Halldór Laxness

Author profile

born

April 23, 1902 in Reykjavík, Iceland

died

February 08, 1998

gender

male

genre

Literature & Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories

influences

The Icelandic Sagas, Catholicism, Communism, Taoism

About this author

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Born Halldór Guðjónsson, he adopted the surname Laxness in honour of Laxnes in Mosfellssveit where he grew up, his family having moved from Reyjavík in 1905. He published his first novel at the age of 17, the beginning of a long literary career of over 60 books, including novels, short stories, poetry, and plays. Confirmed a Catholic in 1923, he later moved away from religion and for a long time was sympathetic to Communist politics, which is evident in his novels World Light and Independent People. In 1955 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

combine editions
Books by Halldór Laxness

Average rating: 3.93 · 3,332 ratings · 587 reviews · 65 distinct works

	Independent People by Halldór Laxness, J.A. Thompson (Translator) 4.14 avg rating — 1,642 ratings — published 1935 — 31 editions	My rating:
	Under the Glacier by Halldór Laxness, Magnus Magnusson (Translator) 3.54 avg rating — 405 ratings — published 1968 — 16 editions	My rating:
	Iceland's Bell by Halldór Laxness, Philip Roughton (Translator) 3.80 avg rating — 332 ratings — published 1943 — 16 editions	My rating:
	The Fish Can Sing by Halldór Laxness, Magnus Magnusson (Translator) 3.81 avg rating — 307 ratings — published 1957 — 17 editions	My rating:
	World Light by Halldór Laxness, Magnus Magnusson (Translator) 4.16 avg rating — 146 ratings — published 1937 — 13 editions	My rating:
	Paradise Reclaimed by Halldór Laxness, Magnus Magnusson (Translator) 3.79 avg rating — 132 ratings — published 1960 — 9 editions	My rating:
	The Atom Station by Halldór Laxness, Magnus Magnusson (Translator) 3.44 avg rating — 145 ratings — published 1948 — 27 editions	My rating:
	Salka Valka by Halldór Laxness, F.H. Lyon (Translator) 3.93 avg rating — 101 ratings — 14 editions	My rating:
	The Great Weaver from Kashmir by Halldór Laxness, Philip Roughton (Translator) 3.20 avg rating — 40 ratings — published 1927 — 6 editions	My rating:
	Barn nátturunnar 4.13 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 1919 — 2 editions	My rating:

More books by Halldór Laxness…

Series by Halldór Laxness

Íslandsklukkan (1 book)
by Halldór Laxness

2.50 avg rating — 2 ratings

Salka Valka (2 books)
by Halldór Laxness

3.00 avg rating — 1 rating

Heimsljós (4 books)
by Halldór Laxness

0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings

Quotes by Halldór Laxness

“Like all great rationalists you believed in things that were twice as incredible as theology.”
― Halldór Laxness, Under the Glacier

tags: scandinavian-literature

7 people liked it

“Remember, any lie you are told, even deliberately, is often a more significant fact than a truth told in all sincerity.”
― Halldór Laxness, Under the Glacier

tags: fact , fiction , lies , truth

7 people liked it

“Maðurinn finnur það sem hann leitar að, og sá sem trúir á draug finnur draug.”
― Halldór Laxness, Independent People

5 people liked it

See all Halldór Laxness's quotes »

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