The Icelandic Literary Prize was awarded for the 31st time at a ceremony at Bessastaðir, the President’s residence, on 28 January. Prizes are given in three categories: fiction; academic and general non-fiction; and children’s and young people’s books.
This year’s winners of the Icelandic Literary Prize are Sölvi Björn Sigurðsson in fiction, for his book Selta: Apókrýfa úr ævi landlæknis (Brine: An Apocrypha from the Life of a Surgeon General); Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir in children’s and young people’s books, for the book Langelstur að eilífu (Oldest Forever); and Jón Viðar Jónsson for his book Stjörnur og stórveldi á leiksviðum Reykjavíkur 1925–1965 (Stars and Great Powers on the Stages of Reykjavík 1925–1965) in academic and general non-fiction.
Jón Viðar’s book, a biography of Icelandic actors as people and artists in the years 1925–65, is the result of his work at Leikminjasafn Íslands (the Icelandic Theatre Museum), whose collections were moved last year to the National and University Library of Iceland and the National Museum of Iceland.
We warmly congratulate the prize winners.
