No one is so busy that he hasn't the time to dismantle a work of art. — Halldór Laxness Art Copy Share Image
Whoever doesn't live in poetry cannot survive here on earth. — Halldór Laxness Earth 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
“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
Remember, any lie you are told, even deliberately, is often a more significant fact than a truth told in all sincerity. — Halldór Laxness Facts 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 Blind Copy Share Image
“So I see no reason why, just because a couple of womenfolk have kicked the bucket, people should start writing religion about… — Halldór Laxness Religion Copy Share Image
The tyranny of mankind; it was like the obstinate drip of water falling on a stone and hollowing it little by little;… — Halldór Laxness Children Copy Share Image
“The difference between a novelist and a historian is this: that the former tells lies deliberately and for the fun of it;… — 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
“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
“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
It's a useful habit to never believe more than half of what people tell you, and not to concern yourself with the… — Halldór 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
“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 Copy Share Image
“Tumi Jónsen has now started to tell the Icelandic sagas in a style that consists principally of casting doubt on the story… — Halldór Laxness Poetry Copy Share Image
“One can be one's own ghost and roam about in various places, sometimes many places simultaneously. Perhaps I didn't approach it quite… — Halldor Laxness Ghost Copy Share Image
My opinion has always been this, that you ought to never give up as long as you live, even though they have… — Halldór Laxness 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
“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
“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
“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
“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
“It is often said of people with second sight that their soul leaves the body. That doesn't happen to the glacier. But… — Halldór Laxness Glacier Copy Share Image
“And Ásta Sóllilja, it was she who swept on wings of poetry into those spheres which she had sensed as if in… — Halldór Laxness Copy Share Image
“Because no one of us lives for himself and no one dies for himself. For if we live, then we live for… — Halldór Laxness Creation 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
“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
“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
“But I was also very pleased when I heard the Prince of Montenegro got married the other day. I know perfectly well… — Halldor Laxness 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 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
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
“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
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
He continued on, on to the glacier, towards the dawn, from ridge to ridge, in deep, new-fallen snow, paying no heed to… — Halldór Laxness Children Copy Share Image
