Short Stories in Icelandic for Beginners

I love this book.Firstly, finding reading material at the right level in Icelandic is really hard. So credit to Olly Richards for getting a reader out in Icelandic.It really isn't for 'beginners' though. I'd recommend it to people who have got to at least level A2/B1 who need to practise reading longer texts to reinforce and extend vocabulary. You'll still have to do a fair amount of work looking things up as the vocab lists in the book don't cover everything.I'd strongly recommend buying the audio files, which can be downloaded (links in the book). You can get them at half price with a code in the book.The stories are fantasy and sometimes a bit surreal which is fine and quite entertaining. (SPOILER ALERT Although if I was victim to the prank in the second story I would have committed murder rather than join in the party!!! I was furious.)My only criticism is the same one that I level at any language series that works on a common base and translates into multiple languages. There is next to no cultural reference. They do try occasionally to get references to Iceland in but you won't learn much about Iceland here. I have the Italian version and it's basically the same book with Italian names instead of Icelandic ones. However, having individually written versions for each language would have been prohibitively expensive so it's the only way really.I'm now hoping they'll do a Romanian version. If they can do Irish and Icelandic surely a Romanian one is possible!

A little let down to find they were the exact same stories as in the Norwegian book but it’s still good practice for someone learning the language.

I think beginners would find this quite difficult, it is definitely more for intermediate level at least. But that said, this book is a fantastic way to beef up your vocab and understanding of idioms and grammar. The stories are surprising and engaging and memorable, and I think this must be the single best (not the easiest, but the most effective) way to learn and really develop a feel for how sentences should flow in Icelandic.Be prepared to do some work: the glossary included is inadequate, I had to look up many more words (thanks Google Translate!) and scribble them into the page margins. But after putting in that work I learned a ton from this book, and really noticed the difference watching Icelandic TV afterwards. Another great thing is the companion app where you can buy an inexpensive audio recording of the entire book -- it's great to follow along in the book while the narrator reads, really helps you catch those little filler words and nuances that can be hard to discern from audio alone.Highly recommend. Buy it, read it, learn every word, then read it again, and again (luckily the stories are pretty enjoyable so that's not as tedious as it sounds). Mastering this material will push you a long way toward a good practical grasp of the language.

I’ve been at the A2-B1 level in Icelandic for awhile, my progress a bit hindered by the lack of interesting reading at the appropriate level. This book gives me exactly what I need, and the stories are really interesting and fun. Boldface vocabulary are defined at the end of each chapter; other words or phrases not defined can often be reasoned out by context, and this is exactly what the author intends the reader to do. I’ve noticed that new vocabulary and phrases are often repeated not only throughout a story but then in subsequent stories, so make sure you read the book’s chapters in order. Each story though, is unique in its own right, making the reader want to keep on reading! It’s a refreshing change from Icelandic readings that rely on dull conversation. The audiobook is a helpful addition to build listening skills. I have the hard copy of the book, because I prefer to write translations by hand, and then I can read while listening. I hope for a volume 2 soon!