Overview

Critical Approaches to Sjón: North of the Sun is the first English-language book-length study of the works of the Icelandic contemporary poet Sjón (Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson, b. 1962), who is considered by some to be Iceland’s most distinctive and multifaceted contemporary author. This collection of essays introduces readers to Sjón’s rich body of writing and its transmedial and stylistic range, cultural breadth, thematic diversity, and intellectual depth. Essays in the volume have been brought together from around the world and cover Sjóns's beginnings as a neo-surrealist performance artist and poet (translated into over 20 languages), his career as a novelist (translated into over 30 languages), and his collaborations with translators, singer-songwriters, film directors, and other writers. Approaches range from the narratological, historical, ethical, epistemological, and mythological to theoretical methodologies such as thing theory, queer theory, disability studies, and ecocriticism.

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9781032580463

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Reviews

Endorsements With his multifaceted output ranging from the tale of a shape-shifting fox to a Viking revenge epic, Sjón is one of the most creative figures in Scandinavia – and in the world – today. In this capacious collection of essays, readers and moviegoers who have encountered Sjón in one of his many metamorphoses will find illuminating insights into the full range of the work of the writer whose name means “Vision.” David Damrosch, Ernest Bernbaum Professor of Comparative Literature, Harvard University Since I first discovered his books, few authors have fascinated and puzzled me more than Sjón. This anthology offers invaluable insights, concepts and tools for all readers who have ever had the immense pleasure of getting lost in his dark, funny, morbid, surreal, beautiful, and stunningly original works. Anders M. Gullestad, Associate Professor of Scandinavian Literature, University of Bergen Admirers of Sjón's written artistry are well-served by this volume's timely gathering of capable Icelandic and international critics and writers. Using diverse theoretical methodologies, these lucid examinations illumine Sjón's weird-and-wonderful imaginary, the strangeness of its ordinariness, its philosophical and ethical conundrums, and its abiding sensitivity toward life's misfits and marginals. Anne Brydon, ethnographer and cultural analyst, Wilfrid Laurier University By bringing together experts from various theoretical backgrounds, and by harmonizing their insights into a finely structured framework, the book Critical Approaches to Sjón skillfully navigates its reader through the multifaceted world of one of the most intriguing artists of today. It is an invaluable resource for both academics and fans of Sjón's art, and I gladly endorse it. Ieva Steponavičiūtė Aleksiejūnienė, Head of the Centre for Scandinavian Studies, Vilnius University A timely publication on one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Icelandic literature. This intriguing collection of essays gives valuable insights into Sjón‘s labyrinthine oeuvre, which is steeped in surrealism, esotericism, fantasy, cyberpunk, folklore and myth, and ranges from his early avant-garde poetry to his later historical novels and film scripts. Benedikt Hjartarson, University of Iceland

Author Information

Linda Badley is Professor Emerita of English and Film Studies at Middle Tennessee State University. Úlfhildur Dagsdóttir is an Icelandic literature scholar. Gitte Mose is Associate Professor Emerita at the University of Oslo.

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