Wednesday 11 March 2015

Book Review: The Sagas of Icelanders

Title: The Sagas of Icelanders
Author: Jane Smiley (Preface)
Publisher:
Penguin Classics
Publication Date: 2001 (1200)
Pages: 782
Format: Paperback
Genre: History/Classics
Source: Xmas Gift


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0141000031/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0141000031&linkCode=as2&tag=nijma-20&linkId=FRV6UD57AMGEHXFK



A unique body of medieval literature, the Sagas rank with the world's greatest literary treasures--as epic as Homer, as deep in tragedy as Sophocles, as engagingly human as Shakespeare. Set around the turn of the last millennium, these stories depict with an astonishingly modern realism the lives and deeds of the Norse men and women who first settled Iceland and of their descendants, who ventured further west--to Greenland and, ultimately, the coast of North America itself.The 10 Sagas and seven shorter tales in this volume include the celebrated "Vinland Sagas," which recount Leif Eiriksson's pioneering voyage to the New World and contain the oldest descriptions of the North American continent.  (Goodreads Synopsis)


The Sagas of Icelanders is a wonderful collection of Old Norse sagas and tales. Including some of the more famous pieces such as the Vinland Sagas and Egil's Saga, it is a perfect addition to the library of anyone interested in Viking/Medieval history and culture, and saves buying many of these sagas individually. This deluxe edition is beautifully presented and looks gorgeous on  my shelf.

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