The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.1964, Page 33

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
31
of his contacts in those years with Sin-
clair Lewis and Upton Sinclair and
their books. He admited that their
social fiction had influenced his writ-
ing.
He recalled how in that early stay
in the United States, spent largely in
California, he often lectured to Wo-
men’s Clubs to get money so he could
eat and continue writing. He said “1
was happy to be paid $50, and when I
received $100 I went out of business
lecturing for a long time.”
In describing his work methods, he
said “I usually dictate to my wife.
Sometimes I do a rough draft in long-
hand, after which I dictate it. I then
go through the copy several times,
making changes and additions.”
Laxness writes in Icelandic, and
many of his books are reminiscent of
the old Icelandic Sagas in language
and diction. His books have been tran-
slated and published throughout the
world.
Laxness has lived in many parts of
the world. Lie spent his early youth
in Europe. In more recent years he has
lived in Moscow, India and Pekin of
Red China. Up to World War 2, when
he built his home in Iceland, he lived
outside of his native land much more
than at home and even today he makes
it a custom to live abroad half of each
year.
Lie told us he had received an in-
vitation from rhe government of Israel
to come there for the winter months
and that he was leaving Iceland as
soon as he had finished his auto-
biographical book.
He called his new work “a balancing
of accounts,” also as being “A Poet’s
I ime,” or “A Poet’s Lesson,” or “an
author’s lesson.” He mentioned all
these titles as he groped about for the
best way to express what he meant
and perhaps what he wanted to call it.
He said “It is an account of my
experiences.
Laxness said he never answers
questions or questionnaires about his
personal opinions. He said he feels an
author’s opinions and what he thinks
are his stock in trade as an author and
are to be found in what he writes by
those who care to read his works.
He told us that “one can’t just make
a blunt reply to a question on opinion
because here are so many facets tn
every idea that there has to be a
balancing — yes, a balance of one thing
against another.”
From these remarks, it appears to
me that in the mind of Laxness there
is nothing truly black or truly white,
or established so that it cannot be
changed, but that there is always a
balancing of facets and facts.
Laxness’ books have been translated
and published in most countries. In
Europe, they have been published in
all but Albania and Portugal. He said
he thought “four or five of my books
have appeared in America.”
Lie credited a review in the New
York Times about his book “The
Independent People” as having focus-
ed attention on him in literary circles
abroad to the extent that the Swedish
Academy became interested in con-
sidering him for the Nobel Prize and
in 1955 awarding it. 15y the time the
award came, Laxness said all the sur-
prise had been removed but that it
was a thrill to be acclaimed the Nobel
prize winner in literature.
I gathered in the course of our even-
ing with Mr. Laxness and his gracious
wife, somewhat younger than her hus-
band, that his principal relaxation
from intensive writing is playing the
piano. Lie has a grand piano of quality
in the large living room and he com-
mented in referring to it: “I try to