Salka Valka

Salka Valka, by Halldór Laxness. Translated by F. H. Lyon. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1963. 429 pgs.



This book has an interesting history. It was originally published in Icelandic in two volumes, in 1931 and 1932. It was translated into Danish in 1934. The Danish edition was translated into English and revised by Laxness, and published in one volume (1936). English editions are in short supply and typically very expensive, and there weren't any copies at any nearby libraries. I was fortunate to borrow a copy from Professor Batty.

Salka Valka is the tale of a precocious little girl named Salvör Valgerdur. Salka's mother, Sigurlina, has fled the north to seek a better life in the south of Iceland, but they stop off in the tiny town of Oseyri and never leave. Sigurlina is as weak as her daughter is strong. Sigurlina desires to be a good woman, but fate and love seem to conspire otherwise.

Unlike her mother, Salka learns: she learns how to read books, how to read people, and she learns from her mistakes. We meet Salka as a rough, uneducated, illegitimate girl, who speaks her mind with complete honesty even when it means being rude. She isn't afraid of anyone, and her imposing looks and strength inspire admiration and yearning in those around her. Salka's hard work and determination bring her out of poverty and earn her independence, and throughout her hard life she finds the resources to help others along the way, through friendship and material means. Her only weakness turns out to be her lifelong love for a weak man.

Laxness brings his familiar irony and humor, pathos and tenderness to this work. When Salka fears that her mother is dead, the old man they live with comforts her in the only way he can, with his honesty:

...it's no use crying in this place; there's nobody to console one but oneself. I've lived in Oseyri now for over sixty years. Perhaps you young people will be able to become human beings, even if we older ones haven't succeeded. But it's late already. And there's nothing so good as sleep, both for those who are blind and for those who still have their sight. So we'll look after one another a little, so far as we can, if we should wake again to-morrow. There's so little people can do for each other in this place. Good night.

Salka Valka's story is the story of loneliness, despair, politics, power, compassion, lust, poverty, fish, and the Salvation Army. Most of all it is the story of a love strong enough to make the ultimate sacrifice; a noble, strong generosity of heroic proportions.

A Swedish movie version of Salka Valka was produced in 1954. It is largely unavailable in the U.S. Have you seen it? I would love to! There was also a Finnish TV version done in 1979.

Merry Icelandic Christmas to Me!

...and to YOU!


Not to forget my non-Icelandic treasures (thank you, VCU booksale)


Jeff and Jen's Long Beach edition of Merry Bingo...



featured Iceland on select cards!

"Winner is rewarded with complete domination of the See's candy" (two pound box!)

--No, I didn't win. But I had LOTS of fun. I recommend Merry Bingo for all Christmas family gatherings (customized, of course).

Let's Visit Gljufrasteinn

Let me try to tempt you to visit the home of Halldór Laxness...either on your next trip to Iceland, your next "I live here, why don't I do any local sightseeing" excursion, or by going to the website, which is informative and has many additional pictures.

The museum staff is very helpful, via email as well as in person. The museum bookstore has a large selection of Laxness books in many languages.

All photos are from the Gljufrasteinn website, except for the last two.










et-ERN-it-Y Clock

























Stand up Desk

Halldór Laxness Day

52 years ago today, Halldór Laxness was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Today is the day that Professor Batty and I chose for posting our personal rankings of our favorite Laxness novels. You, our reading audience, can be assured that we have not collaborated on or discussed these rankings ahead of time...I will be as surprised as you when I read PB's post tomorrow!

Here is my list:

1. The Fish Can Sing (1957)
Álfgrímur's coming of age. Iceland's greatest singer. A house called Brekkukot in Reykjavík at the beginning of the 20th century. My favorite book ever.

2. Independent People (1934)
Sheep, and the frustratingly stubborn Bjartur of Summerhouses.

3. Iceland's Bell (1943-46)
The Loveliest Woman in Iceland and an irascible criminal.

4. World Light (1937-40)
The Poet, Ólafur Kárason of Ljósavík.

5. Under the Glacier (1968)
The Emisary of the Bishop (Embi) investigates strange things at Snaefells.

6. Salka Valka (1931-32)
A poor fisher girl who is big, strong, and very generous.

7. Paradise Reclaimed (1960)
Steinar gives his white pony Krapi, the finest horse in Iceland, to the King of Denmark, and goes to live with the Mormons.

8. Great Weaver From Kashmir (1927)
Steinn’s quest for perfection, and his desire to avoid the sins of the flesh. Humanity and Divinity. The nature of redemption.

9. Happy Warriors (1952)
Sworn brothers Þormódur Bessason and Þorgeir Hávarsson have the souls of saga warriors. But they are misfits in their world, and don’t even realize it.

10. Atom Station (1948)
A girl from the north country encounters city ways, and learns about human values. Another Strong Woman steals our hearts.

11. The Honour of the House (1933)
Honour and pride, and what it does to a family.


I think it's interesting that many of Laxness' novels were published in separate volumes and parts over the course of several years. I also think it's interesting (although I don't expect anyone else to) that Laxness was awarded the Nobel Prize the same year I was born. His acceptance speech (audio and text) can be found at the Nobel site.

I'd love to hear from other Laxness fans about their favorites. If you'll send me your personal ranking I'll be glad to post it! And don't forget to check out Professor Batty at Flippism is the Key to see what he has to say about our favorite Icelandic Author.

To conclude, an excerpt from my Iceland diary, July 19, 2006:

Today we are going to visit Gljufrasteinn, the home and museum of author Halldór Laxness. Thingvellir, Gljufrasteinn, and Drangey Island are the top three personal shrines on my Iceland list.

Halldór Laxness (1902-1998) won the Nobel prize in 1955, in part for his book Independent People. In an introduction to this book Brad Leithauser says:

When I tell people I meet that my favorite book by a living novelist is Halldor Laxness's Independent People and am asked what it's about, my reply is, "Sheep."

...My reply is actually less facetious than might first appear, for while the book does keep large issues constantly in mind (the largest: mortality and memory and love and duty), it is also very much about...[sheep].

We come close to hitting a herd of sheep on the road, one at a time. In case you're curious, sheep are not too smart. They exhibit that irritating characteristic common to squirrels and deer: it's impossible to predict which way they will dash when they panic--or they might just freeze. It's safer not to honk the horn, and just wait for them to amble off.

Gljúfrasteinn is nestled in a large, lovely valley with imposing mountains nearby, across the road from Laxnes horse farm. Laxness's name, a pseudonym he took in 1923, means "of Laxnes."

First we walk around through the gardens to the back of the house, and have our picnic lunch on a bench in an alcove shaded by small birches and wildflowers. The nearby stream tumbles over smooth boulders and forms myriad small waterfalls.

The house itself is elegantly plain: medium sized, white plaster with lots of windows. It isn't a showplace; it's a house meant to be lived in. The orginal furnishings, art, music and books are still in place, so it's very easy to imagine Laxness and his family living here. The audio tour is excellent: it is less obtrusive than a tour guide, and the recording includes the voices of Laxness and his wife. You can stand in his study, see the desk he stood at to write, look out the window at the very view that he saw daily. You can enter his bedroom, and see the art and objects he kept close to him. You can see his Steinway piano--the very same one that Bill Holm has played. When I see the grandfather clock in the hallway--ticking E-TER-NI-TY---(the one that the clock in The Fish Can Sing was modeled on) my throat closes up and I choke back tears.

Ready for Iceland 2008!

The bad news is that I didn't finish my review of Salka Valka or Iceland's Bell tonight. Instead, I caught up on my favorite, mostly Icelandic, blogs. Good karma! Here's why.

John and I have taken to writing our appointments for next year in very tiny letters at the bottom of the December page of this year's calendar. Our 2007 calendar features pictures from our '06 Iceland trip for each month. Just tonight I was lamenting the fact that I need a 2008 calendar.

Lament no more! Maria Alva has provided the solution. Many of you have enjoyed the creative pictures she posts to her blog; now you can enjoy them all year long on your own calendar. Great idea, Maria! Icelandic calendars with date squares large enough to write in the essentials are very hard to find. One year I bought my calendar from the Icelandic National League of North Dakota, after having contacted bookstores and tourist associations in Iceland trying to find a picture calendar with date squares. My 2008 Icelandic calendar is on order, and I can't help but think this is a good omen.