Advent Gunnarsson Gunnar (2017)

This novella by Icelandic author Gunnar Gunnarsson (18891975) is a small gem of world literature. It tells the simple yet grand story of gathering sheep for the winter, an annual ritual for the main character, based on the authentic account of a local farmer, Benedikt Sigurjnsson, known as Bensi from the Mountains. The story is specifically Icelandic, set in the harsh, snow-covered landscape of northern Iceland near Lake Mvatn, yet its realistic grounding gives it universal relevance and makes it equally topical today. The seemingly ordinary tale of a shepherd who risks his life while searching for the last few sheep in his flock carries philosophical and existential depth, to which Gunnarssons style makes an important contribution. He tells the story tersely and economically, in a manner characteristic of the medieval sagas, which he admired and translated into Danish.