The Greatest Nordic Literature
This selection of Nordic literature encompasses all literary forms, genres and periods. It includes works acclaimed by readers, writers, critics and scholars in Norden and around the world.
This list presents the literature of the countries often glossed as Scandinavia but more accurately termed Norden, which means "the North". Norden takes in the 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 focuses on the region's major creative works—such as novels, novellas, plays, long poetry and collections.
You may also be interested in The Greatest Swedish Literature, The Greatest Polish Literature, or The Greatest Russian Literature.
This list is updated as new works are discovered and appreciation of older works evolves. Please note the revision date when citing the list.
Latest update: July 4, 2025
The 99 greatest works of Nordic literature
c. 1000–1300
The Poetic Edda
Anonymous, Iceland
Epic poem
c. 1100–1250
Volsunga Saga
Anonymous, Iceland
Epic prose narrative, also known as Saga of the Völsungs
c. 1200
The Prose Edda
by SnorriSturlson, Iceland
Novel
c. 1240
Egil's Saga
Anonymous, Iceland
Novel, also known as Egla
c. 1250
The Saga of Burnt Njal
Anonymous, Iceland
Epic prose narrative, also known as Njal's Saga
c. 1300–1400
The Saga of Grettir the Strong
Anonymous, Iceland
Epic prose narrative
1867
Peer Gynt
by Henrik Ibsen, Norway
Play
1872
Fairy Tales and Stories
by Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark
Story collection
1876
Fru Marie Grubbe
by Jens Peter Jacobsen, Denmark
Novel
1879
A Doll's House
by Henrik Ibsen, Norway
Play
1879
The Red Room
by August Strindberg, Sweden
Novel
1882
An Enemy of the People
by Henrik Ibsen, Norway
Play
1884
The Wild Duck
by Henrik Ibsen, Norway
Play
1887
The People of Hemsö
by August Strindberg, Sweden
Novel
The Father
by August Strindberg, Sweden
Play
1889
Miss Julie
by August Strindberg, Sweden
Play
1891
Hedda Gabler
by Henrik Ibsen, Norway
Play
1892
Mysteries
by Knut Hamsun, Norway
Novel
1893
The Master Builder
by Henrik Ibsen, Norway
Play
1894
Pan
by Knut Hamsun, Norway
Novel
The Story of Gösta Berling
by Selma Lagerlöf, Sweden
Novel
1896
Inferno
by August Strindberg, Sweden
Novel
1898
To Damascus
by August Strindberg, Denmark
Play, first part in trilogy of same name, also known as The Road to Damascus
1898–1904
Lucky Per
by Henrik Pontoppidan, Denmark
Novel
1899
Hunger
by Knut Hamsun, Norway
Novel
1900–1901
The Fall of the King
by Johannes V. Jensen, Denmark
Novel
1902
A Dream Play
by August Strindberg, Sweden
Play
1905
Doctor Glas
by Hjalmar Söderberg, Sweden
Novella
1906–1907
The Wonderful Adventures of Nils
by Selma Lagerlöf, Sweden
Novel
1908–1922
The Long Journey
by Johannes V. Jensen, Denmark
Novel, originally Den lange rejse
1912
The Serious Game
by Hjalmar Söderberg, Sweden
Novel
1913
By the Open Sea
by August Strindberg, Sweden
Novel
1914
The Emperor of Portugallia
by Selma Lagerlöf, Sweden
Novel
1917
Growth of the Soil
by Knut Hamsun, Norway
Novel
1920–1922
Kristin Lavransdatter
by Sigrid Undset, Norway
Novel series
1926
Alberta and Jacob
by Cora Sandel, Norway
Novel, originally Alberte og Jakob
1927
The Snake Pit
by Sigrid Undset, Norway
Novel
1934
Seven Gothic Tales
by Karen Blixen, Denmark
Story collection
1934–1935
Independent People
by Halldór Laxness, Iceland
Novel
1935
Flowering Nettles
by Harry Martinson, Sweden
Novel
1937
The Book-Dealer Who Ceased Bathing
by Fritiof Nilsson Piraten, Sweden
Novel
1940
Kallocain
by Karin Boye, Sweden
Novel
1941
Ride This Night
by Vilhelm Moberg, Sweden
Novel
1941–1945
The Long Ships
by Frans G. Bengtsson, Sweden
Novel
1942
Winter's Tales
by Karen Blixen, Denmark
Story collection
1944
The Dwarf
by Pär Lagerkvist, Sweden
Novel
1945–1948
Pippi Longstocking
by Astrid Lindgren, Sweden
Novella series, originally Pippi Långstrump, includes Pippi Longstocking, Pippi Goes on Board, and Pippi in the South Seas.
1946
Return to Ithaca
by Eyvind Johnson, Sweden
Novel
1948
The Road to Klockrike
by Harry Martinson, Sweden
Novel
1949–1959
The Emigrants
by Vilhelm Moberg, Sweden
Novel series, originally Utvandrarna, includes The Emigrants, Unto a Good Land, The Settlers and The Last Letter Home.
1950
Barabbas
by Pär Lagerkvist, Sweden
Novel
1954
The Unknown Soldier
by Väinö Linna, Finland
Novel
Mio, My Son
by Astrid Lindgren, Sweden
Novella
1956
Aniara
by Harry Martinson, Sweden
Epic poem
1957
The Birds
by Tarjei Vesaas, Norway
Novel
1958
Anecdotes of Destiny
by Isak Dinesen, Denmark
Story collection
The Werewolf
by Aksel Sandemose, Denmark
Novel
1960
The Days of His Grace
by Eyvind Johnson, Sweden
Novel
City of My Dreams
by Pers Ansers Fogelström, Sweden
Novel
1960–1968
Stockholm
by Pers Ansers Fogelström, Sweden
Novel series
1961
Collected Poems
by Nils Ferlin, Sweden
Poetry collection
1962
Reconciliation
by Väinö Linna, Finland
Novel
1963
The Ice Palace
by Tarjei Vesaas, Norway
Novel
1963–1970
"iotem
Emil of Maple House
by Astrid Lindgren, Sweden
Novel series
1964
The Good Hope
by William Heinesen, Faroe Islands
Novel
From Hell to Paradise
by Olof Lagercrantz, Sweden
Novel
1967
The Manila Rope
by Veijo Meri, Finland
Novel
The New Short Stories
by Johan Bergen, Norway
Story collection
1967–1970
Slaves trilogy
by Thorkild Hansen, Denmark
Novel series includes Coast of Slaves, Ships of Slaves, Islands of Slaves
1968
The Laughing Policeman
by Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö, Sweden
Novel
1969
Anna, I, Anna
by Klaus Rifbjerg, Denmark
Novel
1971
The Egyptian
by Mika Waltari, Finland
Novel
1972
The Summer Book
by Tove Jansson, Finland
Novella
1975
The Year of the Hare
by Arto Paasilinna, Finland
Novel series
1979
Wrath's Children
by Sara Lidman, Sweden
Novel
1981
The House wth the Blind Glass Windows
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Norway
Novel
Samuel's Book
by Sven Delblanc, Sweden
Novel
Ronia, the Robber's Daughter
by Astrid Lindgren, Sweden
Novella
1983
The Christmas Oratorio
by Göran Tunström, Sweden
Novel, originally Juloratoriet
1985
Simon and the Oak Trees
by Marianne Frederiksson, Sweden
Novel
1986
The Dog
by Kerstin Ekman, Sweden
Novel
1987–1999
Bert diaries
by Anders Jacobsson, Sören Olsson, Sweden
Novel series
1989
For the Living and the Dead
by Tomas Tranströmer, Sweden
Poetry collection
1991
Butterfly Valley
by Inger Christensen, Denmark
Poetry collection
Sophie's World
by Jostein Gaarder, Norway
Novel
Faceless Killers
by Henning Mankell, Sweden
Novel
1992
Smilla's Sense of Snow
by Peter Høeg, Denmark
Novel, also known as Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow
1993
Blackwater
by Kerstin Ekman, Sweden
Novel
2001
The Half Brother
by Lars Saabye Christenson, Denmark
Novel
2002
The Bookseller of Kabul
by Åsne Seierstad, Norway
Novel
2003
Out Stealing Horses
by Per Petterson, Norway
Novel
2004
The Book About Blanche and Marie
by Per Olov Enquist, Sweden
Novel
2005–2007
Millennium trilogy
by Stieg Larsson, Sweden
Novel series includes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
Nordic noir had been around before the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels made it a worldwide fad. For at least a decade earlier, Scandinavian crime writers, like Henning Mankell, had been winning.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
2007–2014
Andvake, Olavs Draumar, Kveldsvævd
by Jon Fosse, Norway
Novella series
2008
I Curse the River of Time
by Per Petterson, Norway
Novel, originally Jeg forbanner tidens elv
2009
A Death in the Family: My Struggle Book 1
by Karl Ove Knausgaard, Norway
Novel, originally Min kamp. Første bok
A Man in Love: My Struggle Book 2
by Karl Ove Knausgaard, Norway
Novel, originally Min kamp. Andre bok
2012
A Man Called Ove
by Fredrik Backman, Sweden
Novel, originally En man som heter Ove
2023
A Shining
by Jon Fosse, Norway
Novel, originally Kvitleik
