The First Lady Next Door: A Memoir of Iceland, Identity, and Unexpected Adventure
Author(s): Eliza Reid (Author)
- Publisher: Sourcebooks
- Publication Date: May 5, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 384 pages
- ISBN-10: 1464243042
- ISBN-13: 9781464243042
Book Description
A witty, behind-the-scenes memoir of life as Iceland’s First Lady, national bestselling author Eliza Reid’s story reveals how resilience, humor, and boldness can turn unexpected challenges into extraordinary opportunities.
What if the life you didn’t plan is the one where you find your voice?
In early 2016, Eliza Reid’s biggest daily goals were modest but meaningful: showering without one of her four kids bursting into the bathroom, juggling clients without dropping a deadline, and growing the writers’ retreat she was building from scratch. What wasn’t on her bingo card? That her husband―a bookish, cardigan-wearing history professor ― would run for president of Iceland … and seven weeks later, actually win.
Suddenly, Canadian-born Eliza was catapulted into a new life as first lady of her adopted country with the eyes of a nation watching her every move―as someone’s wife. Absent an instruction manual (she googled how to curtsey before meeting the Queen of Denmark), she decided to do what she’d always done: figure it out on her own terms.
Part fish out-of-water story and part fairy tale,The First Lady Next Door takes readers from rural Ontario to Timbuktu, and from the White House to Buckingham Palace. Eliza shows how embracing authenticity in all its messiness can become our greatest strength, even when the world expects polished perfection. After all, our everyday moments are what create the road map for making the unexpected count.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“With her lovely debut memoir, former First Lady Eliza Reid shows women (and anyone paying attention) how to set their own course and defy expectations. She does so with a disarming humor, deep self-reflection, and a core set of values that never waver, even when her life takes dramatic turns.” ―
Stacey Abrams, #1 New York Times bestselling author, politician, and voting rights activist“An intimate, engaging memoir the details Reid’s life as Iceland’s First Lady, this book is also a potent argument for female identity and being true to yourself even when you’re on constant display. This is a warmhearted, smart read that is a real delight.” ―
Susan Orlean, #1 national bestselling author“What do you do when your ordinary life suddenly includes royal carriages, state visits, photo sessions, and invitations to the White House? I raced through this delightful, thought-provoking memoir, in which Eliza Reid explains how she made the most of an unexpected opportunity by finding and using her voice as Iceland’s First Lady.” ―
Gretchen Rubin, #1 New York Times bestselling author“I think what Eliza has managed to do in her new memoir is to cheer on the inner nerd who lives inside of us all. I laughed out loud so many times at the banal yet totally fascinating situations she found herself in―and could relate to how life can be completely and wonderfully unpredictable. Read this book and get to know one of the most interesting women I’ve ever met.” ―
Jann Arden, #1 bestselling author of The Bittlemores and Feeding My Mother“Readers interested in modern-day Iceland will find much savor in this chronicle of its recent first lady” ―
Library JournalAbout the Author
Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, and cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for more than twenty years. Her 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. From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland. Eliza lives in the outskirts of Reykjavik with her husband and four children.
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