In the small slice of Nordic literature that’s recently made its way to America, it’s hard to find any that’s escaped the broad, posthumous influence of Stieg Larsson. For that alone, Bergsveinn Birgisson’s A Reply to a Letter from Helga, translated by Philip Roughton (AmazonCrossing, January 2013) is a noteworthy addition to the Anglophone lexicon, bringing with it a brief and vibrant tradition few readers this side of the Atlantic have ever considered.
Birgisson’s debut translation into English takes the form of the titular letter from an elderly Icelandic farmer writing to his old flame (the Helga), and it’s a form that works well to Birgisson’s intention. During the passionate and hearty yearnings by Bijarni (the farmer), you can almost feel the pen scratching the paper:
