It's an old saying that one still has to know something, despite everything. — Halldór Laxness Despite Copy Share Image
It's a pity we don't whistle at one another, like birds. Words are misleading. — Halldór Laxness Bird Copy Share Image
Whoever doesn't live in poetry cannot survive here on earth. — Halldór Laxness Earth Copy Share Image
“She herself had given up washing long ago, and besides, people no longer believed in stale urine, either for one purpose or… — Halldór Laxness Heart Copy Share Image
“On olemassa kasvoja, joilla on valtaa ihmisen ylitse siihen saakka, kun hän jonakin kauniina päivänä loppuu.” — Halldór Laxness Mint Copy Share Image
“Now pastor Jón Prímus laughed. Philosophy and theology have no effect on him, much less plain common sense. Impossible to convince this… — Halldór Laxness Humor Copy Share Image
“We Danes have always been charitable in our trading operations with Iceland. And when our deceased Highness monopolized trade with the island… — Halldór Laxness Danes Copy Share Image
“On the other hand I won't conceal the fact from anyone that once upon a time a little something happened to me.… — Halldor Laxness Conceal Copy Share Image
Where the glacier meets the sky, the land ceases to be earthly, and the earth becomes one with the heavens; no sorrows… — Halldór Laxness Beauty Copy Share Image
“A new generation forgets the specters that may have tormented the old… And yet, always, to all eternity, it is the same… — Halldór Laxness Specters Tormented Copy Share Image
Don't forget that few people are likely to tell more than a small part of the truth: no one tells much of… — Halldór Laxness Facts Copy Share Image
Of all the creatures that man kills for his amusement there is only one that he kills out of hatred—other men. Man… — Halldór Laxness Amusement Copy Share Image
“Strange though it may seem, people rarely show such enthusiasm as when they are seeking the proof of a ghost story—the soul… — Halldór Laxness Ghost Copy Share Image
“But he could not help it. No one can help it. One is a realist. One has put up with it all… — Halldor Laxness Children Copy Share Image
“She was like defenceless Nature, that withers in the blast because it has shelter neither of God nor of men; human beings… — Halldór Laxness Nature Copy Share Image
“Pastor Jón Prímus: Do you remember when Úa shook her curls? Do you remember when she looked at us and laughed? Did… — Halldór Laxness Creation Did Copy Share Image
“the aforesaid disagreement between these men sprang from a misunderstanding. And the cause of it is that each thinks he is better… — Halldór Laxness Countries Copy Share Image
“The poems which touched her heart most, suffusing her with exalted emotion, so that she felt she could gather everything to her,… — halldor laxness Dreams Copy Share Image
“No. It was neither heroes nor sacrifice nor yet virtues that she loved most; rather the poetry which spoke to her of… — Halldór Laxness Poetry Copy Share Image
“...freedom is of more account than the height of a roof beam. I ought to know; mine cost me eighteen years' slavery.… — Halldór Laxness Debt Copy Share Image
“Embi: And you're supposed to be so good at mending primuses, pastor Jón! Pastor Jón: And correspondingly bad at Baroque art. Embi:… — Halldór Laxness Art Copy Share Image
“Pastor Jón: God has the virtue that one can locate Him anywhere at all, in anything at all. Embi: In a nail,… — Halldór Laxness Winter Storm Copy Share Image
“Often I felt that these men were play-acting: the unreality of their role was their security, even their own destinies were to… — Halldór Laxness Children Copy Share Image
“Towards the end of our conversation in the churchyard today I got the impression that pastor Jón thinks that all gods that… — Halldór Laxness Communication Copy Share Image
“Shortly afterwards it started raining, very innocently at first, but the sky was packed tight with cloud and gradually the drops grew… — Halldór Laxness Life itself Copy Share Image
“Pastor Jón: It is pleasant to listen to the birds chirping. But it would be anything but pleasant if the birds were… — Halldór Laxness Birds chirping Copy Share Image
“Townsfolk have no conception of the peace that mother nature bestows, and as long as that peace is unfound the spirit must… — Halldór Laxness Country life Copy Share Image
“Dr. Syngmann: But someone must have made it all. Don't you think so, John? Pastor Jón: Thou shalt love the Lord thy… — Halldór Laxness Love Copy Share Image
“All birds are perhaps a little wrong, because an absolute once-and-for-all formula for a bird has never been found, just as all… — Halldor Laxness Copy Share Image
“For once the crofter was at a a rather loss for words, for to him nothing has ever been more completely unintelligible… — Halldór Laxness Compassion Copy Share Image
“Item, I've read that there's not a single virgin to be found in your country," said the statesman. "Where might you have… — Halldór Laxness Chastity Copy Share Image
This was the first time that he has ever looked into the labyrinth of the human soul. He was very far from… — Halldór Laxness Beautiful Copy Share Image
“Oh yes", said the old woman, "but I've heard these so-called stoves are by no means all they are supposed to be.… — Halldór Laxness Age Copy Share Image
“I know perfectly well that it is impossible, according to arithmetic and scholarly books, to live in a far valley off a… — Halldór Laxness Books Copy Share Image
“The farm brook ran down from the mountain in a straight line for the fold then swerved to the west to go… — Halldór Laxness Brook Copy Share Image
“They were allowed a little touch at each of the books, but only with their fingertips tonight, literature cannot bear dirty hands;… — Halldór Laxness Books Copy Share Image
For man is essentially alone, and one should pity him and love him and grieve with him. — Halldór Laxness And love Copy Share Image
“All great wealth was inconsistent with common sense. (from 'The Fish can Sing” — Halldór Laxness Common sense Copy Share Image
“But perhaps no distance is greater than that which separates a poor family in the same country” — Halldór Laxness Family Copy Share Image
