Iceland's literary culture is being championed by a Canadian

Canadian Eliza Reid is the founding director of the Iceland Writers Retreat — and she just happens to be the first lady of Iceland, too. 

Married to new president Gudni Johannesson, it was never the couple's plan to pursue politics (the two met while studying history in England) but it's a job that Reid is truly liking so far. She adds, "It's an incredible privilege and honour, and it's such a varied job. There are so many different things that we do every day." 

While Jonannesson learns the ropes of his new position, Reid is busy running the Iceland Writers Retreat, a "mash-up of languages, and speaking engagements in front of all kinds of would-be participants," as their website describes. 

"Icelanders have one of the highest rates of book publishing and book buying in the world," Reid says. "It's seen as a very honourable thing to do." 

And Iceland has been very helpful in not only supporting Reid's organization, but creativity in general across the country. 

"People have to wear a lot of hats because you can't have a functioning society unless you do that," she continues. "There just seems to be a wonderful bent for creativity there anyway, whether it's through the written word or through fashion design or music or poetry.

"You'll often meet someone who's an accountant by day and a bass player by night — and they may introduce themselves as the bass player rather than the accountant!"

WEB EXTRA | Below are the names of the authors Reid mentions in the interview: 

Sjon
Gerdur Kristny
Jon Gnarr
Andri Snaer Magnason