Awards:

2006 - The Swedish-Icelandic Cultural Fund Prize

2006 - The Jónas Hallgrímsson Award

2002 - Elected an honorary member of the Icelandic Writer's Union.

1995 - Elected a lifetime-member of Clare hall College, University of Cambridge.

1995 - Awarded the Supreme Knight's Cross of the Finnish Order of the Lion.

1992 - Elected an honorary member of Finlands Svenska Författereförening.

1987 - Awarded the Knight's Cross of the Finnish Order of the Lion.

1986 - The National Broadcasting Service Author's Fund.

1986 - The Reykjavík Council of Education's Award for the best childrens' book translation: Jóakim, by Tormod Haugen.