#1 – Anthology of Contemporary Faroese Literature
Vencil and Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags, 2011.
Detaching from nothingness,
Sparks of dark space.
Blinks of chance.
On a course to universal compulsions.
A pulse approaching.
A haze of happiness
A zephyr of amazement.
A stillness.
– Rói Patursson, the Nordic Council’s Literary Prize winner in 1986
This anthology presents a wide variety of Faroese poetry and short stories translated into English. The youngest author is born in 1989 and the oldest in 1942.
Available for purchase here.
#2 – Northern Visions: Poetry of the Nordic/Scandinavian Nations
Visions International #37. Black Buzzars Press, 1991.
This volume presents poetry from all the Scandinavian countries. The section with Faroese poetry includes 10 Faroese poets born in 1900 until 1963, including the islands’ most famous poet, William Heinesen.
Available for purchase here.
#3 – Whisper of Butterly Wings, by Kalpana Vijayavarathan
Sprotin, 2020.
This is Kalpana Vijayavarathan’s first volume of poetry in English. It includes some words and phrases in Faroese describing her experiences as an immigrant on the islands since moving to the Faroe Islands from India more than 30 years ago.
Available for purchase here.
#4 – The Lost Musicians, by William Heinesen
Dedalus Books, 1950.
William Heinesen (1900-1991) is the by far the best-known Faroese author outside the Faroe Islands. He published poetry from the early 1920s on, novels from the 1930s and began to publish short stories in the 1950s. The Lost Musiciens is about a group of dreaming amateur musicians, a group that typcially represented the lowest societal class. They are set against Lutheran religious fanatics in the Prohibition movement and the Danish class of civil servants. The conflict between the groups is represented as a conflict between good and evil. Although the book never explicitly mentions Tórshavn, it will well known that the events described in the book take place in the Faroese capital in the beginning of the 20th century. Many of the houses in the book still stand in the old part of the town.
Available for purchase here.
#5 – Laterna Magica, by William Heinesen
Fjord Press, 1985.
This volume of short stories is William Heinesen’s last book, taking readers on William’s final passage. While walking down to the ferry station, William stops at various places and houses in order to tell about the people living there. It is a collection of “compassionate, humerous portraits of glorious souls who enjoy life fully in wisdom or in folly,” as written on the cover of the book.
Available for purchase here.
#6 – Walpurgnis Tide, by Jógvan Isaksen
Norvik Press, 2005.
Two British environmental activists are discovered dead amongst whale corpses after a whale-hunt in Torshavn. The detective, Hannis Martinsson, investigates the case as a member of the organisation “Guardians of the Sea” is killed in a plane crash. Suspicion falls on Faroese hunters but the investigation leads Martinsson to a much larger group of international vested interests and the discovery of a plot which could devastate the whole country.
Available for purhcase here.