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The Vinland Sagas: The Norse Discovery of America (Penguin Classics) |
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You Are Here: Home > History Books > Iceland History > Item 159
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The Vinland Sagas: The Norse Discovery of America (Penguin Classics)
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by Anonymous, Magnus Magnusson, and Hermann Palsson
Sales Rank: 229935
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List Price: $13.00
$10.40
At Amazon
on 11-27-2008.
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Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 128 pages
Published by: Penguin Classics May 30, 1965
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0140441549
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0140441543
Book Dimensions:
7.5 x 5 x 0.4 inches
Weighs: 3.2 ounces
Product Description
One of the most arresting stories in the history of exploration, these two Icelandic sagas tell of the discovery of America by Norsemen five centuries before Christopher Columbus. Together, the direct, forceful twelfth-century Graenlendinga Saga and the more polished and scholarly Eirik's Saga, written some hundred years later, recount how Eirik the Red founded an Icelandic colony in Greenland and how his son, Leif the Lucky, later sailed south to explore - and if possible exploit - the chance discovery by Bjarni Herjolfsson of an unknown land. In spare and vigorous prose they record Europe's first surprise glimpse of the eastern shores of the North American continent and the natives who inhabited them.
About The Author
Magnus Magnusson is an Icelander who has been resident in Scotland for most of his life, and is well-known for his presentation of the BBC's Mastermind. He is also chairman of the Scottish National Heritage. He studied English and Old Icelandic at Oxford University. Hermann Palsson studied Icelandic at the University of Iceland and Celtic at University College, Dublin. Formerly Professor of Icelandic at the University of Edinburgh and General Editor of the New Saga Library, he has written many books on the history and literature of medieval Iceland. He died in 2003. Magnus Magnusson is an Icelander who has been resident in Scotland for most of his life, and is well-known for his presentation of the BBC's Mastermind. He is also chairman of the Scottish National Heritage. He studied English and Old Icelandic at Oxford University. Hermann Palsson studied Icelandic at the University of Iceland and Celtic at University College, Dublin. Formerly Professor of Icelandic at the University of Edinburgh and General Editor of the New Saga Library, he has written many books on the history and literature of medieval Iceland. He died in 2003.
Reader Reviews
"The Vinland Sagas" brings together English translations of two medieval Icelandic sagas: "Graenlendiga Saga" and "Eirik's Saga." These tales tell the story of the discovery and exploration of North America by the Norsemen in the 10th and 11th centuries. Together, they offer fascinating glimpses into a remarkable era in the history of the Americas. Translators Magnus Magnusson and Hermann Palsson have also produced a thorough 37-page introduction which discusses the archeological evidence for the medieval Norse presence in the Americas, the historical development of the sagas themselves, and the evolution of the saga as a unique genre of literature. Maps, a chronology, and other resources further enhance this book's usefulness for students and teachers. But don't let the scholarly apparatus fool you into thinking that "The Vinland Sagas" is just a text for the classroom. The sagas themselves, likely written in the 12th and 13th centuries, are still great reading all these hundreds of years later. With their simple, no-nonsense prose style, along with the presence of characters with such names as "Thorhall the Hunter" and "Aud the Deep-Minded," the sagas have a truly unique quality. And for those interested in the history of the Americas or in multicultural issues, these two sagas contain a wealth of tantalizing episodes and characters. Each tale reflects the conflict between Christianity and Paganism within Norse culture during that great age of exploration. Also fascinating are the accounts of the first encounters between the Norsemen and the "skraelings" (the Norse word for the indigenous inhabitants of this new world). Also noteworthy is each saga's colorful portrayal of the Norse women; both feminist scholars and general readers should be intrigued by these bold foremothers. The "first contact" tale has long been a mainstay of classic science fiction in book, television, and motion picture form. Think of "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "E.T." and other narratives that depict an imaginary initial encounter between human beings and alien cultures. The stories contained in "The Vinland Sagas" represent the great medieval precursors of such science fiction classics; even more remarkably, these Icelandic sagas are grounded in real history. These stories are full of insights and surprises; read them for both education and enjoyment.
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The Vinland Sagas: The Norse Discovery of America (Penguin Classics)
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Price: $10.40
Updated on 11-27-2008.
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