Laxness was born under the name Halldór Guðjónsson (following the tradition of Icelandic patronymics) in Reykjavik in 1902, the son of Guðjón Helgason and Sigríður Halldórsdóttir. After spending his early years in Reykjavik, he moved with his family in 1905 to Laxnes near Mosfellsbær, a more rural area just north of the capital. He soon started to read books and write stories. At the age of 14 his first article was published in Morgunblaðið under the name "H.G."
During his career Laxness wrote poetry, newspaper articles, plays, travelogues, short stories, and fifty-one novels.
Laxness moved to the United States and attempted to make films in the mid-20th century.[citation needed] He returned to Iceland in 1945 and settled in Gljúfrasteinn, Mosfellsdalur until his death. His house in Gljúfrasteinn is now a museum operated by the Icelandic government.
He was married twice, including his second marriage to Auður Sveinsdóttir. He had four children.
Laxness died in Iceland in february 1998 at the age of 95.
