquial style; Her unique voice moved one reviewer to state that her writing makes the reader “intoxicated.”

Many of Steinunn Sigurdardottir’s novels have been bestsellers in Iceland. Her book about President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir was an all-time bestseller. Her novel, “The Thief of Time” (Voleur de vie) was repeatedly reedited in Sweden and France where it sold in tens of thousands of copies.