FarLit

FarLit promotes Faroese literature abroad. Learn more about us on www.farlit.fo FarLit is funded by the Ministry of Culture in the Faroe Islands.

FarLit – an abbreviation of Faroese Literature - is a project set up to promote awareness of Faroese literature on the international book market. FarLit works with Faroese authorities, publishers, book shops, translators, libraries and associations which all share the aim of bringing books by Faroese authors to a wider audience abroad.

28/08/2026

New middle grade book 🔴
Ferðin til Kongurvág (English: The Journey to Kongurvág) is the debut of Urd Johannesen. It is a middle-grade novel for children aged 7–12. Illustrations are by Silja Eystberg and it is published by Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags.
The book is about Ólavur, who hates going to bed because every night he has the same horrible nightmare. He is chased by slimy creatures that shapeshift into fire and pursue him through a dark cave until he falls off the edge. But one night the nightmare changes. Ólavur ends up in Kongurvág, in the kingdom of the spiders. Together with a spider, he must travel further into Kongurdal to end his nightmare—this is the only way to get rid of it. Ferðin til Kongurvág is an exciting story about friendship, fear, and courage.

15/07/2026

The translator in the spotlight in July is Anya Mathilde Poulsen from Denmark. We asked Anya to answer a few questions about herself:

💡 Who are you?
I’m a librarian, writer, and translator. I am also entirely Danish, which sometimes surprises people, as it is quite uncommon for Danes to have knowledge of Faroese. I have always been deeply interested in languages and fell in love with Faroese many years ago when my father-in-law, who was partly Faroese, invited all of his children and their partners on a trip to the Faroe Islands. I found the language intriguing and beautiful and wanted to unlock its secrets.

💡 What have you translated?
I have translated books by Jógvan Isaksen and Katrin Ottarsdóttir.
When I decided to learn Faroese, it was very difficult to find a course in Denmark. All Faroese people learn Danish and speak it fluently, yet Danish people are rarely expected to learn Faroese. I find that unfair and unbalanced. We are part of the same Danish Realm, after all, and I wholeheartedly think that some knowledge of each other’s languages should be shared. The only course I could find in Denmark back then was taught by Jógvan Isaksen at the University of Copenhagen. I wasn’t a university student any longer, but he let me audit the course, and later he was courageous enough to let me try my hand at translating one of his novels. We are still working together, and it’s been several books now.

💡 Why do you love Faroese literature?
I am very interested in our Nordic culture and the stories, traditions, and heritage that shape it. Faroese literature and the Faroese language seem to me to carry a strong sense of those roots—much more so than Danish.

What first drew me to the Faroese language was the ballad tradition, the kvæði, and I love the fact that Jógvan Isaksen’s novels often include verses from ballads as well as Faroese poetry and legends. Crime fiction that introduces readers to the rich heritage of Faroese literature - a wonderful combination!

💡 Visit www.farlit.fo to read Anya's full-length answers and an excerpt of her forthcoming Danish translation of Katrin Ottarsdóttir’s short-story collection 7 søgur.
Mathilde Poulsen

08/07/2026

Bárður Oskarsson's "The Tree" published in Croatia 🌳

The popular and award-winning illustrated children’s book “The Tree” (Træið - 2017 - BFL) by Bárður Oskarsson has now been published in Croatia by publisher Stope in translation by Lana Momirski.

The story is about two friends, Bob and Hilbert. Bob is intrigued by what might be on the other side of the tree. Only once has he been by the tree to have a look, but he didn’t dare go further. Bob’s friend Hilbert claims that he’s been on the other side of the tree several times. He even says that he’s flown around the world using his own wings, despite him being a dog. Bob isn’t quite sure what to believe …

Croatia is the 13th country to translate and publish “The Tree”. Oskarsson’s ability to convey the complexities of human perspective and emotions through captivating, witty illustrations is why his work is being so widely translated.

Bárður Oskarsson received the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize in 2018 for “The Tree.”

29/06/2026

New Children's Book
“Surr” (En: Buzzing) is the title of a new picture book written by Dánial Hoydal and illustrated by Annika Øyrabø.

It is a beautiful picture book for children age 5-8 about a girl who feels different than other kids. She has a hard time focusing in school and at home. Her thoughts are buzzing like bees. But she is very good at drawing. When she draws, the bees turn into butterflies. Why is she not like everyone else?

The book has 24 pages and is published by BFL.

This is the third book by Dánial Hoydal and Annika Øyrabø. All three books deal with difficult topics. “Granddad and I and Granddad” (2021) is about dementia and “The lines” (2022) is about anxiety.

18/06/2026

🔹 Sólrún Michelsen published in USA 🔹

Sólrún Michelsen’s award winning novel On the other side is March is now published in USA by Transit Books. Marita Thomsen translated the book into English from Faroese.

On the Other Side is March is an exquisite, darkly witty portrait of aging, memory, and multigenerational caretaking and it is the first novel by a Faroese woman author to come out in English. It was published in UK in 2023 and now in the US. The book is published in: Denmark, Norway, Greece, Hungary, UK, Ethiopia and USA.

🔹 The narrator of On the Other Side is March has reached her early sixties. Her kids are grown and out of the house and she’s faced with a time that, for years, she always seemed to be looking toward—a time when she wasn't needed by somebody or something. But now, with her mother’s declining health, she finds herself revisiting childhood scenes, family hymns, and folk songs—revealing a lifetime of love, duty, awe, and regret. She tends to her mother amid the stark rhythms of Faroese life, waiting for a new nursing home that never arrives, and confronts the reality of being part of the "army of women" who inherit care. In her grief and private goodbye to her mother, however, is also a gorgeous meditation about life, as translator Marita Thomsen says in her translator's note, "in its ragged mundane glory."

Praise for On the Other Side is March:
🔹 "Elegiac… With poignant grace, Michelsen examines life and death through the most elemental bond between mother and child."—Booklist, starred review
🔹 "A spare yet powerful meditation on mortality... There is a lovely economy to Michelsen's writing."—Publishers Weekly
🔹 "A moving and honest portrayal of familial love and dependency."—Kirkus Reviews.

17/06/2026

Faroese books to be published in 7 languages - poetry, children’s books and crime fiction among translations.

FarLit provides grants three times a year to support translations of Faroese books into foreign and Nordic languages. In the second allocation of the year 11 applications were received and 10 grants were awarded totaling DKK 196.200. Applications for translation grants are accepted three times a year - in February, June and October.

Nordic Council Literature Prize winner 2025 Black Orchid by Vónbjørt Vang received a grant to be published in Greece. Rights are also sold to Estonia and Iceland.

Two Norwegian publishers recieved grants for publishing Norwegian translations of Faroese literature. These works are:
- Marta Marta by Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs
- I Write on Wet Paper by Lív Maria Róadóttir Jæger.

Jógvan Isaksen’s classic crime novel Sweet is a Summer Night in the Faroe Islands is set to be published in:
- Greece
- Estonia

The children’s book Brave Betty Blowfly (Faroese title: Djarva Sára Skinfluga) by Mourits Mohr Joensen and Jórunn Davidsen will be published in:
- Germany
- Sri Lanka

And Silja Aldudóttir’s picture book Bjarta brushes her teeth (Faroese title: Bjarta bustar tenn) will be published in:
- Germany
- North Macedonia

Cheers by Dania O. Tausen, Hey:) by Trygvi Danielsen and I sharpen my Knife I’m Coming Home by Nansý Sunadóttir are set to be published in the US in a joint publication.

16/06/2026

Bárður Oskarsson's children's books “The Tree”, “Hilbert” and “Bob” have been published in the Netherlands in Dutch translation by Frida Johannessen. The books are published by Azboeka. Azboeka has previously published “The Flat Rabbit” by Bárður Oskarsson.

Down to earth storytelling with a philosophical twist. Bárður Oskarsson is known for his unique stories and illustrations that fascinate people of all ages.

15/06/2026

The translator in the spotlight in June is Martin Schürholz from Germany. We asked Martin to answer a few questions about himself:

💡 Who are you?
I am a German officer with a passion for travelling north. Norway, Iceland, and especially the Faroe Islands are my favorite destinations. Besides travelling, I am deeply interested in languages, literature, and sports.

💡 What have you translated?
I have primarily translated novels into German, beginning with a five-part crime series by Steintór Rasmussen (Deyðin fer í bindiklubb, Hevndin úr havsins dýpi, Horvna rósan, Seytjandi maðurin and Ein er tíðin at liva). This was later followed by the young adult book Ódjór by Silja Aldudóttir and the social novel Tám by Jón Thorsteinsson.

💡 Why do you love Faroese literature?
When I visited the Faroe Islands for the third time in 2013, following my trips in 1989 and 1996, I fell completely in love with this “last paradise on earth.” Back in Germany I only wished to read more about these islands. Besides facts and newspapers, I was mainly interested in Faroese literature. But there wasn’t much available in other languages, at least very little modern literature. So I was inspired to teach myself Faroese. And it was then that I truly discovered how richly blessed the Faroe Islands are with good books.

💡 Provide a short translated excerpt of your choosing.
It's a little bit difficult to choose a suitable passage from so many pages. I will try pages 42-43 in Steintór Rasmussen's Ein er tíðin at liva, as they combine some history, nature, and a touch of suspense in just a few sections:

Birita rückte barsch von Louis ab. Sie hatte fast das Gefühl, als wolle der Polizeipräsident den Zauberer aus der Erde heraufbeschwören, damit er ihm helfe, das Rätsel um den verschwundenen Jungen zu lösen.
Dann aber gingen sie zurück zum Polizeiwagen und fuhren über die Landenge von Viðareiði hinüber zur Ostküste. Von dort blickten sie auf die Insel Fugloy, die immer noch im Sonnenlicht badete. Louis nahm das Thema wieder auf und erzählte von den sogenannten „Parteimännern“ Høgni Nev und Rógvi Skel oder wie immer sie auch geheißen haben mochten. Birita war kurz davor, ihn darum zu bitten, seinen Mund zu halten. Sie war weder daran interessiert, sich weiter seine Vorträge anzuhören noch eine Prüfung im Fachbereich „Färöische Sagen“ abzulegen. Denn sie hatten soeben Eiðsvík erreicht, wo sie auf weitere Suchtrupps trafen. Der Polizeihund, den diese dabeihatten, wurde plötzlich unruhig. Er begann heftig zu bellen und an der Leine zu reißen. Er schien seinen Führer hinunter zum schwarzen Steinufer ziehen zu wollen. Biritas Herzschlag wurde schneller. In ihrer noch kurzen Karriere als Kriminalpolizistin war es ihr bisher erspart geblieben, die Leiche eines Kindes sehen zu müssen. Der Geruchssinn des Schäferhundes war ausgesprochen gut. Er sabberte aufgeregt und gab sich alle Mühe, Louis dazu zu bewegen, ihm zu folgen. Hatte der Hund etwas erschnüffelt oder was für eine Fährte mochte er aufgenommen haben? Zwischen den mächtigen Felsen schwamm etwas im Tang. Sie erstarrte, als sie sah, dass es sich um eine hellblaue Jungenmütze handelte.

03/06/2026

Kim Simonsen’s 2013 poetry collection Hvat hjálpir einum menniskja at vakna ein morgun hesumegin hetta áratúsundið is published in English by American publisher Deep Vellum.
The work has been translated from Faroese into English by Randi Ward. Simonsen received the 2014 M. A. Jacobsen’s Award from Tórshavn City Council, while Ward’s translation was awarded the 2021 American-Scandinavian Foundation’s Nadia Christensen Prize.

01/06/2026

The Turið Sigurðardóttir Translation Prize for Faroese and Icelandic Literature

The American-Scandinavian Foundation in New York has announced the Turið Sigurðardóttir Translation Prize, established to honor Professor Turið Sigurðardóttir and each year celebrate the best translation from a work of Faroese or Icelandic literature into English.

Beginning with this year’s competition, ASF will award the Turið Sigurðardóttir Translation Prize, honoring the best translation from a work of Faroese or Icelandic literature into English. The prize includes a $2,000 award, a bronze medallion, and publication in Scandinavian Review. This new award has been made possible through the generosity of acclaimed translator and poet Randi Ward, a two-time recipient of the Nadia Christensen Prize.

The new prize is named in honor of Turið Sigurðardóttir, trailblazing professor emerita of Faroese language and literature at the University of the Faroe Islands. A prolific literary historian, author, and translator, Professor Sigurðardóttir has also distinguished herself as a devoted mentor to many. For decades, she has tirelessly fostered an ever-expanding network of translators—translating into and from Faroese—in addition to championing the work of contemporary writers through her publishing house, Ungu Føroyar. For her inestimable contributions to Nordic letters, Sigurðardóttir has received the Icelandic Order of the Falcon and the Faroe Islands’ M.A. Jacobsen Award. ASF hopes the Turið Sigurðardóttir Prize will encourage more translators, and a wider Anglophone readership, to engage with Faroese literature and Icelandic literature.

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