The Indian

A Memoir/Novel by Jón Gnarr

First published 2006
Translated version published by Deep Vellum Publishing, Dallas, Texas

I thought about these names—not once, not twice, not even three times. I thought about them no more. They thought themselves into me, autocratic, ceaseless, an automatic mantra wiping everything else away, clean gone from my consciousness.

~ Þórbergur Þórðarson 

This is the first book in a trilogy by the noted Icelandic comic actor and politician. The opening quote is from another noted Icelandic author, an author who had similar childhood experiences as Jón Gnarr.  In The Indian, Gnarr describes his younger days (in the early 70s), when he was diagnosed with numerous conditions that today would be labelled ADD and dyslexia. He was simply termed “maladaptio” and was shunted from one specialist to another in an effort to get some of his wild and dangerous behaviors under control. This book is a fascinating document. Gnarr’s memories are supplemented by actual psychological reports from his childhood. Gnarr’s ADD and numerous other problems led to his being singled out for bullying which certainly didn’t help matters any.

The writing is simple and direct, often reminding me of Þórðarson, and sometimes even the sagas when it shifts into the present tense as Gnarr describes pivotal scenes. The book ends when the author is in middle school, trying to “fit in”. Anyone interested in troubled children (or in child-rearing practices in 1970s Iceland) should enjoy this book.

Politics Not As Usual

Jón Gnarr, Yoko Ono, Lady Gaga, October 9, 2012                                      Photo: Vilhelm Gunnarsson, Visir

Gnarr! 

How I became the mayor of a large city in Iceland and changed the world.

Published 2014, Melville House
Translated by Andrew Brown

This is a free-wheeling short book that covers the comic actor and writer Jón Gnarr and the rise of his “Best Party” in Icelandic politics. Iceland’s financial crisis of 2008 left the country reeling and deeply divided. In 2010, with encouragement from his friends, Gnarr formed a new political party and managed to win enough votes to become mayor of Reykjavík. This is covered in the first part of the book, but the book then opens up to become a gentle polemic on the role of government and the people it represents. Toughtful and compassionate, it is refreshing to read the thoughts of a politician who is genuinely concerned about the welfare of all the people. The only U.S. politico I can think of that is similar is Minnesota Senator Al Franken, who also comes from a comedy background.

Gnarr has already created a stir in world politics although, as he admits in the book, traditional politicians tend to steer far clear of what this self-styled “anarchist” has to offer.

Here is his appearance on the Craig Ferguson show in 2014 (Gnarr’s segment starts at 24:00):

The Outlaw

The Outlaw

By Jón Gnarr

First published 2015
Translated version published by
Deep Vellum Publishing, Dallas, Texas

This is the final volume of Gnarr's autobiographical trilogy.
Like The Indian and The Pirate,  Gnarr takes the reader on a very personal journey through his chaotic young life. His struggles with drinking, drugs and despair are interspersed with some brighter moments, such as discovering an aptitude for the stage. Invariably, however, Gnarr sabotages any progress with his asocial and even criminal behavior. When he expressed an interest in attending boarding school, his parents sent him to what was, in reality, a reform school—with bars on the windows and few qualified teachers. On a remote mountain in the Westfjords!

Gnarr also describes, in detail, his sexual awakening process that is interrupted by a truly harrowing surgical procedure. After exhausting his time at the school (e.g., getting expelled) Jón returns to Reykjavík and shuffles through spells of depression and  unemployment, punctuated by a series of jobs, all the while sustaining a somewhat bizarre drug regimen, a lifestyle that comes to a climax, ending the book. This is a much bigger tome than the others, with more detail about Jón’s political awakening, as well as life in Iceland in the 1970s.

I found the entire trilogy fascinating, although this book is very dark at times.

The Pirate

A Memoir by Jón Gnarr
Written with Hrefna Lind Heimsdóttir

First published 2009
Translated version published by
Deep Vellum Publishing, Dallas, Texas

This is the second volume in Gnarr's autobiography, continuing his childhood into his adolescent years. The story gets progressively wilder and weirder: more bullying, Jón’s discovery of Anarchism and Punk Rock, his confirmation woes, his success (on downfall) selling raffle tickets, and his discovery of girls and drugs (neither went well.)

This is a more substantial book than The Indian, giving a broader look at Icelandic teen culture in the mid 70s, as well as insights into Iceland as a whole. With glowing blurbs from such notables as Oliver Sacks, Noam Chomsky, and Yoko Ono, Gnarr has emerged on the international scene as a writer of note.

Icelandic Book Reviews

Links to FITK reviews of books by Icelandic authors:

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

Arnaldur Indriðasson

Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir

Bergsveinn Birgisson

Bragí Ólofsson

Guðrún Mínervudóttir

Hallgrímur Helgasson

Halldór Laxness

Hildur Knútsdóttir

Jón Gnarr

Jón Kalman Stefánsson

Kristín Eiríksdóttir

Kristín Omarsdóttir

Maria Alva Roff

Oddný Eir

Olaf Olafsson

Ragnar Jónasson

Sigríður Hagalín Björnsdóttir

Sjón

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir

Þórbergur Þórðarson