Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World

by Eliza Reid

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!

"Secrets of the Sprakkar is a fascinating window into what a more gender-equal world could look like, and why it's worth striving for. Iceland is doing a lot to level the playing paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and broad support for gender equality as a core value. Reid takes us on an exploration not only around this fascinating island, but also through the triumphs and stumbles of a country as it journeys towards gender equality."

—Hillary Rodham Clinton

Iceland is the best place on earth to be a woman—but why?

For the past twelve years, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report has ranked Iceland number one on its list of countries closing the gap in equality between men and women. What is it about Iceland that makes many women's experience there so positive? Why has their society made such meaningful progress in this ongoing battle, from electing the world's first female president to passing legislation specifically designed to help even the playing field at work and at home? And how can we learn from what Icelanders have already discovered about women's powerful place in society and how increased fairness benefits everyone?

Eliza Reid, the First Lady of Iceland, examines her adopted homeland's attitude toward women—the deep-seated cultural sense of fairness, the influence of current and historical role models, and, crucially, the areas where Iceland still has room for improvement. Reid's own experience as an immigrant from small-town Canada who never expected to become a first lady is expertly interwoven with interviews with dozens of sprakkar ("extraordinary women") to form the backbone of an illuminating discussion of what it means to move through the world as a woman, and how the rules of society play more of a role in who we view as "equal" than we may understand. Secrets of the Sprakkar is a powerful and atmospheric portrait of a tiny country that could lead the way forward for us all.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, History, Womens, Memoir, Biography, Politics

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2022

About the author

Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Eliza’s first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick, and translated into numerous languages. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death of a Diplomat (Death on the Island in North America.), will be published in spring 2025 and has been optioned for television.

From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she served as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. A memoir of her time in the role is set for publication in 2026.

Eliza has degrees from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Oxford University (St. Antony’s College). She lives in the outskirts of Reykjavík with her husband and four children.

Reviews

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Canadian-born Eliza Reid is the current First Lady of Finland, having met and married her husband at Oxford, and who has lived in Iceland for close to 20 years. Reid does an excellent job explaining the many reasons why Iceland has the smallest gender gap in the world for many years, a profound achievement for this small island nation. Essentially, it is due to the sprakkar: an ancient Icelandic word meaning extraordinary or outstanding women. Women have seemingly always worked there, and a day's strike many years ago left a profound impression on all. The social welfare system, which promotes both maternity and paternity leave as well as reasonably priced day care, allowing both parents to return to the workforce are important contributors. Female social organizations are also much more active and prevalent, for sharing ideas and initiatives. Reid warns that vigilance must be constant to promote equality, especially since there are still certain remaining male bastions (certain industries, board room, and too-often CEOs.) I would have given 4 stars, but I thought the book meandered after making a number of amazing observations, and I think it could have provided prescriptive conclusions for other nations to move towards parity.

[Kalle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay this book was FANTASTIC!! Secrets of the Sprakkar is about women in Iceland and how they are changing the world. It is written by Canadian-born First Lady of Iceland and is an incredible look into feminism, gender equality, parenthood, immigration, language, diversity, politics, sports, farming, ancient Icelandic history, and the successes and issues present in the country.

I am so glad that I stumbled across this book because I don't remember the last time I have been so engrossed reading nonfiction! I had no idea that this book was written by the First Lady of Iceland (although I now realize that it is prominently displayed on the cover) (I also didn't know that Iceland had a president, or a prime minister, before reading this book) (Actually I didn't know much at all about Iceland until reading this book). Reid had such a unique perspective and a palpable passion for the people of her country and used her voice and the voices of many others to talk about important topics. I felt like Reid hit a great balance between showing Iceland's amazing successes and recognizing that there are still very real issues in the country. I LOVED reading about the diverse women present in the book and their unique perspectives.

I really appreciated the breadth of topics and speakers present in the book. I would sometimes think "what about..." and then the next chapter would talk about LGBTQIA+ people in Iceland, or non-white immigrants, or people with disabilities, or how nonbinary individuals fit into feminism in Iceland. I feel like I got to know a bunch of amazing women and I was constantly taking out my phone to learn more about the subjects of the book. I also really enjoyed that women from the sagas and the history of Iceland is explored in a book mostly focused on modern Iceland. I felt like it set up the context for the current culture in Iceland, and they're just really great stories!

Reid's love story and getting to be the First Lady is so amazing and incredible that it's worth reading this book just for that. I have already relayed an abbreviated version of her story to several people because I loved it so much.

HIGHLY recommend this book if you are at all interested in feminism, gender equality, Iceland, or just a compelling nonfiction book. 5 stars. Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This insight into Icelandic life really made me want to move to Iceland and experience their culture. While Reid (and all the women she interviewed) try to be realistic about the myriad positives in Icelandic culture (gender equality, support for parents, free education, health care, etc), it's hard not to be a little jealous. It does make me curious as to why Iceland can accomplish so many positive things for their society and while other, more affluent but larger countries (I'm looking at you, USA) can't. There wasn't any real exploration of that (to be fair, that wasn't Reid's focus) but it's a question I'm interested to explore.

Reid's writing style is clear (she's originally Canadian, but has spend the last 20 years in Iceland - so her adopted cadence/inflection comes through in her writing - very charming). All of the interviews that she conducted were very interesting - a great variety of perspectives from women across many industries and walks-of-life in Iceland. I do think it could have used a tighter edit as some sections felt repetitive. But an unusual book that I enjoyed reading. Definitely recommend if you're interested in looking at women in Icelandic culture!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital ARC.

[Bronwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada and #NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book.

5 stars!

Eliza Reid, journalist and Canadian-born First Lady of Iceland, paints a love letter to her Iceland and presents nuanced discussions of Iceland's successes in striving for gender equality in this book. The author does not claim Iceland as having achieved perfect gender equality, and highlights ongoing issues in the country where there is a need for progress. Reid brings forth stories of diverse and inspiring Sprakkar (plural noun, an Icelandic word meaning extraordinary or outstanding women) to "share our success stories, learn from others how to improve areas that call for attention, and help everyone, not only women, strive to use their voices, their space" (p 236-237).

Oftentimes I take breaks when reading non-fiction, finding myself needing time and space away from the book to gather my thoughts and process the facts and ideas presented by the author. Reid's words flowed off of the page, rendering her book easy to breeze through without minimizing the importance or the complexity of her material - it was hard to put down and very well researched! I was fascinated to learn more about Iceland, and am inspired by the authors sentiment that while she is immensely proud of Iceland's example on gender equality, that she hopes to Iceland and countries around the world make further strides on gender equality. I loved the final message from the author that "Equality is my right. It's yours too."

Another quote from the book that I wrote down while reading is from page 12 "Being aware of ongoing challenges is the first step in eliminating them, and it does not diminish the significant advances we have accomplished together." I sat with this sentiment for a while and think it is so important, especially in the face of ongoing challenges around the world.

I will be recommending this book to anyone who is interested in gender equality and learning about different countries!!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting to like this more than I did. I think I would have enjoyed it more if there were less personal anecdotes from the author and instead more focus on historical context and the stories of the other women interviewed. It felt like it had a bit too much memoir, which I was not expecting from the title.

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Canadian-born Eliza Reid is probably best known as the former First Lady of Iceland who publicly declared "I Am Not My Husband's Handbag" after feeling frustrated at the social expectations of accompanying her husband everywhere; her husband Guðni Th. Jóhannesson was Iceland's president (largely a ceremonial position, lacking the political power of the prime minister, Reid explains) from 2016-2024.

In Secrets of the Sprakkar (sprakkar being an Icelandic word meaning "extraordinary women), Reid shares her own experience immigrating as an adult to Iceland, the country that's led the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index for well over a decade. Reid and her husband met while they were both studying at Oxford and, and after she proposed to him, they decided to settle down together in Iceland as he had a young daughter with a former partner). As Reid learned Icelandic, took her first few jobs, and gave birth to her children, she was impressed at the normalcy and acceptance of sights like a lawmaker breastfeeding her child while delivering a speech in parliament, the generous paid parental leave (as of 2024, it's 12 months paid leave split between two parents), and the growing practice of matronymic naming (Reid mentioned that her three sons have patronymic names while her daughter shares her last name). Reid also conducted dozens of interviews with various Icelanders to incorporate into her narrative, which are quite interesting to read (this included an extended interview with members of the all-female rap collective Reykjavíkurdætur (Daughters of Reykjavik), who in 2022 almost made it to Eurovision as Iceland's representative with this memorable performance, but lost to another all-female act instead.

Overall, this book is an interesting read, though I'm deducing a star for repetitiveness and long tangents present throughout the book. Reid's perspective is unique in that she's sharing her perspectives on Iceland as a foreign-born person, but also with the advantages and platform of her political position.

My statistics:
Book 297 for 2024
Book 1900 cumulatively

[Lilisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read about Iceland and the significant parity/advancement women there have made relative to their male counterparts than other parts of the western world. More importantly, what stood out for me was the everyday Icelandic social and cultural norms - operating at a practical, nonjudgmental, and higher level than other western cultures. From the independence and maturity level of kids to the “quarter to three” mindset (which I found hilarious), this book was a keen insight into Iceland and its people. Written by the current First Lady of Iceland, who is Canadian born, and has lived in Iceland for close to 20 years, it’s a dedication to the achievement of Icelandic people, especially women, who have strived to make this small country thrive. Being small has advantages and disadvantages and Iceland has capitalized on its size to be nimble, faster moving, and resourceful. There were a lot of examples and stories of women achievements that the author cited to substantiate her points - occasionally parts felt a bit mired and maybe took away from smoother transitions in the book. The author’s love and embrace of her adopted country definitely shines through. I also ended up listening to her TedTalk. Overall, this was an interesting and eye-opening book on Iceland. I learned a lot and would definitely recommend it. I read How To Live Icelandic by Nína Björk Jónsdóttir a few months ago and that’s a great overall snapshot (lots of fantastic photos) of Iceland, which would complement this book well. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in a local Ottawa bookstore and was immediately intrigued. It did not let me down, but really how could it? A book for and about women and gender equality, discussed through Icelandic policy and programs that is beautifully written from the perspective of an immigrant who also happens to be the First Lady of Iceland … inspiring and engaging!

[Milana M (acouplereads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Iceland is the best place on earth to be a woman—but why?”

Eliza Reid, born and raised in Ontario Canada is now the “First Lady” of Iceland. In this memoir she dives into why Iceland is the place to live if you’re a woman and how it empowers its society. Iceland has made meaningful progress in the ongoing battle for gender equality, but how?

“Sprakkar, an ancient Icelandic word meaning extraordinary or outstanding women” is where Iceland gets its inspiration to be a better place for all to live.

Reid examines Iceland’s views toward women: “the deep-seated cultural sense of fairness, the influence of current and historical role models, and, crucially, the areas where Iceland still has room for improvement”. As a result, the book delves into a deep discussion of what it means to be a woman, what role women have in society and how women are viewed.

Non-fiction has been creeping into my reading this year and I have been loving it. If I’ve been pulled to a book I’ve picked it up. This year has been the most varied in terms of books and I’m so glad because it led me to Secrets of the Sprakkar.

This was a slower read, but one that I learned a lot from. On October 24, 1975 90% of the women in Iceland took a stand. They all walked out of their jobs, be it at home or at the office, and gathered in the centre of Rejkjavik in a positive protest. The effect generated waves in the society, and within a year Icelands parliament had passed a law guaranteeing equal rights between men and women. Iceland promotes gender equality and continues to do so. Although this helped women overall, I’d be remiss to mention that Reid does make sure to illuminate that there is more work to be done with supporting the LGBTQ+ community (specifically trans people).

Reid’s writing is excellent and the anecdotes bring the book to life. The research behind the pages is evident in metrics mentioned and the people of the land Reid interviewed. I recommend this read to everyone, 5 stars!

[Adrika_G · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

Z tohto diela mám naozaj veľmi zmiešané pocity. Na jednej strane sú autorka a Islandské ženy, s ktorými v knihe diskutovala, veľmi sympatické a aj sa to celé čítalo dobre a príjemne. Na druhej strane mi však kniha nedala takmer vôbec nič nové a ani zďaleka nenaplnila moje očakávania a túžby toho, čo od knihy chcem.

Bol to taký mišmaš autorkinho života, krátkych rozhovorov so ženami na Islande, nejaké omáčky okolo, trochu právneho systému a ja vlastne nakoniec neviem, čo mal byť cieľ tejto knihy. Prináša rôzne myšlienky rodovej rovnosti, ale zároveň to (minimálne pre mňa) nie je nič nové, s čím by som sa už nestretla v iných knihách (či v živote). Neponúka riešenia, skôr len poukazuje na problémy, ktoré sú veľmi podobné ako v ostatných (vyspelejších) štátoch v EÚ. Svetlá výnimka je tu rodičovská dovolenka, ktorú majú podľa môjho názoru vyriešenú výborne a bolo to v knihe aj pekne rozobraté.

Uzavrela by som to asi tak, že ak vás zaujíma voľné čítanie o otázkach rovnosti; ak by ste si na túto tému chceli niečo prečítať, lebo ste ešte nič podobné nečítali; alebo ak ste posadnutí Islandom a chcete poznať každý detail ich bežného života - choďte smelo do toho. Ak ale čakáte inšpiráciu na riešenie rodovej rovnosti z krajiny, ktorá je na poprednom mieste v jej riešení - pravdepodobne to bude pre vás len strata času.

[HadiDee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, having had it recommended by a friend but it really doesn’t do what it says on the cover. There no real deep dive into how or why Iceland has the best gender equality in the world, just many disconnected chapters telling us again and again that it does. And far far too many personal anecdotes

[E.M. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Canadian-born Eliza Reid grew up in Ontario without dreaming that she would one day become the equivalent to Iceland's first lady. Yet love, luck and happenstance dropped her into that prominent position.

I'd never heard of Reid before stumbling across this book. A google search showed me that she gets occasional press in Canada, magnified by this book's publication and her forthcoming murder mystery.

Her non-fiction book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was published in 2022 and explores the ways in which Iceland commits to gender parity as a nation and the ways in which it falls short.

In contrast, the week after I finished it, Canada's new prime minister cut the role for minister of women, gender equality and youth from his cabinet.

Not a big deal, you may be thinking?

Reid's book demonstrates how important funding, deliberate focus and intention matter to creating a more equitable society (the sections on funding for young parents are very telling for any nation concerned about its declining birth rate), and how much of an impact advocates for that work can have on wider social discourse.

At the same time, Iceland contends with the legacy of patriarchy in a variety of ways (e.g., domestic and sexual violence against women and non-binary people is quite high).

Part memoir and part social commentary, Secrets of the Sprakkar also partially tells the story of Reid's meet cute with Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson and the story of their family. Between them, they have five children.

(Their story would also make an excellent rom-com, and I wondered if anyone's used it for inspiration.)

Reid is canny enough to work outside her own narrow perspective of being an outsider, which runs through the book. She interviews Icelandic women and non-binary people from a variety of lifestyles, ages, and perspectives, and is deliberate about including the voices of non-white immigrants to the country. How successful she is at voicing the concerns of those others is for other reviewers to observe.

On the whole, I found Secrets of the Sprakkar to be thoughtful and thought-provoking. I'm glad I read it.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For many years I have been fascinated by Iceland, and curious about its volcanic landscape, and the people who live there.
The author, Eliza Reid, who was born and raised near Ottawa, where I once lived, is a journalist, editor, cofounder of the annual Iceland Writers Retreat and since August 1, 2016 she has been the First Lady of Iceland.
Sprakkar was an unfamiliar word, so I 'googled' it.
SPRAKKAR (plural noun): (pronounced SPRAH-car) an ancient Icelandic word meaning extraordinary or outstanding women; sprakki (singular form)
I enjoyed reading this memoir and learning about Iceland, its history, geography, culture, the people, and the sprakkar. Eliza Reid shows how we can all do our part to achieve gender equality, no matter where we live.
The following quote by Esi Edugyan, two-time Scotiabank Giller Prize-winning author, elegantly sums up my feelings for this book.

"Charting her own love of the nation and her journey to becoming its First Lady alongside histories of other formidable women, Eliza Reid's SECRETS OF THE SPRAKKAR sheds light on Iceland's unique approach to gender equity – an emblematic look at what's possible in the fight for women's rights worldwide. A fascinating, hopeful, and inspiring read."
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Laura Hoffman Brauman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sprakkar is an Icelandic word that means "extraordinary women". For 12 years, Iceland has been ranked #1 on the Global Gender Gap report for their progress in closing the gap in equality between men and women. Eliza Reid, journalist, entrepreneur (she is co-founder of the Iceland Writer's Retreat), and Canadian-born First Lady of Iceland, has taken a look at the social, cultural, and political factors and priorities that have paved the way for equality. While there is a lot that Iceland gets right, there are still a lot of opportunities and I appreciated that Reid didn't just try to paint a rosy picture - she calls out the gaps that remain and the times that they fall short of the ideals that are professed. There is so much here in how the society values everyone's contributions and makes policy decisions that support that ideal. From parental leave programs to social support networks to far less judgement regarding women's sexuality, the impact of putting your proverbial money where your mouth is is clear when reading the book. Sprinkled throughout the book are stories of Sprakki (singular version of Sprakkar) who have made a difference - I liked the mix of analysis and discussion combined with individual stories. Reading this gave me yet another reason to love Iceland and there is a lot here that we can look to as we work to increase equality in our own countries.

[Susanne Latour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read on how Iceland while it may not be perfect is a country leading the way in closing the gender gap.

First Lady of Iceland Eliza Reid interviews numerous female role models from various walks of life (politicians, athletes, students, entrepreneurs, farmers, immigrants) and discusses a breadth of topics (racism, LGBTQIA +, people with disabilities, juggling family and work, government policies etc) and how these extraordinary women are paving the road for others.

Favourite Quotes:
Chapter 2 Helping Parents Helps Us All: “Accept imperfections. Ask for help. Offer it. No one is an island.”

From Chapter 4 Stigma-Free Sexuality: “…people’s choices in their romantic lives….none of this is about me. It’s about allowing people to live the lives they want, as the people they know they are.”

Chapter 6 Being Seen and Heard in the Media: “…it’s an equality battle, not a women’s rights one…men must be involved too. If our feminist role models are only women, how can young boys see themselves in that?”

[Wendy W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets of the Sprakkar by Eliza Reid is a nonfiction book written by the first lady of Iceland, highlighting the country’s focus on women and women’s rights. It’s a powerful book, and full of hope.

Eliza Reid was born and raised in Canada, and then went to university in England where she met her husband, who would later become the president of Iceland, making her the first lady. As an outsider, she spent much of her time learning the language and culture of Iceland, especially from the women of Iceland.

First, you have to be wondering what the title is about. Here is the definition from the book: “SPRAKKAR (plural noun): An ancient Icelandic word meaning extraordinary or outstanding women. Pronounced: SPRAH-car (singular: sprakki).

This extremely well researched book is full of facts about the women of Iceland, and how the country is working for equality between the sexes. The author makes it clear that they are not perfect, but that Iceland is getter closer to changing the gender gap more than any other country.

Here are a couple of quotes from the book that I found interesting:
“I live in one of the happiest nations on earth. Iceland continues to rise on the Rainbow Europe rankings for LGBTQIA+-friendly countries. It is the world’s most peaceful country, helped no doubt by the fact that it has no military.”

“Iceland has one of the world’s highest proportions of women working outside the home, and an “it takes a village” mentality is a crucial component of this achievement.”

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to red nonfiction and wants to know more about gender equality, and how one country is making a difference.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eliza Reid, Canadian-born journalist and First Lady of Iceland, shares her experience of immigrating to Iceland and her observations of gender equality in her new country. Through interviews with contemporaries and stories of historical role models, Reid examines Iceland's attempts at gender equality through the lenses of parenting, friendships, sexuality, business, media, politics, and art.

I was somewhat disappointed with this book for two main reasons.
First, it's dispiriting to learn that even Iceland (the country voted 1st in gender equality) still struggles with an equal balance of household tasks between heterosexual couples, misogyny, domestic abuse against women, gender pay gap, etc. It didn't actually feel like this book was meant to help "change the world".
Second, while the interviews and personal stories were charming, they got to be a bit tedious. I especially disliked the tone that some of the women took when speaking about their personal accomplishments (that other women need to just do the thing and stop being self-defeatist). While I agree with that sentiment, it's much easier to do that when you have all the luxuries that Iceland has. The tone felt a bit off considering it is meant for a non-Icelandic audience.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliza Reid is the First Lady of Iceland. In her book, she looks at Iceland's view toward women—the culture of fairness, the policies that help women and families, and the areas where Iceland still has room for improvement. The book isn't a memoir, but there's a strong memoir angle to it because the author mixes her story with the stories of other women. Iceland is listed number one for closing the gap in equality between men and women. Here, they prove to us that a gender-equal world is possible and what it could look like.

The themes woven through this book are really about women helping women. The book is amazing because it covers all the topics that American women are thinking and talking about. The author gives many examples and situations, from athletics to academics, about how they treat women and the systemic policies that support them. And we learn that achieving gender equality is not a zero-sum game where one group benefits at the expense of another. It is something that benefits people of all genders throughout society.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...

[Lynn Sikora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved! Such a powerful and interesting take on women’s equality. I read an early copy while in Iceland, so my curiosity as already peaked and this book certainly delivered. I can’t wait for more people to learn how far Iceland is already ahead in changing the world.

[Bagus · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Earth and nature, they will stay forever. Everything else is transitory,” as said by one of the women featured in this book. Eliza Reid is a name that has become synonymous with women's empowerment, both in Iceland and on the global stage. As a writer, journalist, and co-founder of the Iceland Writers Retreat, Reid has championed the cause of women's rights and gender equality throughout her career, using her platform to inspire and educate women around the world.

In this highly personal book, Reid also championed what she calls Sprakkar – how she refers to extraordinary women in Iceland and how they revolutionise the world. Some of them are high-level figures, such as Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, the first woman elected to be a head of state and the first Icelandic female president in the 1980s, while also featuring ordinary women carrying out their jobs in their respective lines of duties. And uniquely, it features not only women with the suffix -dóttir in their surnames (a typical surname for an Icelandic woman, reflecting the patronymic of a person, the suffix -son is the male equivalent).

She highlights some important factors which helped Iceland thrive in terms of building a society that is more gender equal, resulting in Iceland’s position as number one in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report for twelve consecutive years. She lists various factors contributing to this outcome, such as Iceland’s long-standing political commitment to gender equality, the enactment of laws and policies aimed at promoting gender equality, high levels of women’s political representation, implementation of policies aimed at work-life balance, as well as gender-sensitive education, all of whom are instrumental on building an Icelandic society that is gender-responsive.

Reid's journey towards becoming a leading voice in women's empowerment began as she met her husband during their university days in Oxford. Born a Canadian, she describes passionately about her adoptive country despite earlier anxiety about the possible life in Iceland (as said before, not all women featured here have the suffix -dóttir in their surnames). After graduation, she followed her husband to Iceland and worked as a journalist for various publications, including the Reykjavik Grapevine and Iceland Review, covering everything from politics and business to culture and travel. In 2014, Reid co-founded the Iceland Writers Retreat, an annual event that brings together writers from around the world to learn, network, and explore the Icelandic literary scene. The retreat also includes a focus on issues affecting women in the literary world, such as the gender pay gap and lack of representation in publishing.

In 2016, Reid became the first lady of Iceland when her husband, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, was elected as president. As first lady, Reid has continued to use her position to advocate for women's rights and gender equality. She has spoken out on issues such as equal pay, women's representation in politics, and ending gender-based violence. Through her writing, activism, and leadership, Reid has become an inspiration to women around the world. Her commitment to empowering women and promoting gender equality is a testament to the fact that anyone can make a difference, no matter how small their platform may seem. As Reid herself has said, "It's important for women to speak up and be heard, and for men to support them in that."

[Alisea Thenea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ach❤️
Skvelo napísaná, dôležitá a inšpiratívna kniha o rodovej rovnosti, o postavení žien, a celkovo o živote na Islande (z pohľadu žien).

Škoda, že pre nás ešte stále ťažko dosiahnuteľná (skoro) utópia.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very interesting and informative.

[Barb reads......it ALL! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging! Powerful! A delight to read! Truly a love letter to Reid's adopted homeland and the women who populate it!

[Enid Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What a positive, fabulous, empowering title (and the cover rocks as well!).

Why do I love it? I’ll let her words speak for themselves: We need to “share our success stories, learn from others how to improve areas that call for attention, and help everyone, not only women, strive to use their voices, their space.” (pp236/7)

Yes, the setting is Iceland. But… she brings her Canadian background - sensibilities, worldview - to it… and, more importantly… the subject matter is so profoundly universal. Notwithstanding that every nation/country brings its own moment in time - which is the sum total of its own unique historical path to this moment - there are so many lessons to be learned, bits of wisdom to be gleaned, so much that can inform our own journey towards true gender equality at whatever scale we choose to work at.

She reminds us that “(f)or those of us who don’t determine policy, we bring gender equality within reach by using our voice and making ourselves heard.” (p245)

It feels so good to read a great book. Maybe I’ll get on a roll after this one… I deserve it. I’ve read lots of crap already this year, and it’s only the first week in February!

And by the way.. Not that I would ever judge her on account of the accomplishments of a (male) member of the family (read the book, you’ll laugh…!)... but she is the sister to another fave Canadian author of mine (who also has a new book coming in September)... none other than Iain Reid!!

This is a happy reading day. Everyone needs to read this book and feel as good as I do right now... and then get back to work striving for true gender equality.

Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me early access to a digital ARC.

[Egill Bjarnason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ég fæ kannski skammir fyrir að segja þetta, en jafnréttismál eru erfiður efniviður í skemmtilega frásögn. Efnið er á mörkum pólitíkur og mannréttinda, laust við áhugaverð ágreiningsmál, og útkoman oft ferlega fyrirsjáanleg. Sprakkar Elizu Reid fengu mig til að skipta um skoðun! Gat ekki annað, eftir að hlegið upphátt við lesturinn!

Bókin skyggnist á bakvið þann stimpil sem Ísland hefur lengi státað af sem besti staður í heimi fyrir konur -- hvað þessar mælingar segi í raun um lífið á Íslandi og hvernig íslenskar konur náðu þessum árangri (með baráttu).

Fléttan í verkinu, sem utan um æði ólíka kafla, er fyrstu persónu frásögn Elizu sem hefst á námsárum hennar í Oxford, þar sem hún hittir Íslending, Guðna að nafni. Þau enda svo sem forsetahjón (!) og reynsla hennar af hinu sérkennilega aukastarfi forseta-makans er skemmtilegasti hluti bókarinnar. Ekki að starfið sem slíkt hljómi svo ævintýralega skemmtilegt -- heldur ber að þakka að Eliza er húmoristi, með fyndnari íslenskum höfundum, og hefur gott eyra fyrir samtölum. Henni tekst sérstaklega vel að lesa íslenskt samfélag með augum aðkomumannsins og sem slíkur hefur hún hið fullkomna sjónarhorn á frásögn sem þessa: úr penna heimamanns þætti sumt í bókinni óþarfa rembingur en Elizu tekst að slá tón sem hæfir efninu listilega.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much that I'm going to buy 2 copies to give to friends!
Eliza Reid, a Canadian by birth married an Icelander. He went on to become the president of Iceland. Ms. Reid does write about her life before and during her current time in her new home but this book is primarily about the women of her adopted country. She also talks at length about how things are done/handled in regards to the women and their plight. The differences between Iceland and other countries are startling. But she also recognizes that there is still a lot of work to be done. And keep in mind that the population of Iceland is a lot smaller than other nations. Ms. Reid tells us what can be achieved by and for women and subsequently the population as a whole. Her explanations are easy to understand and while reading this book I felt that she was talking to me over a drink.
I could go on but instead I will just strongly recommend that you read this book!

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one, but I just could NOT get into it. Eliza Reid is from a small town in Canada and met her future husband when they were both studying abroad in England. He was from Iceland and after they were married and moved to Iceland he ended up being elected President. The position of President in Iceland is mostly symbolic, while the Prime Minister is considered the head of the government. As an immigrant and now "first lady" Eliza wanted to write this book to highlight the reasons why Iceland is considered one of the best nations to be a woman. While I think it's a great idea I just felt like the chapters and content were choppy and didn't come together well. If she wasn't a native English speaker I might think it was due to that or being translated, but being from Canada she is a native English speaker. The rest of the book might be great, but I only made it through 4 chapters.

[Pam Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPRAKKAR (plural noun): (pronounced SPRAH-car) an ancient Icelandic word meaning extraordinary or outstanding women; sprakki (singular form)

This short work of nonfiction is a letter from Eliza Reid to her adoptive country. It is also a letter to the world explaining how Iceland has worked hard to achieve a gender balance and is working to ensure all people have an equal foothold in society.

Secrets of the Sprakkar is an eye-opening look at how one country is working hard towards gender equity. It encourages every reader to think of sprakkar in their lives. And how they can be the sprakki in their own life. For the non-female readers, it encourages them to support the females in their life to help achieve their goals and to take up their space.

For a more in-depth review, visit my blog post: https://readbakecreate.com/secrets-of...

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great ad for Iceland, not a great book though. There’s a stat that 1 in 10 Icelanders will publish a book in their lifetime…this is the one by the First Lady of Iceland (originally from Canada). Basically her ode to the country told via catalogue of people she’s met. The title made me hope for a more profound reflection on how to improve gender equality in other places. Eliza Reid sounds like a cool lady though!

Great facts about Iceland:
- ranked #1 in gender equality
- population equal to Anaheim, CA
- public database to see how you’re related to any other Icelanders
- lots of lagoon (hot springs)
- Icelanders love ice cream and strong coffee
- great phrases like “raisin at the end of the hot”

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave up on this book at the 50% mark.
I'd looked forward to reading this for several months and it started off strong but, unfortunately, my interest in it fizzled pretty quickly. I was expecting a collection of vignettes about outstanding Icelandic women and the ways they've contributed to Iceland's strides towards gender equality. There are stories of Icelandic women, for sure, but they're overshadowed by all the discussion of government policies and legislation. Nothing wrong with the book or writing, per se, but it wasn't what I was in the mood for.