independent people

i am 15 pages into independent people by halldor laxness and i am hooked. while i certainly don't claim to be an expert on iceland, its culture or myths, i think i've gotten a glimpse of laxness' genius: his ability to create a work that is both true to its culture and time, yet universal and timeless. being able to balance seemingly contradictory forces, i feel is a hallmark of great art. artists seem to embrace a worldview that is less dualistic than the rest of us - and their gift is sharing that with the rest of us...