The Greatest Literature of Norden
This list presents the literature of the Nordic countries, often glossed as Scandinavia by English speakers but more accurately termed Norden, which means "the North". Norden takes in the northern continental countries of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, as well as the North Atlantic islands of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroes.
The Greatest Nordic Literature list is based on the ongoing research and surveys carried out over the past two decades for our flagship Greatest Literature of All Time list. But it also further sources the readers, writer, critics and scholars of the Nordic countries.
As new great works are discovered and old great works are reassessed, this list will evolve. Check back for updates.
Latest update: January 25, 2024
The 99 greatest works of Nordic literature
In chronological order
c. 1000–1300
The Poetic Edda
Anonymous
Iceland
long poem
c. 1100–1250
Volsungsaga
Anonymous
Iceland
long poem
c. 1200
The Prose Edda
SnorriSturlson
Iceland
novel
c. 1240
Egil's Saga
Anonymous
Iceland
novel
c. 1250
The Saga of Burnt Njal
Anonymous
Iceland
long poem
c. 1300–1400
The Saga of Grettir the Strong
Anonymous
Iceland
long poem
1829
The Rector of Veilbye
Steen Steensen Blicher
Denmark
novella
1867
Peer Gynt
Henrik Ibsen
Norway
play
1872
Fairy Tales and Stories
Hans Christian Andersen
Denmark
story collection
1876
Fru Marie Grubbe
Jens Peteer Jacobsen
Denmark
memoir
1879
A Doll's House
Henrik Ibsen
Norway
play
1879
The Red Room
August Strindberg
Sweden
novel
1882
An Enemy of the People
Henrik Ibsen
Norway
play
1884
The Wild Duck
Henrik Ibsen
Norway
play
1887
The People of Hemsö
August Strindberg
Sweden
novel
The Father
August Strindberg
Sweden
play
1889
Miss Julie
August Strindberg
Sweden
play
1891
Hedda Gabler
Henrik Ibsen
Norway
play
1892
Mysteries
Knut Hamsun
Norway
novel
1893
The Master Builder
Henrik Ibsen
Norway
play
1894
Pan
Knut Hamsun
Norway
novel
The Story of Gösta Berling
Selma Lagerlöf
Sweden
novel
1896
Inferno
August Strindberg
Sweden
novel
1898–1904
Lucky Per
Henrik Pontoppidan
Denmaark
novel
1898
To Damascus
August Strindberg
Denmark
Plays
1899
Hunger
Knut Hamsun
Norway
novel
1900–1901
The Fall of the King
Johannes V. Jensen
Denmark
novel
1902
A Dream Play
August Strindberg
Sweden
novel
1905
Doctor Glas
Hjalmar Söderberg
Sweden
novella
1906–1907
The Wonderful Adventures of Nils
Selma Lagerlöf
Sweden
novel
1908–1921
The Long Journey
Johannes V. Jensen
Denmark
novel
1912
The Serious Game
Hjalmar Söderberg
Sweden
novel
1913
By the Open Sea
August Strindberg
Sweden
novel
1914
The Emperor of Portugallia
Selma Lagerlöf
Sweden
novel
1917
Growth of the Soil
Knut Hamsun
Norway
novel
1920
Giants in the Earth
Ole Edvart Rolvaag
Norway
novel
1920–1922
Kristin Lavransdatter
Sigrid Undset
Norway
novel series
1927
The Snake Pit
Sigrid Undset
Norway
novel
1934
Seven Gothic Tales
Karen Blixen
Denmark
story collection
1934–1935
Independent People
Halldór Laxness
Iceland
novel
1935
Flowering Nettlea
Harry Martinson
Flowering Nettle
novel
1937
Out of Africa
Karen Blixen
Denmark
memoir
The Book-Dealer Who Ceased Bathing
Fritiof Nilsson Piraten
Sweden
novel
1940
Kallocain
Karin Boye
Sweden
novel
1941
Ride This Night
Vilhelm Moberg
Sweden
novel
1941–1945
The Long Ships
Frans G. Bengtsson
Sweden
novel
1942
Winter's Tales
Karen Blixen
Denmark
story collection
The Man Without a Way
Erik Lindegren
Sweden
poetry collection
1944
The Dwarf
Pär Lagerkvist
Sweden
novel
1945–1948
Pippi Longstocking
Astrid Lindgren
Sweden
novella series
1946
Return to Ithaca
Eyvind Johnson
Sweden
novel
1948
The Road to Klockrike
Harry Martinson
Sweden
novel
1949–1959
The Emigrants
Vilhelm Moberg
Sweden
novel series
including The Emigrants, Unto a Good Land, The Settlers, The Last Letter Home
1950
Barabbas
Pär Lagerkvist
Sweden
novel
1954
The Unknown Soldier
Väinö Linna
Finland
novel
Mio, My Son
Astrid Lindgren
Sweden
novella
1956
Aniara
Harry Martinson
Sweden
poem
1957
The Birds
Tarjei Vesaas
Norway
novel
1958
Anecdotes of Destiny
Isak Dinesen
Denmark
story collection
The Werewolf
Aksel Sandemose
Denmark
novel
1960
The Days of His Grace
Eyvind Johnson
Sweden
novel
City of My Dreams
Pers Ansers Fogelström
Sweden
novel
1960–1968
Stockholm
Pers Ansers Fogelström
Sweden
novel series
1961
Collected Poems
Nils Ferlin
Sweden
poetry collection
1962
Reconciliation
Väinö Linna
Finland
novel
1963
The Ice Palace
Tarjei Vesaas
Norway
novel
A Time on Earth
Vilhelm Moberg
Sweden
novel
1963–1970
Emil of Maple House
Astrid Lindgren
Sweden
novel series
1964
The Good Hope
William Heinesen
Faroe Islands
novel
From Hell to Paradise
Olof Lagercrantz
Sweden
novel
1967
The Manila Rope
Veijo Meri
Finland
novel
The New Short Stories
Johan Bergen
Norway
story collection
1967–1970
Slaves trilogy
Thorkild Hansen
Denmark
novel series
including Coast of Slaves, Ships of Slaves, Islands of Slaves
1968
The Laughing Policeman
Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö
Sweden
novel
1969
Anna, I, Anna
Klaus Rifbjerg
Denmark
novel
1971
The Egyptian
Mika Waltari
Finland
novel
1972
The Summer Book
Tove Jansson
Finland
novella
1975
The Year of the Hare
Arto Paasilinna
Finland
novel series
1979
Wrarth's Children
Sara Lidman
Sweden
novel
1981
The House wth the Blind Glass Windows
Mario Vargas Llosa
Norway
novel
Samuel's Book
Sven Delblanc
Sweden
novel
Ronia, the Robber's Daughter
Astrid Lindgren
Sweden
novella
1982
After the Flood
P.C. Jersild
Sweden
novel
1983
The Christmas Oratorio
Göran Tunström
Sweden
novel
1985
Simon and the Oak Trees
Marianne Frederiksson
Sweden
novel
1986
The Dog
Kerstin Ekman
Sweden
novel
1987–1999
Bert diaries
Anders Jacobsson, Sören Olsson
Sweden
novel series
1989
For the Living and the Dead
Tomas Tranströmer
Sweden
poetry collection
1991
Butterfly Valley
Inger Christensen
Denmark
poetry collection
Sophie's World
Jostein Gaarder
Norway
novel
Faceless Killers
Henning Mankell
Sweden
novel
1992
Smilla's Sense of Snow
Peter Høeg
Denmark
novel
1993
Blackwater
Kerstin Ekman
Sweden
novel
2001
The Half Brother
Lars Saabye Christenson
Denmark
novel
2003
Out Stealing Horses
Per Petterson
Norway
novel
2004
The Book about Blanche and Marie
Per Olov Enquist
Sweden
novel
2005–2007
Stieg Larsson
Sweden
novel series
including The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest
2007–2014
Andvake, Olavs Draumar, Kveldsvævd
Jon Fosse
Norway
novella series
2009
A Death in the Family
Karl Ove Knausgaard
Norway
memoir
