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Tangential, but anyone interested in literature should read "The Sagas of the Icelanders" if they have not already. The early Norse and Icelandic sagas are a tr
by arrowleaf 2y ago
Tangential, but anyone interested in literature should read "The Sagas of the Icelanders" if they have not already. The early Norse and Icelandic sagas are a treasure trove of great stories. I think about them nearly every day and it's fun to recognize similar plot points in modern novels.
- NoboruWataya 2y agoAny good modern English translations of the Sagas that you would recommend? On a related note Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology is a great introduction to that topic.
- thordenmark 2y agoGaiman's Norse Mythology is quite readable, though it is VERY inaccurate. It's better read as an "inspired by Norse Mythology" book. Basically, it's fan fiction.
- histories 2y agoThe gold standard of Icelanders Sagas is: https://sagas.is/vara.php https://sagas.is/vara.php (love for the little old website). It's complete, as it contains all the sagas and tales. This is a good selection from above: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/53454/the-sagas-of-the-icelanders-by-smiley-jane/9780141000039 https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/53454/the-sagas-of-the-icela... (notably missing: Njal's Saga, but that's also available separately). There are more sagas, though. Just not of the Icelanders. For example the saga of the Volsungs. If you are interested in general norse mythology then yes, Gaiman's book is really nice. The Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda are primary sources and not a difficult read. Everything I mentioned (except Gaiman's) is published by Penguin and is a good translation.
- eru 2y agohttps://www.astralcodexten.com/p/your-book-review-njals-saga https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/your-book-review-njals-saga might make for a good introduction.
- ripperdoc 2y agoLOL, I'm reading Njal's saga right now and this was exactly what I needed.
- dkga 2y agoI really felt this: “Everyone sounds like a minor Lord of the Rings character.” lol
- markovs_gun 2y agoTechnically everyone in Lord of the Rings sounds like a Norse Saga character and this was done intentionally by Tolkien, who read the sagas extensively.