Jón Kalman Stefánsson

Jón Kalman Stefánsson ( born December 17, 1963 in Reykjavík ) is an Icelandic writer.

Life

From 1975 to 1982 Jón Kalman earned his money with a variety of work, such as in the fishing industry, as a mason, and for a short time as a police officer at the airport of Keflavík, where he lived until 1986.

From 1986 to 1991 he studied literature at the University of Iceland ( Háskóli Íslands ) without completing the study. For eight years he taught literature at a school in Akranes. At the same time, he wrote articles and reviews for the newspaper Morgunblaðið as well as for the national radio station Ríkisútvarpið ( RÚV ). From 1992 to 1995 Jón Kalman lived in Copenhagen. Then he headed until 2000, the Public Library of mosfellsbær in Reykjavík. Since then, he is a freelance writer and continues to live in mosfellsbær.

Works

Trilogy

The first novel with which he was known in Germany, was the summer behind the hill (1997). In the German version of the novel it is actually the first two parts of a trilogy. The plot is very humorous and warm-hearted told from the perspective of an adolescent boy who works as many Icelandic teenagers in summer in the countryside and therefore it is only partially accessible society and its sometimes quite bizarre members can look at it from a certain distance. In addition to this central theme, the novel is made up of a number of individual stories. Again and again reflected the author and his own writing. Not without ironic distance he talks about the horse of the narrative, which was in the process to go through with it (the author as a rider ).

For those contained in the German version first part trenches in the rain, the author received the NV Literature Prize.

The third part of the novel The light appeared on the mountains in 1999. He continues the story of the first two parts. The boy is now almost grown, in part, is told in flashback from the perspective of the adult. On the other hand, comes in the clear atmosphere of the first two parts now a dark element in the form of serious illness so. This novel has also been highly praised by critics.

German translations

• The summer behind the hill ( Skurðir í rigningu, 1996 and Sumarið bakvið Brekkuna, 1997), BLT, Bergisch Gladbach 2001, ISBN 3404920716th
• The light on the mountains ( Birtan á fjöllunum, 1999), BLT, Bergisch Gladbach 2003, ISBN 3404921380th
• The crackling in the stars ( Snarkið í stjörnunum ), Reclam 2005; ISBN 978-3-15-020169-5.
• Miscellaneous about giant pines and the time ( Ýmislegt to risafurur above tímann ), Reclam 2006, ISBN 978-3-15-020164-0.
• Summer light, and then comes the night, Reclam, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-15-020878-6.
• Heaven and Hell, from the Icelandic by Karl -Ludwig Wetzig; Reclam, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-15-020879-3.
• The pain of the angels, Piper Verlag, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-492-05390-7 ( Original: Harmur Engl Anna ). The second novel of a planned trilogy, which also includes heaven and hell. (see review by Annett bushel in the Süddeutsche Zeitung on 28 September 2011, page 16)
• The heart of man ( Hjarta mansinns, 2011), Piper -Verlag, 2013; ISBN 978-3492055482