Halldor Kiljan Laxness was born in 1902 in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, but spent his youth in the country. From the age of seventeen on, he travelled and lived abroad, chiefly on the European continent. He was influenced by expressionism and other modern currents in Germany and France. In the mid-twenties he was converted to Catholicism; his spiritual experiences are reflected in several books of an autobiographical nature, chiefly Undir Helgahnuk (Under the Holy Mountain), 1924. In 1927, he published his first important novel, Vefarinn mikli fra Kasmir (The Great Weaver from Kashmir). Laxness's religious period did not last long; during a visit to America he became attracted to socialism. Althydubokin (The Book of the People), 1929, is evidence of a change toward a socialist outlook. In 1930, Laxness settled in Iceland.

Laxness's main achievement consists of three novel cycles written during the thirties, dealing with the people of Iceland. Pu vinvidur hreini, 1931, and Fuglinn i fjorunni, 1932, (both translated as Salka Valka), tell the story of a poor fisher girl; Sjalfstaettfolk (Independent People), 1934-35, treats the fortunes of small farmers, whereas the tetralogy Ljos heimsins (The Light of the World), 1937-40, has as its hero an Icelandic folk poet. Laxness's later works are frequently historical and influenced by the saga tradition: Islandsklukkan (The Bell of Iceland), 1943-46, Gerpla (The Happy Warriors), 1952, and Paradisarheimat (Paradise Reclaimed), 1960. Laxness is also the author of the topical and sharply polemical Atomstodin (The Atom Station), 1948.

From Nobel Lectures, Literature 1901-1967.

Halldor Laxness died in 1998.