Science news and science current events, research and discoveries.
Top science news articles and science current events stories from the past week.
Science Resources
Science RSS News Feeds
Earth, Life and Space Science RSS News Feeds.
|
 |
 |
 |
| View Larger Image | Independent People
by Halldor Laxness
| | List Price: | $15.00 | | Price: | $10.20 | | You Save: | $4.80 (32%) |  | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours | | | | | Sales Rank: | 21887 | | Studio: | Vintage | | | Binding: | Paperback | | Number Of Pages: | 512 | | Publication Date: | January 14, 1997 | | Publisher: | Vintage |
| |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 69 reviews)
|
Don't read the introduction 
One of my favorite books ever. I'm writing just to warn readers not to read the tremendously idiotic introduction. The guy gives away the plot to the book. The "smart" people at Vintage evidently don't know the difference between an introduction and an afterword. They should be shot (at the very least).
August 23, 2008 | |
I thought my grandfather was stubborn. 
Even Iceland had its problems with ignorance and fear of progress. No knowledge of Iceland, except that it is an isolated northern island, is necessary to appreciate this marvelous story. It's a book about people more than place. Having read it, I do want to learn more about Iceland, though.
The main character is very unlikable. His single-mindedness is what drives the entire book. His treatment of other people, including his family, compared with his treatment of his sheep is the critical focus of the book.
I don't know if I would have preferred another ending, but will accept what Laxness gave us. Highly recommended and I have ordered more Laxness books (from Amazon of course).
January 27, 2008 | |
MY FAVORITE BOOK, EVER. HAUNTING CHARACTERS. HAUNTING EVERYTHING.
Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice
Halldor Laxness won the 1955 Nobel Prize with this one. It's the story of Bjartur, an indentured servant who purchased his freedom with 18 years of hard work. Bjartur sets out to be truly independent by owning his own farm-- which happens to be cursed. This saga dissects the Icelandic social system, Bjartur's psyche (& those of all other characters), & illustrates the effects of war and greed on both. E. Annie Proulx, Jane Smiley & I agree: It's one of the best books ever written. Don't read the Introduction. Its author gives away too much. R rated for Explicit Poverty.
January 14, 2008 | |
Sheep and Poetry
Brad Leithauser, in his well-penned Introduction to my copy of this novel, writes that when asked what his favourite book (this one) is about, he replies, "Sheep." - Very droll, but also accurate to a surprising degree - Leithauser, of course, goes on to expand in the Introduction. The reviewers here have done an excellent job of mapping the novel out and covering its themes, so that there seems little for me to add. I will say that this book is unlike anything else you'll ever read, save for the concluding pages, which bring to mind The Grapes of Wrath or some of Jack London's lesser read books such as The Iron Heel. This is a deeply poetic book about sheep and a particular man's, Bjartur's, struggle to be independent by means of them. What exactly this "independence" entails is material for a doctoral thesis. I think I'll just let Laxness do the talking here:
"Forenoon, noon, and afternoon are as far off as the countries we hope to see when we grow up; evening as remote and unreal as death..." p.139
"Few things are so inconstant, so unstable, as a loving heart, and yet it is the only place in the world where one can find sympathy." P.147
"...there is much comfort in the thought that time effaces everything, crime and sorrow no less than love." P.226
"...two human beings have such trouble in understanding each other, there is nothing so tragical as two human beings." P.301
"In its own way misery no less than revelry is varied in form and worthy of note wherever there lurks a spark of life in the world," p.303
These are just a few of the gems in this singular tale. Only four stars, because, well, aside from a few shining poetic passages of hopefulness (quickly crushed) the world portrayed here is mind-numbingly (for this reader anyway) bleak. And a reader cannot live on bleakness alone.
April 20, 2007 | |
godd bless
I dont know that thing of reversing the scandinavians back to be catholic..
but man...man!!!!
this genius won that Stalin's literature award for The Atom Station and The Nobel as well...
and between a couple of hundered sheep and an iclandic state of mind (nature )..the iceland state of mind better say..
there is a leftover priest sitting on turgenev's grave
saying..
what did u say again...
can't hear ya..what did u say..
Dude..what a killer book...
absolutely outstanding..
no I mean really..
what to say after this..
just please dudes..
dont write anymore if u don't have to..
God Bless u Lexness..
U were really something around here
love ya
March 26, 2007 | |
SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| |
|
|
|
|
