Free!

Never Miss a Blog Post: Subscribe to Icelandic Roots!

Are you eager to stay informed about all things Icelandic? Look no further than the Icelandic Roots newsletter! Our dedicated team of authors and guest writers brings you insightful and engaging content on various topics related to Icelandic culture, history, travel, famous people, language, genealogy, and upcoming events.

Subscribe Today!

Apr 12, 20242 min read

Book Club - May 2024

The Icelandic Roots Book Club for Thursday May 2, 2024 will feature Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night. It is important to note that...

Apr 12, 20246 min read

Reconstructing Old Iceland from North America - Part Two

Jakob Sigurðsson and his Melsted Edda by Jason Doctor and Cathy Josephson Editor’s Note: You will recall Part One addresses the life,...

Mar 27, 20248 min read

Reconstructing Old Iceland from North America - Part One

Jakob Sigurðsson and his Melsted Edda by Jason Doctor and Cathy Josephson Today if you want to see pictures of the Norse gods, an...

Mar 15, 20242 min read

Travel Back to Iceland’s Saga Era in Upcoming Icelandic Roots Seminar

By Rob Olason Making a trip to Iceland is an inevitable “wish list” activity for many western Icelanders and other travelers who are...

Mar 15, 20243 min read

Ari the Wise: Our Interesting Icelander for March 2024

By Gay Strandemo This month we continue learning about interesting Icelanders that were important to the settlement era of Iceland. As a...

Mar 15, 20243 min read

Nineteenth Century Education in/of Iceland: A Journey of Learning for Pliny Miles - 1852

By Brian Borgford “In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue.” People of a certain age will remember the little...

Feb 29, 20243 min read

Iceland: An Outsider's View (1845)

by Brian Borgford “I must confess that I found the character of the Icelanders in every respect below the estimate I had previously...

Feb 29, 20246 min read

Bibles in the Icelandic Immigration to North America: Part One

by Doreen M (Borgfjord) McFarlane At the time of the immigration, 1875–1914, nearly all Icelanders were baptised and confirmed in the...

Feb 3, 20245 min read

A World Away from Home: The Saga of Undina

By Steve Stephens Note: Listen to Steve Stephens talk about his journey translating "The Poems of Undina" in an Icelandic Roots webinar...

Jan 20, 20243 min read

Interesting Icelander for January 2024

By Shaune Jonasson Welcome to our first Interesting Icelander of 2024 who also happens to be an important part of this year’s theme, the...

Jan 20, 20242 min read

Book Club: February 2024

by Heather Goodwin Lytwyn On February 1st, the Icelandic Roots Book Club will feature the author Margaret Willson and talk to her about...

Jan 6, 20242 min read

The Power of the Word: The Mead of Poetry

By Karen Gummo A poet, dancer, and visual artist, Karen Gummo has been performing as a storyteller for almost 40 years in schools,...

Jan 6, 20242 min read

Going Where the Log Lands

By Rob Olason In 2023 Icelandic Roots explored the topic of the nineteenth-century emigration period in Icelandic history. Throughout the...

Dec 9, 20237 min read

Icelandic Roots 10th Anniversary Trip to Iceland

By Alisa Jones My mom, Susan Huff, is a volunteer with Icelandic Roots. I was able to come on the 10th anniversary trip of Icelandic...

Dec 9, 20233 min read

2023 Snorri Plus Experience: A Summer Adventure in Iceland

By Terri Kristjanson Wintonyk After hearing about the Snorri Plus program on an Icelandic Roots Samtal Hour, I was hooked! Participating...

Nov 24, 20232 min read

November's Interesting Icelander

Árni Magnússon (I41634) 13 November 1663 – 7 January 1730 By Brian Borgford "And that is the way of the world, that some men put errors...

Nov 11, 20234 min read

Icelandic Roots Emigration Port Plaques

By Rob Olason In September 2023 a group of Icelandic Roots volunteers traveled to Iceland to dedicate four monuments in four emigration...

Nov 11, 20233 min read

Do You Care About Your Icelandic Heritage?

Yes. Of course, you care about your Icelandic heritage. That is why you are reading this! Ten years ago, on November 12, 2013, Icelandic...

Nov 6, 20233 min read

Sunna’s Dream of a Little Safnahús on the Prairie

Writer’s Note: This is the final article in the series commemorating Icelandic Roots' 10th anniversary. I sat down with Sunna Furstenau...

Oct 15, 20236 min read

Unique Icelandic Holidays

By Sharron Arksey Over the last decade, Icelandic Roots members have learned about the lesser-known holidays celebrated in Iceland...