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]
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, presenting a final dissertation on the philosophy of the Old Norse poem Hávamál [10] He has continually studied visual arts, which has influenced his work, [11] and in 2004 he held an exhibition of his paintings at Gallari Tukt. [12]
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. [13] In 2007, his novel Hnífur Abrahams was the 15th best-selling book in Iceland. [14]
Óttar is married to Elo Vazquez. They have collaborated on some projects, including cartoons which appeared in the Reykjavík Grapevine, [15] and directing a music video for the Spanish band I Am Dive in 2013. [16]
Óttar has defined himself as a politically orientated artist. He was a candidate for the party Nýtt Afl in the Icelandic parliamentary election, 2003. [17] 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. [18] Óttar was one of various authors who were noted for their participation in the 2008-9 Kitchenware Revolution. [19] 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", [20] by circulating a photograph of himself sitting on the bench holding a sign saying "This bench is unfortunate". [21]
Norðfjörð's main works include:
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]
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, presenting a final dissertation on the philosophy of the Old Norse poem Hávamál [10] He has continually studied visual arts, which has influenced his work, [11] and in 2004 he held an exhibition of his paintings at Gallari Tukt. [12]
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. [13] In 2007, his novel Hnífur Abrahams was the 15th best-selling book in Iceland. [14]
Óttar is married to Elo Vazquez. They have collaborated on some projects, including cartoons which appeared in the Reykjavík Grapevine, [15] and directing a music video for the Spanish band I Am Dive in 2013. [16]
Óttar has defined himself as a politically orientated artist. He was a candidate for the party Nýtt Afl in the Icelandic parliamentary election, 2003. [17] 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. [18] Óttar was one of various authors who were noted for their participation in the 2008-9 Kitchenware Revolution. [19] 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", [20] by circulating a photograph of himself sitting on the bench holding a sign saying "This bench is unfortunate". [21]
Norðfjörð's main works include: