Hagþenkir, the Association of Non-Fiction and Educational Writers in Iceland, has hosted this prize since 1987. It is awarded for non-fiction and educational material of all sorts, as well as for research. Ten nominees are announced at the end of January each year and the prize is awarded a month later.
2020
Pétur Ármannsson: Guðjón Samúelsson húsameistari. Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag.
"An elaborate and advanced overview of the life and work of architect Guðjón Samúelsson. A worthy monument of the man that formed architecture and planning in the newly independent Iceland."
2019
Björk Ingimundardóttir: Prestaköll, sóknir og prófastsdæmi á Íslandi I–II. Þjóðskjalasafn Íslands.
"Expansive reference work of Icelandic history with maps that will be useful in varied research for a long future. A monumental history work."
2018
Kristín Svava Tómasdóttir. Stund klámsins. Klám á Íslandi á tímum kynlífsbyltingarinnar. (The time of pornography. Porn in Iceland during the era of the sexual revolution.)
"Pioneering work on the history of pornography and gender in Iceland which is based on revealing research on problematic material. "
2017
Steinunn Kristjánsdóttir: Leitin að klaustrunum – klausturhald á Íslandi í fimm aldir (Searching for the Cloisters: Five Centuries of Cloisters in Iceland)
„In her effortless, intimate style, Steinunn gives the reader a glimpse into the mind and world of the scholar.“
2016
Viðar Hreinsson: Jón lærði og náttúrur náttúrunnar (Jón lærði and the Natures of Nature)
„A delicate, fantastical biography of a man straddling ancient lore and modern learning, in the context of European scientific history.“
2015
Páll Baldvin Baldvinsson. Stríðsárin 1938–1945 (The War Years 1938-1945).
„In this comprehensive work, Páll Baldvin effectively illustrates the lighter and darker sides of the years of the second world war, and the societal and personal struggles they brought.“
2014
Guðrún Kristinsdóttir (editor). Ofbeldi á heimili. Með augum barna (Domestic Violence. Through the Eyes of Children)
„A remarkable, pioneering work that should be read by teachers, parents and everyone who cares about children and their welfare.“
2013
Hjörleifur Stefánsson for the book Af jörðu - íslensk torfhús (Of the Earth: Icelandic Turf Houses).
„A solid, comprehensive work which opens the readers' eyes to the importance of turf houses in the Icelandic cultural heritage.“
2012
Jón Ólafsson for the book Appelsínur frá Abkasíu: Vera Hertzsch, Halldór Laxness og hreinsanirnar miklu (Oranges from Abkasia: Vera Hertzsch, Halldór Laxness and the Great Purge).
„An effective and critical analysis of communism and the Soviet Gulag, revealing the vulnerability of the common citizen.“
2011
Sigríður Víðis Jónsdóttir for Ríkisfang: ekkert – flóttinn frá Írak á Akranes (No Nationality - The Flight from Iraq to Akranes)
„An ambitious book that combines, in an informative and arresting way, the lives of individuals with historical events that they have little or no control over.“
2010
Una Margrét Jónsdóttir for Allir í leik. Söngvaleikir barna I - II (Everyone in Play. Children's Musical Games I-II)
„A major culture-historical book about children's musical games in the 20th century in speech, music and gestures with comparison to older Icelandic traditions, as well as games in neighbouring countries.“
2009
Pétur Gunnarsson for his books ÞÞ í forheimskunnar landi (ÞÞ - In the Land of Ignorance) and ÞÞ í fátæktarlandi (ÞÞ – In A Land of Poverty)
„For shedding a light on the life of one of Iceland's greatest authors in a humorous, and yet serious, style that suits the subject.“
2008
Sigrún Helgadóttir: Jökulsárgljúfur - Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi og allt þar á milli (Jökulsárgljúfur - Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi and Everything in Between)
„For providing readers with a key to a spectacular area by combining history, natural sciences and literature.“
2007
Þorleifur Hauksson, for the editing and the introduction to Sverris saga
„For his superior knowledge of Icelandic stylistics, which is displayed in a high-quality publishing of an Icelandic saga.“
2006
Gunnar Jónsson, Jónbjörn Pálsson and Jón Baldur Hlíðberg: Íslenskir fiskar (Icelandic Fish)
„For pulling out useful animals and amazing creatures, from the sea and onto the pages of the book, with brilliant pictures and clear text.“
2005
Helgi Hallgrímsson and Jón Þorvarðarson
„For mediating complex studies and abstruse subjects, clearly and lively, to the readers of their books and introduce those readers to the world of science history, mathematics, empirical sciences, as well as regional studies.“
2004
Jóhanna Kristjónsdóttir
„For providing insight into a foreign culture and thus reducing ignorance and prejudice.“
2003
Viðar Hreinsson: Ævisaga Stephans G. Stephanssonar (Stephan G. Stephansson's Biography)
„In which he opens up the author's world to the readers in a sensitive and academic manner, presented in an accessible style.“
2002
Jón Hilmar Jónsson
„For opening up the pictorial world of the language.“
2001
Jón Karl Helgason
„For high-quality academic work that builds a bridge between modern day's multimedia and the folk stories of the past.“
2000
Hallgerður Gísladóttir and Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir
„For remarkable, fundamental writing of high-quality about cooking and cuisine, national and international.“
1999
Jón Baldur Hlíðberg
„For mediating academic studies - in a believable and intriguing manner – in pictures.“
1998
Ragnheiður Gyða Jónsdóttir
„For a lively and intriguing presentation of cultural matters on the radio station Rás 1, on The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.“
1997
Iðunn Steinsdóttir and Sigurður Pálsson
„For creating interesting high-quality study-material for Christian studies.“
1996
The editors of Orðstöðulykill með texta Íslendingasagna (A Concordance to the Icelandic Sagas): Bergljót Soffía Kristjánsdóttir, Eiríkur Rögnvaldsson, Guðrún Ingólfsdóttir and Örnólfur Thorsson
„For introducing new paths to the Icelandic Sagas' texts, and to their studies, by publishing a digital version of them, together with a concordance.“
1995
Guðmundur Páll Ólafsson
„For presenting, in an unusual way, knowledge and information about Iceland's nature and for displaying it's beauty and value.“
1994
Unnsteinn Stefánsson
„For his important academic work, and on the occasion of his published books; Haffræði I. og II. (Oceanography I. and II.)“
1993
Vilhjálmur Árnason
1992
Elsa E. Guðjónsson
1991
Lúðvík Kristjánsson
1990
Einar Sigurbjörnsson
1989
Gunnar Karlsson and Bjallan Publisher
1988
Kristmundur Bjarnason
1987
Helgi Hallgrímsson