Why author and Icelandic first lady Eliza Reid's idea of perfect happiness is being with family
Eliza Reid is a writer, editor and the Canadian-born first lady of Iceland. She has been first lady for the past five years, after her husband Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson was elected to the role of President and head of state in 2016.
Reid's book Secrets of the Sprakkar looks at the country's success with gender equality. Sprakkar is an ancient Icelandic word that means extraordinary or outstanding women and this notion permeates the country's attitude toward women.
Through interviews and stories of her own experiences, Reid explores 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.
The author of Secrets of the Sprakkar recently took The Next Chapter's version of the Proust questionnaire.
Name your favourite writers.
If I have to give you the nepotistic answer, I would obviously say my brother, Iain Reid and my husband, a historian, Guðni Jóhannesson. But if I'm really thinking outside of that for all writers, I try to read a huge diversity of authors from Rohinton Mistry to Pat Barker to Ruth Reichl. I'm listening to wonderful books by Patrick Radden Keefe right now and mystery books by Louise Penny.
And there's fantastic Icelandic authors that I would encourage any English language readers to pick up in translation. And they include people like Hallgrímur Helgason and Gerdur Kristný and Sjón and Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir and all kinds of wonderful authors and literature being produced here in Iceland.
What phrase do you most overuse?
There's an Icelandic phrase that translated literally into English is 'It will come in the light,' which means you'll find out, you'll see. So I often end up saying in English, and probably English speakers have no idea what I'm meaning.
What do you value most in your friends?
I think I value most the fact that my friends are generally fun and smart and confident people. My really close friends aren't afraid to tease me in a respectful and gentle way about all my foibles.
I think I value most the fact that my friends are generally fun and smart and confident people.
Where would you like to live?
I'm very happy with where I live now, I'm surrounded by my wonderful family. I have good friends. I have challenging employment and I have everything that I need here.
What is your favourite journey?
I love to travel, but one that really sticks in my mind is a nearly four-month trip that I took in 2003 by myself before I moved from Britain to Iceland. I thought if I was moving to a new country where I didn't have a job and I didn't speak the language, I should also be broke. So I spent all my savings, flew to Moscow and took an adapted route of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. I went into Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, went to Mongolia, flew to Japan, then flew to Singapore and traveled up through Southeast Asia. I did that by myself and had a wonderful time.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Perfect happiness is found in all the imperfections of one's life. Perfect happiness to me means being with my family. It means having something challenging to do that I can be putting my mind to. If we look at more superficial things, there's nothing more interesting than traveling to interesting places, trying interesting different kinds of food, reading good books and listening to new music.
Perfect happiness is found in all the imperfections of one's life, really, but perfect happiness to me means being with my family.
Who are your favourite heroes in real life?
My favourite heroes are women, especially those who run for political office of any political stripe. Women who really jump into the fray and aren't afraid to have their voices heard and express their opinions and serve as role models to all of us.
Another good example, I think, is my grandmother, who served as a nursing sister in the Second World War and went to Italy with the Canadian Army and lived a long and productive life. She died just before she was 102, and she was a wonderful role model and a happy and positive person.
What is your greatest achievement?
I'm very proud of all of my children. Aside from that, I would probably say, I feel just moving to Iceland — a new country in my late 20s where I didn't speak the language and I didn't have a job — and making a life for myself here.
Eliza Reid's comments have been edited for length and clarity.
