Þórbergur Þórðarson 1888 – 1974 - en
Þórbergur Þórðarson, one of Iceland’s most significant twentieth-century authors, was born and grew up at Hali farm, in the district of Suðursveit. At that time, this community was geographically isolated, cut off on both sides by rushing, sand-filled glacial rivers. Above it, there were massive mountain ranges topped by stretches of glacial ice; below it, a harbourless expanse of wave-beaten sands.
In the closed-off world of Suðursveit, life was characterised by a struggle with the powers of nature. Without a doubt, this fight stimulated the inhabitants’ mental capacity, demanding that they be highly practical, precise, skilled in crafts, and perceptive. The sole signs of any other world were the French sailing vessels which approached the shores in spring; these lured the young boy Þórbergur to seek adventure.