Óttar M. Norðfjörð
Óttar Martin Norðfjörð (born 1980) is an Icelandic writer, both of crime fiction and poetry. He has a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Iceland. His first novel, Barnagælur, was published in 2005. His crime novels have been translated into Dutch, German and Spanish.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Biography
Óttar was born in Reykjavík, growing up in Norðurmýri, the son of the architects Sverrir Norðfjörð (17 June 1941 – 17 June 2008) and his Czech-born wife Alena Friðrikka Anderlova (b. 21 January 1945).[7] A chess competitor at junior school,[8] he proceeded to study at Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð, and graduated in spring 2000 with a specialism in the hard sciences.[9] He proceeded to take an MA in philosophy at the University of Iceland. He has continually studied visual arts, which has influenced his work,[10] and in 2004 he held an exhibition of his paitings at Gallari Tukt.[11]
Óttar's biography Hannes: nóttin er blá, mamma was for many weeks at the top of the Eymundsson best-seller list and was among Iceland's best-selling books of 2006.[12] In 2007, his novel Hnífur Abrahams was the 15th best-selling book in Iceland.[13]
Óttar is married to Elo Vazquez. They have collaborated on some projects, including cartoons which appeared in the Reykjavík Grapevine,[14] and directing a music video for the Spanish band I Am Dive in 2013.[15]
Political and social activism
Óttar has defined himself as a politically orientated artist. He was a candidate for the party Nýtt Afl in the Icelandic parliamentary election, 2003.[16] He has been an active campaigner for Torfusamtökin, an organisation seeking to preserve Reykjavík's architectural heritage. Óttar organised a campaign to prevent houses on Laugavegur from demolition.[17] Óttar was one of various authors who were noted for their participation in the 2008-9 Kitchenware Revolution.[18] In summer 2013, Óttar protested against an incident of police violence, in which a woman was knocked over against a bench in the street and in which the police commented that the positioning of the bench had been 'unfortunate',[19] by circulating a photograph of himself sitting on the bench holding a sign saying 'This bench is unfortunate'.[20]
Works
Norðfjörð's main works include:
Poetry
- Grillveður í október (Barbeque-Weather in October) (Nýhil, 2004)
- Sirkus (Circus) (Nýhil, 2005)
- A-Ö (Nýhil, 2006)
Cartoons and satires
- Jón Ásgeir & afmælisveislan (Jón Ásgeir and the Birthday Party) (Sögur, 2007)
- Tíu litlir bankastrákar (Ten Little Banker-boys) (Sögur, 2008)
- Snillingurinn: Ævisaga Hannesar Hólmsteinars ([n. pub.], [2009])
- Íslenskir kapítalistar: 1918-1998 ([Óttar Martin Norðfjörð], [2011])
Literary novels
- Barnagælur (Child’s Play) (Mál og menning, 2005)
- Paradísarborgin (The Paradise City) (Sögur, 2009)
- Örvitinn eða; hugsjónamaðurinn (The Idiot, or, the Visionary) (Nýhil, 2010)
- Lygarinn: Sönn saga (The Liar: A True Story) (Sögur, 2011)
Crime novels and thrillers
- Hnífur Abrahams (Abraham’s Dagger) (Sögur, 2007) [translated into Dutch]
- Sólkross (Sun Cross) (Sögur, 2008) [translated into Spanish and German]
- Áttablaðarósin (The Eight Pointed Rose) (Sögur, 2010)
- Una (Una) (Sögur, 2012)
- Blóð hraustra manna (The Blood of Brave People) (Vaka-Helgafell, 2013)
Biography
- Arkitektinn með alpahúfuna: Ævisaga Sverris Norðfjörð (The Architect with the Beret: The Life of Sverrir Norðfjörð) (Nýhil, 2010)
- Teflt fyrir augað: 12 bestu skákir Sverris Norðfjörð, ed. by Óttar M. Norðfjörð (Sögur, 2010)
References
- ↑ "The Leading NY Hill Site on the Net". nyhil.org. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ↑ "Barnagælur – kilja « Forlagið – vefverslun". Forlagid.is. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ↑ "Íslensk skáldverk - Sögur útgáfa". Sogurutgafa.is. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ↑ "Authors | Icelandic Literature | Fabulous Iceland | Sögueyjan Ísland". Sagenhaftes-island.is. 1980-01-29. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ↑ "Óttar M. Norðfjörð". Ottarnordfjord.com. 2012-08-25. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ↑ "Sögur útgáfa". Sogurutgafa.is. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ↑ Sverrir Norðfjörð: minning. http://www.mbl.is/greinasafn/grein/1225091/.
- ↑ „Karpov, Kamsky og Adams jafnir“, Morgunblaðið, 6. maí 1995, s. 40.
- ↑ „158 brautskráðir frá MH“, Morgunblaðið, 30. maí 2000, s. 13.
- ↑ „Læra mest á því að skoða“, Morgunblaðið, 22. nóvember 1987, s. 56.
- ↑ „Listopnanir“, Fréttablaðið, 31. janúar 2004, s. 43.
- ↑ „Nýhil gefur mæðrum bókargróða“, Morgunblaðið, 10. maí 2007
- ↑ Metsölulisti, 24 stundir, 4. janúar 2008, s. 16.
- ↑ Höfundarsíða Óttars hjá Reykjavík Grapevine
- ↑ „Myndband Óttars Norðfjörð spilað á MTV“, Vísir, 12. febrúar 2013.
- ↑ „Auglýsing landskjörstjórnar“, Fréttablaðið, 30. apríl 2003.
- ↑ „Húsavinir blása til sóknar“, Morgunblaðið, 19 December 2007, p. 2; „Lítil viðbrögð til varnar niðurrifi húsa“, Morgunblaðið, 18 January 2008, p. 10; „Borgin kaupir Laugaveg 4 og 6“, mbl.is, 25 January 2008.
- ↑ „Skáld í fremstu röð“, Fréttablaðið, 24 January 2009, p. 52.
- ↑ „Dæmdur fyrir harkalegu handtökuna“, Vísir, 6. desember 2013
- ↑ 'þessi bekkur er óheppilegur; „Þessi bekkur er óheppilegur“, Vísir, 11. júlí 2013.