What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedIndependent People
Halldór Laxness · Book · 1946
If you loved Independent People, start with Nomadland (Chloé Zhao, 2021) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Independent People across media.
What hooked you in Independent People was the way the uncompromising struggle for autonomy transforms the harsh landscape into a crucible for the human spirit.
Films on the same thread
The Grapes of Wrath
John Ford · Film · 1940
Explores: Economic hardship, Family resilience, The American Dream disillusionment.
Like the protagonist of Independent People, the Joad family faces a brutal collision between individual agrarian dreams and the crushing indifference of the economic forces surrounding them.
Nomadland
Chloé Zhao · Film · 2021
Explores: Economic hardship, Resilience, Loss and grief.
This film echoes the rugged individualism found in Independent People, observing how a person maintains their sense of self when the land and economy no longer offer stability.
The Tree of Wooden Clogs
Ermanno Olmi · Film · 1978
Explores: peasant life, class struggle, agrarian hardship.
The agrarian hardship and class struggle depicted here mirror the grim tenacity and generational sacrifice required of the smallholders who define the world of Independent People.
Diary of a Country Priest
Robert Bresson · Film · 1951
Explores: Crisis of faith, Asceticism, Social isolation.
The spiritual asceticism and social isolation of this priest reflect the same stoic, uncompromising nature that drives the main characters to their breaking points in Independent People.
Series on the same thread
Little House on the Prairie
Ed Friendly · Series · 1974
Explores: Family Values, Rural Life, American Frontier.
While tonally distinct, the pioneering spirit and the constant battle against the elements in this series capture the foundational struggle for land ownership central to Independent People.
Roots
Alex Haley · Series · 1977
Shares a thread with Independent People: Generational Trauma.
This epic exploration of generational trauma and the fight for identity mirrors the long-term emotional consequences of the harsh, labor-intensive life portrayed in Independent People.
The Last Kingdom
Stephen Butchard · Series · 2015
Explores: warrior culture, identity crisis, cultural clash.
The tension between fate and free will in this series resonates with the philosophical weight of the characters navigating their own destiny within Independent People.
Landman
Taylor Sheridan · Series · 2024
Explores: Oil Industry, Class Conflict, Environmental Impact.
This series examines the modern cost of land and resources, reflecting the same power dynamics and environmental impacts that complicate the survival of farmers in Independent People.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
The focus on the minutiae of rural farming life and the intricate social bonds of a community provides a grounded look at the lifestyle depicted in Independent People.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Existentialism, Individual Responsibility, Cultural Critique.
The emphasis on individual responsibility and existential struggle aligns with the deep philosophical inquiries into the nature of freedom found throughout the narrative of Independent People.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Independent People based on a true story?
Independent People is a 1946 novel by Halldór Laxness. It focuses on the lives of small freeholders in the Icelandic countryside who strive to maintain their own farms through inheritance or purchase, holding their land with tenacity against the challenges posed by both nature and society.
What is the central theme of Independent People?
The central theme of Independent People is the ruling passion of Icelandic farmers to be their own masters on their own acres. The narrative explores the grim tenacity required for these families to maintain their independence as one-man or one-family farm operators against external connivances.
Does Independent People portray the reality of Icelandic farming?
Independent People depicts the reality of the Icelandic countryside through the lens of small freeholders. The text explores the struggle of families who operate farms got by inheritance or purchase, highlighting the persistent effort required to remain masters of their own land despite the harshness of nature.
Who is the author of Independent People?
Independent People was written by Halldór Laxness and published in 1946. It tells the story of independent farmers in Iceland who dedicate their lives to maintaining their own land, driven by a desire for autonomy and self-sufficiency while facing the various difficulties of their environment.