How Words Shape a City

A conversation featuring Einar Þorsteinsson, Mayor of Reykjavik and former journalist, best-selling Icelandic authors Ragnar Jónasson and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, Seattle Civic Poet Shin Yu Pai, Melanie Noel and Stesha Brandon UNESCO Focal Point and Program Manager at Seattle City of Literature, who will moderate the discussion at the National Nordic Museum.

Reykjavik and Seattle are vibrant sister cities celebrated for their unique cultures, stunning coastal landscapes, and rich literary histories. As UNESCO Cities of Literature, they proudly promote and celebrate their literary heritage and creativity.

Nestled between coastlines and mountains, Reykjavík and Seattle draw inspiration from their dramatic surroundings. Can the power of words continue to shape these cities as vibrant literary hubs? Both cities thrive on a deep tradition of storytelling and poetry, with numerous authors, bookstores, and literary festivals enriching their cultural fabric.

UNESCO's Cities of Literature

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(L to R) The Mayor of Reykjavík is Einar Þorsteinsson, Shin Yu Pai Civic Poet of Seattle, and Stesha Brandon, Program Director at Town Hall Seattle.

Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature

Reykjavík was designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2011, becoming a central hub for literary arts and connecting with the global literary community through UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network.

As a UNESCO City of Literature, Reykjavík actively participates in all major literary events, offering support and guidance to emerging and established authors. The city provides resources for a wide range of literary projects, from individual endeavors to large-scale initiatives. Those engaged in the literary arts are encouraged to collaborate with the City of Literature for support and information.

The contemporary Icelandic literary scene is thriving, with Reykjavík serving as the home to many authors who have gained domestic and international recognition.

Icelandic language

Icelandic is one of the world's least widely spoken languages, with only about 390,000 speakers, most of whom reside in Iceland'. This language is a distinctive feature of the nation; unlike other Nordic languages, Icelandic has undergone minimal change since the country's settlement, enabling modern Icelanders to read Old Norse literature with relative ease.

Nowhere else in Europe is the history of literature as uninterrupted in this regard. Literature, including original works and translations, is crucial in preserving and developing Icelandic. Poetry and fiction rejuvenate the language, and translations have also been vital in keeping this thousand-year-old literary language alive.

Icelandic publishing

Nearly nowhere else in the world are there as many titles published per capita as in Iceland. According to Statistics Iceland, five titles are published per 1,000 residents, compared to 2 to 2.5 titles in other Nordic countries. To put this in context, an average print run of 1,000 copies for a novel in Iceland is comparable to one million copies in the United States. Most of the country's publishing houses are based in the Reykjavík capital area. 

Reykjavík – Seattle residency at Gröndal‘s House

The City of Reykjavík is launching a literature-related residency at Gröndal's House. The goal is to invite a journalist or researcher to spend 2 to 4 weeks exploring and writing about Reykjavík's contemporary literary scene. We will provide flights, accommodation at the Gröndal's House, and a per diem.

The selected individual will produce an article focusing on a specific aspect of the modern literary landscape. The article may include emerging writers, established authors, booksellers, and publishers. It will be published in the resident's home city and translated for publication in Iceland.

This initiative aims to generate in-depth journalism on Reykjavík's current literary culture, moving beyond traditional discussions of the Icelandic Sagas and medieval manuscripts. The goal is to make this an annual residency, inviting participants from different UNESCO Cities of Literature each year.

Gröndal's Literary House

Reykjavík, a UNESCO City of Literature, runs a cultural center in Reykjavík named after the poet Benedikt Gröndal (1826-1907), who once resided there. The house offers a workspace for literary artists on the main floor and loft, and the basement apartment has guest accommodations.

Einar Þorsteinsson 

Einar Þorsteinsson, the first Mayor from the Progressive Party, assumed office as Reykjavík’s Mayor in early 2024. Born on December 24, 1978, in Reykjavík, Einar grew up in Kópavogur, the son of Soffía Ingibjörg Guðmundsdóttir, a project manager at Landspítali Hospital, and Þorsteinn Einarsson, a former HR manager.

Einar studied at Reykjavík Junior College and earned an MPA in political science and public administration from the University of Iceland, with exchange studies at the University of Miami. During university, he chaired Politica, the political science student association, and served on the board of Vaka.

Einar joined RÚV in 2004, where he worked as a sports journalist, news reporter, presenter, and program director for “Kastljós.” He also led various elections coverage. In early 2022, he left RÚV to join the Progressive Party, leading their successful campaign in the March 2022 municipal elections, which secured four City Council seats.

Einar lives with his family in Reykjavík's Seljahverfi neighborhood. He is married to Milla Ósk Magnúsdóttir, a lawyer and assistant to the Minister of Health. He has two daughters, Auður Berta and Soffía Kristín, from a previous relationship, and a son, Emil Magnús, with Milla.

Shin Yu Pai 

Shin Yu Pai is the 2024 Shelley Memorial Award winner. She is currently The City of Seattle's Civic Poet (2023-2024) and served as the former Poet Laureate of The City of Redmond from 2015-2017. She is the author of 13 books, most recently No Neutral (Empty Bowl, 2023) and Less Desolate (Blue Cactus, 2023). Her work has received awards from The Academy of American Poets, Artist Trust, 4Culture, and The Awesome Foundation. Her poetry films have been screened at the Zebra Poetry Film Festival and the Northwest Film Forum. Shin Yu is also the creator and host of Ten Thousand Things, an award-winning podcast on Asian American stories that she produces for KUOW, Seattle's National Public Radio station.

Melanie Noel

Melanie Noel is the author of The Monarchs (Stockport Flats, 2013) and a Ringing (Goodmorning Menagerie, 2020).  She was Redmond's Poet Laureate from 2017-2019. Her poems have appeared in Thermos, Spiral Orb, GUEST, The Volta, The Arcadia Project, and most recently, Shelf Documents, a collection she also copyedited. She’s written poems for installations and as live scores for short films.  She was a co-curator of the dance, music, and poetry series APOSTROPHE and curated Impala, a reading series that took place in her grandmother’s car. She’s taught classes in woods & parks, as well as schools, hospitals, and community centers. She holds Masters degrees in Education (Antioch) and Poetry (Iowa Writers’ Workshop) and studied Performance Studies masters at Lístaháskóli Íslands (Iceland).

Stesha Brandon

Stesha Brandon is a long-time advocate for the literary arts. She is currently the Literature & Humanities Program Manager at The Seattle Public Library and acts as Program Manager and UNESCO Focal Point for Seattle City of Literature.    While Program Director at Town Hall Seattle, Stesha developed compelling programs focused on arts and ideas in partnership with national and community partners. During her long tenure at the University Book Store, she oversaw more than 500 events annually. Stesha conceived, edited, and produced 110/110: A Collection Celebrating the One Hundred Tenth Birthday of University Book Store. She has also worked as an acquisitions editor and a reader for a literary agent and served on numerous committees, including the Bumbershoot Task Force and the Washington State Book Awards jury. She currently serves on the board of Seattle Arts & Lectures. When she's not reading, Stesha likes to bake tasty treats.