Svava Jakobsdóttir (October 4, 1930, – February 21, 2004) was one of Iceland's foremost 20th Century authors and feminist politicians.
As a writer her work was characterized by "unique brand of surreal feminism." Her father (Hans) Jakob Jónsson was a Lutheran minister.
From 1935 to 1940 he and his family lived in Wynyard, Saskatchewan where he served as the pastor of the Icelandic-Canadian congregation.
She graduated from Smith College in 1952.
After that she studied at Somerville College, Oxford.
She was a member of the Althing, the Icelandic parliament, from 1971 to 1979 for the left-wing party Alþýðubandalagið (People's Alliance).
Her best-known works are the novel Gunnlaðar saga (The Saga of Gunnlod), the novella Leigjandinn (The Lodger) and the macabre short story "Saga handa börnum" ("A Story for Children").