Independent People in Read a book from each country

Jan 24, 2019 Meg rated it liked it

Shelves: prose-nice-passages, translation, genre-historical-fiction, 20th-century, literary, character-dogs, literature-of-nordics, language-icelandic

"He did not know what to say in the face of such sorrow. He sat in silence by his sister's side in the spring verdure, which was too young; and the hidden strings in his breast began to quiver; and to sound.

This was the first time that he had ever looked into the labyrinth of the human soul. He was very far from understanding what he saw. But what was of more value, he felt and suffered with her. In years that were yet to come he relived this memory in song, in the most beautiful song the world
"He did not know what to say in the face of such sorrow. He sat in silence by his sister's side in the spring verdure, which was too young; and the hidden strings in his breast began to quiver; and to sound.

This was the first time that he had ever looked into the labyrinth of the human soul. He was very far from understanding what he saw. But what was of more value, he felt and suffered with her. In years that were yet to come he relived this memory in song, in the most beautiful song the world has ever known. For the understanding of the soul's defenselessness, of the conflict between the two poles, is not the source of the greatest song. The source of the greatest song is sympathy. ”

In the introduction to this novel, Brad Leithauser talks about "the book of your life." As in, that one book which feels like it was especially written for you, which you think you understand more than anyone else and whose author understands you. Independent People is his. It isn’t mine.

What can I say, when general opinion holds this book in such high esteem? I suppose Independent People has its moments, striking scenes and atmospheric descriptions. Indeed, the sheep, snow, black coffee and rank fish of the novel did not fail to inhabit my mind. And turn-of-the-20th-century Iceland is a place and time which I would otherwise know nothing about. Yet I harbor the unoriginal hope of one day visiting the country, and as such, during descriptive passages kept thinking about how I'd rather see the landscapes in person than visualize them through Laxness’ prose.

Bjatur, the main character, is driven by the desire that he and his family be independent, that they stand on their own feet. He isn’t supposed to be likable, but even with the occasional comic relief, on balance, I spent more time with him and his croft than I wanted to — 500 pages. Bjatur upholds his stoic tenets of accept no charity, ask for no help, and continue to raise sheep even in the face of continual starvation, disease, and death, though perhaps if he weren’t so foolish and stubborn, things wouldn’t be so dire. Or perhaps suffering is unavoidable.

"The essence of being a poor peasant is the inability to avail oneself of the gifts that politicians offer or promise and to be left at the mercy of ideals that only make the rich richer and the poor poorer."

I am somewhat disturbed that Leithauser, and I suppose Laxness himself, asserts that Bjatur's daughter Ásta Sóllilja is a symbol of love, proof that he is capable of the sentiment. Bjatur molested her one night, so that makes the storyline anything but heartwarming. If I am supposed to respond emotionally to his later unraveling and softening to her, their reunion, I didn’t, and can’t, because it’s simply impossible under the narrative circumstances presented to me.

I really think the fawning introduction and Nobel Prize only set this book up for failure for me. Sometimes you just can’t connect. I wonder if I should've spent the time reading an Icelandic epic instead. ...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Barrita rated it it was amazing

Shelves: around-the-world, historical-fiction, reviewed, 5-star, male-authors, barrilibros

No me parece que este sea un libro para todos. Es pesado y un poco largo, a veces parece nunca terminar. Pero al mismo tiempo tiene una buena historia con personajes magníficos y detalles que te hacen comprender realmente que es lo que les sucede y de esa manera involucrarte en su historia. Todo envuelto con un bello lenguaje.

Si bien tiene temas políticos y sociales, pensé que serían mas intrusivos de lo que realmente fueron. No siento que el libro trate de dar un mensaje o convencerte de nada, ...more

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Jul 14, 2009 Edith Andersen rated it liked it

He can write, boy can he write. It's an insight into the life of Icelandic farmers, their hardship and one man's compelling desire to be independent. In many ways, a lesson for today's people is contained within. But the setting and characters, their toil, terror and struggles were difficult for me to spend hours and hours reading. But I prevailed--if that's good -not so sure. At least I can tell my oldest sister who suggested the book that I read it. Hopefully, she will leave it at that. ...more

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