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Title: The Sagas of Icelanders: Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition (World of the Sagas)
ISBN: 0141000031
Author:
Publicate Date: 2001-03-01
Publish: 2001-03-01
List Price: $22.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $9.45
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $6.23
Amazon Merchant Price: $14.96
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Breakneck Plotting and Broken Necks
The Icelandic sagas are a magnificent and still underrated landmark of medieval literature. They are unadorned, realistic prose narratives from an age that is otherwise best known for its religious and baroque tendencies; they are concise where most medieval literature is painfully diffuse; they deal with violence in a familiar and unsentimental manner ("He twisted the tail of his cloak around Thorbjorn's throat and bit through it, then snapped his head back, breaking his neck. With such rough treatment Thorbjorn quietened down considerably.") and the plots often move extremely rapidly, but the better sagas also have moments of great psychological insight. In short, they're a must-read.
This selection offers good value for money: it includes a lot of sagas, and -- unlike many paperbacks its size -- uses high-quality paper, and is well-bound and not especially liable to disintegrate. It is also just about light enough that you can read it in bed. Some of the most famous sagas -- "Njal's Saga" and "Grettir's Saga" in particular -- have been omitted. Some omissions were inevitable, because of space, but the omission of "Njal's Saga" was still unfortunate. (If you're unfamiliar with the sagas, read Njal's first: it's a much more effective hook than any of the others.) On the other hand, several of the shorter sagas in this volume are excellent and less than famous -- e.g. the saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue and the tale of Sarcastic Halli. The introduction is thorough if somewhat boring, and the maps, charts, and genealogies are invaluable. The translations range from adequate to solid -- sometimes awkward but at least never archaic.
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2: Icelandic Sagas
I guess any attempt to provide a selection of anything will meet with some disgruntlement, in terms both of what is included and what is omitted. Based on some of the comments, this volume is apparently no exception. Although at 780+ pages, the editors didn't exactly skimp in terms of what they decided to include.
First, to state what this book is not: it is not a collection which includes the semi-legendary sagas, such as Hrolf-Kraki and the Volsungs. It does not contain any King's sagas, such as in the Heimskringla. It is not concerned with any of the Sturlung Sagas of later Icelandic history. It does contain a very strong representative selection from among the Icelanders' Sagas, that is those that take place in Iceland, or whose protagonists are Icelanders abroad, during and just after the Viking Age. Finally, it does not contain every one of such sagas.
The book contains Egil's Saga, as well as the Vatnsdaela, the Laxardaela, Hrafnkel Frey's Godi, The Confederates, Gisli Sursson, Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue, Ref the Sly, and the Vinland Sagas, as well as 6 short prose tales of other Icelanders, usually in foreign service.
There is a great deal of supplementary information about the different kinds of sagas, Ages of Icelandic history, Viking ship types, Icelandic social and political structure, the Icelandic calendar, as well as a generous dose of genealogical tables and maps of Iceland, Norway, Vinland, etc. with detail maps showing the action of the separate sagas.
I won't waste space describing the sagas themselves, under the assumption that someone considering purchasing this book has read at least one saga, and so knows what to expect from the genre. But I can't resist quoting an Icelandic scholar referred to in the introduction, who describes the Icelandic sagas as "farmers at fisticuffs."
I also own Njal's Saga, and once I acquire the Book of Settlements, these two works in addition to the present collection will probably complete my Icelandic saga needs, because this work is so thoroughly and attractively assembled.
I also recommend Viking Age Iceland by Jesse Byock as a companion volume to this one.
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3: Classical Icelandic Literature
~The Sagas of Icelanders: Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition~ is an intriguing collection of prose describing life and events in Iceland during the 10th and 11th centuries. They are extraordinary specimens of Icelandic literature. Icelanders were prominently of Nordic Viking descent and were also amalgamated with Celtic/Gaelic peoples whom they often took as wives. Their adopted homeland was not inhabited until after the 9th century. Iceland is a desolate landscape of basalt and lava beds, punctuated by volcanoes, geysers, and glaciers, which makes it the site for some epic adventures. The image of the Vikings that inhabited this land is varied. Some see them as noble, genius at maritime skill and navigation, prolific traders and explorers. Others regard them as savage marauders who loot and plunder. The later Norsemen in these Sagas were more tempered than the ones of the earlier centuries.
Iceland was very unique amongst European societies from the tenth to thirteen centuries. It had no executive administration, king or monarch to speak of, but rather a complex sophisticated system of legislative and judicial institutions. The Althing served as a national assembly. Regional quarter courts were set up for adjudicating disputes. Iceland was kinship society. Whenever blood feuds and disputes arose, the offending party or parties could seek the support of his family and a tribal chief. Kinship as a concept is integral to understanding the Sagas. It involves a sense of familial belonging not unlike the Celtic clan system. The de facto government would often broker peace so as to meditate conflict, but sometimes conflicts turned deadly when personal vengeance was sought to avenge perceived wrongs.
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4: Great Reading At A Bargain Price!
This is a great collection of stories for 2 reasons. The first is because it's a great bargain for the price. This is a HUGE book & will entertain the reader for hours. I've bought several volumes of the great Sagas, including several such as Egil's Saga & Njal's Saga or Burnt Njal, which contained only one story. This book contains all of Egil's Saga as well as many others. I think Penguin definitely gives you a lot for your money.
The second reason is that these are great stories. The characters are interesting, the action is intense, and the plots are memorable. Anyone who loves tales of adventure & conflict will find something to like here. Anyone thinking that the Norse people offered no lasting contribution to Western culture should familiarize themselves with the Sagas. In my opinion, these works compare favorably to any literature of the Middle Ages.
The one caution I'd offer to someone not familiar with these tales is to not read the introductions until after reading the story. Otherwise, the ending will be spoiled for you.
Penguin has a reputation for publishing important historical works of literature at very affordable prices. This collection is a fine addition to their impressive catalog.
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5: ICELAND'S CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CULTURE
Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice
Roots time for me. I am half Icelandic. People tend to think of the ancient Norsemen as barbaric murderers. Well, they went a-Viking, and you probably wouldn't want to meet them on one of their "shopping trips". But the Norse had a rich and complicated culture, their own religion, and some of the most powerful sagas in the world. Icelanders were the scribes and intellectuals. The Icelandic sagas have been compared to the Greek in scope and power. Sample a civilization that's been glossed over by European history. Check out Independent People, by Halldor Laxness, for an example of a modern Icelandic genius' writing.
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