Discover GEEO’s recommended books to read before you travel to Iceland. Our book club is a way for travelers to learn through literature about the places they’ll be visiting.
These are some of our favorites about Iceland, so if you’re heading there, take a look (the GEEO book club is not a required element of our programs, just a bit of added fun)! We hope you will enjoy the books we have selected and they will enhance your experience.
You should be able to find most of our selections through the links below and in your local library system as well. Do you have any feedback on our selections or suggestions for additions? Contact us and let us know!
Recommended books to read before traveling to Iceland:
Fiction:
- Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
- Independent People by Halldor Laxness (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
Nonfiction:
- The History of Iceland by Gunnar Karlsson (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
- Icelandic Folk and Fairy Tales by May Hallmundsson (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
More book suggestions:
- The Little Book of the Hidden People: Twenty stories of elves from Icelandic folklore by Alda Sigmundsdottir (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
- Saga: A Novel of Medieval Iceland by Jeff Janoda (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
- The Whispering Muse: A Novel by Sjón (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
- The Fish Can Sing by Halldor Laxness (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
- Jar City: An Inspector Erlendur Novel by Arnaldur Indriðason; book 1 of an Icelandic detective series. (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
Please note: Jar City includes graphic descriptions of crime scenes and explores dark themes, including violence and sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised. - Butterflies in November by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir (Bookshop.org | Amazon)
Recommended films and videos to watch before traveling to Iceland:
- Godland (2023)
- Rams (Icelandic: Hrútar) (2015)
- Fire & Iceland (2022)
- Woman at War (2018)
- Trapped (series) (2015-)
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
- Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss – Season 1 Episode 1 – “Happiness Is a Bottle of Cod Liver Oil” (2023)
GEEO utilizes Amazon Associates links for the above-suggested books. If you purchase a book through one of the links above, you’re supporting us as a nonprofit and helping more teachers travel through GEEO!