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
Includes 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
Includes 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
Includes 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
