Kristmann Guðmundsson

Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland)

Ed. by Ármann Jakobsson, University of Iceland
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.3.4: Icelandic Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Ármann Jakobsson (University of Iceland), Sven Hakon Rossel (Universitat Wien), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen (University College London)

Dates

Born 23 Oct 1901
Died 20 Nov 1983

Places

Born in Iceland
Active in Iceland

Activities

Primary

Novelist

Resources

Guðmundsson's Works

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Kristmann Guðmundsson was an early twentieth century Icelandic novelist notable for his works of romantic fiction who had massive success in Norway in the 1930s, was translated into several European languages, and later became a noted Cold War culture warrior in Iceland. He also pioneered science fiction in Iceland.

Kristmann was born on 23 October in 1901 at Þverfell in Lundareykjadalur in Borgarfjörður. He was born out of wedlock to a country girl who left him in the care of her impoverished family. He grew up with his grandparents, but in his memoirs he states that as an illegitimate child he always felt unwelcome. He left home to work at the age of thirteen and ended up in Reykjavík. Kristmann was educated at the Samvinnuskólinn and was involved with radical politics in his

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1286 words

Citation: Jakobsson, Ármann. "Kristmann Guðmundsson". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 December 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=15230, accessed 21 December 2024.]