Nordic Library Week 2010: The Magical North
The short autumn and winter days in the northern latitudes will be illuminated by the light of reason during Nordic Library Week. The event, taking place for the 14th time, will be a week full of readings, exhibitions and discussions, and bears the title The Magical North.
The sagas and mythology of northern peoples have had a significant influence on today's fantasy genre. The unsparing nature, darkness and oppressive have helped shaped a narrative style founded on the mysterious and employed by storytellers to try to explain seemingly supernatural phenomena.
The goal of Library Week, as always, is to introduce the narrative traditions in Nordic culture and the tales that people have told each other in the twilight hour since the beginnings of time. The works read this year will explore the connections between the indigenous literary traditions of the Nordic and the modern fantasy genre, between myth and reality, and past and present.
This year, the organizers have selected readings from the following authors: Andri Snær Magnason (Iceland), John Ajvide Lindquist (Sweden) and Lene Kaaberbøl (Denmark).
As always, Estonian libraries, schools and community centres are participating in this joint Nordic and Baltic project. A new feature this year is that participants can register via the website of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Estonia. After registration, all participants will be mailed a free Library Week information packet. We will start sending out the materials in September.
Further information about the Library Week 2010 is available here.
Date: 8-14 November 2010
Participation: free, the last day for registration (in Estonian) is Friday, 5 November 2010
Contact: Eha Vain, cultural adviser with the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Estonia: telephone, +372 627 31 04, or via e-mail, eha.vain(at)norden.ee