bækur

Bækur is the Icelandic word for books. It is the plural form of bók, used to refer to bound printed works or volumes of literature. In everyday Icelandic, bækur can refer to books in general, across genres and formats.

The word derives from Old Norse bók and is related to similar terms in other Germanic languages; the singular form is bók and the plural nominative is bækur. The term is used across contexts to discuss literature, publishing, libraries, and reading.

Bækur occupy an important place in Icelandic culture. Iceland has a long literary tradition, from medieval sagas to modern novels, and maintains a high rate of book production relative to population. Public libraries and the National Library of Iceland preserve and provide access to Icelandic literature and translations. A well-known cultural phenomenon is the Jólabókaflóðið, or Christmas book flood, in which new books are given as gifts on Christmas Eve and read that night, supporting a vibrant publishing industry.

Notable authors associated with Icelandic literature include Halldór Laxness, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1955, and contemporary writers such as Arnaldur Indriðason and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. The term bækur is central to discussions of culture, education, and media in Iceland, reflecting both the country’s historical traditions and its modern reading public.