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| photo: Sigurjon Sigurjonsson | |
Ragnar Jónasson was born in Iceland and works as an attorney and writer in Reykjavík. Before embarking on a writing career, he translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. Jónasson is the co-founder of the Reykjavík international crime writing festival Iceland Noir and has appeared on panels at crime fiction festivals, including Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime in the U.S. His thriller Snowblind (Minotaur, January 31, 2017) is his first to be translated into English
On your nightstand now:
Sophie Hannah's new Poirot book, Closed Casket. I enjoyed her first one in the series, and it was cozy to have a Christie for Christmas.
Joël Dicker's The Baltimore Boys. His Harry Quebert book was outstanding, my favorite read of 2014, so I'm really looking forward to this one.
P.D. James's The Mistletoe Murder, a collection of Christmas mysteries.
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, a real page-turner.
Also, I'm constantly re-reading Agatha Christie, at the moment it's The Sittaford Mystery.
Favorite book when you were a child:
I read quite a lot when I was a child, and one of my favorite authors was Icelandic children writer Ármann Kr. Einarsson, but I don't think his books were translated into English.
Your top five authors:
In this respect, I'll stick to the field of crime writing, where my top five authors would be Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, S.S. Van Dine, P.D. James and Stieg Larsson. Three of those belong to the Golden Age, while P.D. James is probably the best crime author of the recent decades. Stieg Larsson represents my interest in Nordic crime, and I loved his books.
Book you've faked reading:
Can't think of any. I can admit though that I feel I should read more by Iceland's Nobel laureate, Halldór Laxness. I've read some of his novels, of course, but not all of them. A magnificent author.
Book you're an evangelist for:
I'm always recommending that people read The Greenhouse by Icelandic author Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir. One of my all-time favorite books. Also, I strongly encourage English-language readers to read books by excellent Icelandic novelist Ólaf Ólafsson, as many of his books are available in English, the most recent one being Restoration.
Book you've bought for the cover:
Almost every book! I buy a lot of books, and if it's not an author I know, but the cover is good, I usually buy it!
Book you hid from your parents:
I don't remember having done that, actually. They have always encouraged me to read as much as I can.
Book that changed your life:
I would have to say Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie. That was the first Christie book I ever read, at the age of 11, and that led me to eventually translate and write crime fiction.
Favorite line from a book:
"The truth is not to be found in books, not even good books, but in people with a good heart." --Halldór Laxness
Five books you'll never part with:
Many more than five, I'm sure, but to name a few: the first edition of my first published book; first editions of my father's and my grandfather's books; the first ever Icelandic translation of Agatha Christie, from 1941; and, of course, my signed Agatha Christie book, as well as my signed P.D. James books.
Book you most want to read again for the first time:
Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, no question. A superbly clever book.