Former booksellers and Icelanders at heart, we founded hvalreki.
An independent publishing house dedicated to Icelandic literature translated into French, we publish works that are both demanding and accessible, carrying beauty, simplicity, and openness. Our books invite a shift in perspective: they offer a luminous reading of the world and celebrate otherness through our deep love of Iceland.
> hvalreki – a light from Iceland!
The word has no equivalent in English. In Icelandic, hvalreki refers to a whale washed ashore, cast up by the waves. At a time when Icelanders struggled to survive, such a gift from the sea was an unhoped-for stroke of luck. What remains today is the idea of a rare event, an unexpected blessing. Our books are conceived in this spirit: unforeseen discoveries that arrive just when they are needed. By the time you close them, you understand they were necessary.
> hvalreki – an unexpected joy!
Happy reading!
Laure & Arnaud
Did you know? The number of writers per capita is seven times higher in Iceland than in France. Iceland therefore holds the world record for the highest literary output per inhabitant. Yet fewer than 10% of these works ever reach French readers. Moreover the overwhelming majority of translated titles are written by a handful of authors. At hvalreki, we seek to explore the remaining 90%—in search of an unexpected joy.
… and now : discover our catalogue