Icelanders are grateful to meet foreigners who have heard of their country. And even more grateful to hear someone say it deserves… — Halldór Laxness Country 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
“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
“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
“But I was also very pleased when I heard the Prince of Montenegro got married the other day. I know perfectly well… — Halldor Laxness Middle finger 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 Philosophy 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
It's a pity we don't whistle at one another, like birds. Words are misleading. — Halldór Laxness Bird Copy Share Image
“That blasted family could never look at a living thing without wanting to make a profit out of it, preferably by killing… — Halldór Laxness Capitalism 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-story Copy Share Image
“The story of how He created the world aroused their interests immediately, even though they received no answer to the question of… — Halldór Laxness Apples Copy Share Image
It's an old saying that one still has to know something, despite everything. — Halldór Laxness Despite Copy Share Image
“The light of the world had more or less taken leave of this man, for he was almost blind. (from 'The Fish… — Halldór Laxness Light of the world 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
“The farm brook ran down from the mountain in a straight line for the fold then swerved to the west to go… — Halldór Laxness Straight line Copy Share Image
Whoever doesn't live in poetry cannot survive here on earth. — Halldór Laxness Earth Copy Share Image
“Pastor Jón: The Úa who came is not the one who went away. Because in the first place Úa cannot go away,… — Halldór Laxness First place 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
“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
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
“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
“Quite so. On the other hand, I am like that horse that was dumbfounded for twenty-four hours. For a long time I… — Halldor Laxness Long time 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
“He did not know what to say in the face of such sorrow. He sat in silence by his sister's side in… — Halldor Laxness First time Copy Share Image
“The distinctive features of the world's civilisations are not simply and solely the giraffe and the city of Rome, as the children… — Halldór Laxness Knowledge Copy Share Image
