Icelandic Sagas

Does anyone recall what the FS list price on the Icelandic Sagas books were?

I believe they were $82.50 and $77.95(US$) back in 2003 when I purchased them. I don't know if that was a list or sale price; but that is what I paid.

jveezer: Would you recommend these? The few illustrations from them shown in Folio 60 look interesting and I seem to remember them being referred to in Humphrey Carpenter's biography of JRR Tolkien.

they are nice books, and definitely worth buying. buy them second hand though; you can get them from between 25-40 a piece

Many thanks chase.d. I have purchased both volumes.

I just learned of a new 5-volume set of the complete sagas in English. It costs $299 plus shipping ($57 to US/$47 to Europe/$95 to Australia). The website is http://www.sagas.is.

> 6

Looks good. Never heard of the publisher but they accept visa so it should be safe to order from them. I would like to know more about the physical quality of the books themselves.

It certainly looks very nice indeed. I'm not sure how new it is though, there is a photo on one of the webpages of President Clinton being presented with a set.

> 8

Yes. There is also a testimonial from the late Ted Hughes.

OK, the set is not new, I just assumed it was.

I think it's safe to say that it is new to most of us :-) thanks for spotting it.

The only trouble is, I think in the UK we are meant to be boycotting all things Icelandic...

I'm glad I found it. There was a brief mention of the set in a short entertainment piece of the local paper and it was easy to google. The problem now is I am very interested in the set. Maybe I will buy it with the money I am not spending on FS books. :-)

I guess I missed something. What has Iceland done to the UK (other than supply it with free ash)?

It's to do with banking.

> 11

Is it not Iceland that's supposed to be boycotting the UK. They accused the UK of bullying them over the banking crisis. None of which is going to effect my decision about whether or not to get this set - and I am mightily tempted but I would really like to know more about it.

So you've stopped fighting about cod for a while then, Huxley?

> 14 Quite possibly, I don't know about the Icelanders boycotting the UK they just all decided not to pay up - and who can blame them. The Cats' Protection League lost lost of money, so I have a vested interest...

>15 justjim: Ah yes, Britain's finest hour!

The Cod War in 30 seconds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOJCZcW8wQM

>14 Quicksilver66:
I looked at this a few months ago. Amazon has some interesting reviews, and at least one copy for sale for around $1200. Fortunately, a friendly commenter points potential buyers to the .is site.

My memory is foggy, but i think even this five volume set leaves something out, some untranslated bits.

I ended up not purchasing, contenting myself with a couple of Penguins.

Thought I would revive this thread.

There was a fascinating programme on BBC the other evening about the Icelandic Sagas which renewed my longing for the 5 volume set published by Leiffur Erricson and referred to by Lucas in post # 6 above.

I noticed that the selected tales in my Penguin Deluxe Icelandic Sagas are derived from this edition, so it seems to be respected as the definitive and most complete English translation.

So I have taken the plunge and ordered. With postage the 5 volumes come to about £230.00. Let's hope they will be worth it (I think they will be!).

Quicksilver, please post some pictures and your impressions when you receive the sagas. I am very tempted by this set even though I already own the two FS saga volumes.
Thanks!

> 20

I promise I will Saxon Warlord.

Yes, please do. I have been think of getting this set since the day I saw a photo of it being presented to Bill. I was never able to find a any good photos of it though to make a decision and this delayed my order...

> 22

I could not find any decent photos either Svatalf, but I did see a brief shot of the set on a bookshelf on the BBC programme the other evening. They looked nice but I doubt they are quite up to FS standard. One review I read praised the typography, which is encouraging.

This does look like a wonderful set. Can anyone let me know if it is illustrated (I think the website says there are illustrations, but I would like details), and if so, can someone please talk about them (how often, what of, quality, etc)?

> 24

I think it includes some diagrams in the appendices, Astropi. I don't believe the set is illustrated in the way that an FS or EP book is.

I am reading the FS edition of the Icelandic Sagas right now. But first, I read Icelanders of the Viking Age, which I highly recommend, as it provides a lot of insight into the Icelandic culture at the time these were written. There are actions and statements in the sagas that would seem pretty alien without at least some background in medieval Icelandic culture.

It's an interesting read, and thorough, though a bit dry. Worth the time, though, if you're going to tackle more than just a couple of the shorter sagas.

Os.

> 26

Excellent recommendation, thanks. I have just checked this on Amazon and added it to my wish list. I also have the FS edition of THe Vikings by Gwyn Jones, which might also be good preparatory reading.

>24 astropi:

I recommend the Leifur Eiriksson set highly (The Complete Sagas of Icelanders) and consider it to be first-rate in every department.

The translations are very good. Importantly, Icelandic words that have no direct English equivalent are translated consistently throughout all the sagas. The original text is rendered into very readable modern English. The translation is "loose", which I think preferable for the book's intended audience. A scholar will want to consult the original Icelandic editions, or if unavailable, a more literal translation.

The books (5 volumes in a slipcase) are magnificent -- typography, layout, paper, binding, etc., etc. These books will long outlast me, and I use them regularly in my writing and research.

The only illustrations are in the "Reference Section", about 60 pages of material at the end of the last volume. The material will be very valuable to the saga reader. It includes: maps; lists of kings and lawspeakers; diagrams showing political and social structures; house, farm, and ship sketches; and others.

Most important is the glossary section, with a discussion of old Norse-Icelandic poetry, a list of key concepts and terms (including the ones translated consistently throughout all the sagas), information about placenames, and time and date reckoning, and a cross-referenced index of characters.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the sagas.

Thanks for the recommendation William. Can you give a detailed description of the paper and binding?

My set arrived yesterday from Iceland - within a week of ordering!

I was expecting the set to come in a slipcase but it did not. The website has a small and quite poor photograph of a slipcased set. However, the set is not desribed as coming in a slipcase in the product description section on the website and looking at the sets on Abe Books some are described as coming in a slipcase and some not (regardless of this all the Abe sets are nearly three times as much as I paid). It might be the case that earlier editions were slipcased but later ones are not. I was a little disapointed at the lack of a slipcase but not majorly so.

The bindings are nice and look very smart on the bookshelf. The sides are plain with no design on the front, only the title. The spines have a raised cross-hatched design in the same deep blue as the sides. Lettering is smartly applied in gold. However, the bindings are not the same quality one would expect of a FS or EP book. They are apparently leather but it feels like a very thin poor grade leather with no leather smell at all. Perhaps they are "leatherette" or bonded leather. Smart enough but not top grade.

Typography is excellent - very clear with some decorative flourishes to the titles and paragraph openings. Paper quality looks and feels good and the books are comfortable to hold and lie flat. There are no illustrations but at the back of the final volume there are some appendices with maps and diagrams.

The content looks truly superb so I am pleased and excited with this set and happy to have it even though physically the books are good but not top grade.

I will try and post some pics soon.

QuickSilver that is slightly disappointing as I was expecting at least a slipcase. This is quite a dear set so it should have come with one.

> 31

I know what you mean, Ironjaw, but the lack of a slipcase would not be a deal breaker for me. If I had known beforehand that there was no slipcase it would not have deterred me from ordering. As matters stand this is the best and most complete edition of the Icelandic Sagas on the market and if you want a complete set (in English) there is no other way to go at present.

Quicksilver, could you please list all the sagas and tales? Thank you.

Here are some photographs -

> 33

Lucas

If you look at the fifth photograph above you will see all the Sagas listed (which is great as it saves me the trouble of writing them all out).

a superb production! :-o

and an intriguing world.. out of my depth outside the Mediterranean ..the Greeks and their cousins. Some day.

That looks like a great set. A slipcase is nice but this looks like just the thing for those interested in delving deeper into the sagas. I'd love to have this in my library.

QS, those books are way too gorgeous to be hidden away in a slipcase or even on a bookshelf. That’s my problem with beautiful covers and slipcases. I have absolutely no room in my house to display them properly. Hopefully you won’t have that problem with these beauties.

Well Quicksilver when I read your description I was a bit disappointed. I thought they really messed it up, but after seeing the pictures I have a totally different take on the set. It looks very nice. I'm defiantly going to be ordering it now, perhaps not right away but in the next month or two for sure. Great pics, thank you! Enjoy the pleasant read!
One quick question - is the Vinland Saga and Saga of Erick the Red included in this?
It should be, but to just make sure.

> 36, 37, 38, 39 Thanks all. Yes, I am very happy with the books and I do recommend them.

Svartalf - Volume 1 has a section called Vinland which contains two tales, Eric the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders.

Q, thanks very much for posting the great photos! A picture is worth a thousand words as the saying goes. I did not see Laxdaela Saga in the contents which FS published as an individual title back in the 1970's I think. Must be called something different in this collection.
Bindings definitely look like bonded or artificial leather, but still quite handsome. I'm very tempted even though I already spent about half as much to acquire the two FS saga volumes second hand a few years ago. I've got to stop checking this forum!

Does anyone know how much of this set is covered in the two FS Icelandic Saga volumes?

SaxonWarlord wrote:
I did not see Laxdaela Saga in the contents which FS published as an individual title back in the 1970's I think. Must be called something different in this collection.

I believe it is called The Saga of the People of Laxardal.

kdweber wrote:
Does anyone know how much of this set is covered in the two FS Icelandic Saga volumes?

Contents of The Icelandic Sagas *
Auđun’s Tale
Grænlendinga Saga
Eirík’s Saga
The Tale of Thorstein Stangarhögg (Staff-Struck)
Egil’s Saga
Hrafnkel’s Saga
Erybyggja Saga
Vopnfirđinga Saga
Bandamanna Saga
Gunnlaug’s Saga
The Tale of Thiđrandi and Thórhall
Njál’s Saga

This is from the FS marketing material for the volume: "The first volume contains three of the ‘Big Five’: Egil’s Saga, Erybyggja Saga and Njál’s Saga. It also contains two sagas (Grænlendinga and Eirík’s) which relate the story of the discovery and attempted colonisation of North America at the end of the 10th century. There are four other gems in the volume, which display a remarkable diversity of modes and materials: Hrafnkel’s Saga; Vopnfirđinga Saga; Bandamanna Saga; and Gunnlaug’s Saga. In addition, there are three short tales, including Auđun’s Tale, acclaimed as one of the world’s great short stories."

Contents of The Icelandic Sagas **
Ívarr's Tale
Gísli’s Saga
Ölkofri's Tale
Laxdæla Saga
Gunnarr Þiđrandabani's Tale
Fóstbæđra Saga
Hreiđarr's Tale
Vatnsdæla Saga
Hænsa-Þórir's Saga
Grettir’s Saga

This is from the FS marketing material for the volume: "The second volume contains the other two ‘Big Five’: Grettir’s Saga and a revised version of Laxdæla Saga. There are also two sagas specially translated for this new volume in collaboration with Hermann Pálsson: Gísli’s Saga and Fóstbæđra Saga. Both have always been highly esteemed but modern scholarship has shown that published texts are not the originals. In this new volume, English-speaking readers are given the opportunity of seeing, for the first time, these two exciting sagas in their original form. Another full-length saga, Vatnsdæla Saga, and a collection of entrancing Tales complete the second volume."

(edited to list full contents of volumes in order presented)

Thanks for laying it out Lucas and for pointing out Laxdaela. I did find it after my post.
So, it appears that the two FS volumes have roughly 22 sagas or tales between them vs. the 49 contained in the five volume set above. Some overlap to be sure, but with very different bindings, illustrations, supplemental material, and possibly translations, etc., may very well be worth owning both sets. Though I doubt I'd ever get around to or even want to read all five volumes, the completist and lover of esoteric works in me finds this set very tempting!

What I immediately noticed as I tried to match up the sagas and tales between the two is that FS uses the Icelandic spellings for names while the Leifur Eiriksson set uses English translations/spellings. That might make the LE set easier to read for me, but that will also be dependent on the translations used. The versions in the FS volumes were translated by Magnus Magnusson, who was born in Iceland, but grow up and lived in Scotland, some in collaboration with an Icelander, Hermann Pálsson. FS further states some are newly revised and/or translated from the original text for their editions (2000 & 2002). The Leifur Eiriksson set (1997) clearly states all the translators are native English speakers and writers, implying that their set is (more) readable for English language readers.

As for completeness, the Leifur Eiriksson set states it includes all the sagas and it lists 40, along with 49 tales. The FS volumes, which include 15 or 17 sagas and 7 or 5 tales (two of the stories called tales in the FS volumes seem to be called sagas in the LE set).

> 43, 44, 45

I can certainly see merit in owning both the Leifur Eriksson set and the two volume FS set. As with any work in translation you can get varying nuances from different translators. The FS set also looks particularly beautiful. I also have a soft spot for Magnus Magnusson, a popular high brow television presenter for many years here in the UK.

Please let me know if, once and for all, they settle that Columbus was not the first to set foot in America ;-)

>47 drasvola:

Haven't you heard? He wasn't--the Chinese beat him to it.

http://www.harpercollins.com/books/1434-Gavin-Menzies/?isbn=9780061492174

> 48

Leif Erikson supposedly beat the Chinese and the Spaniards. Discoverers of America are a dime a dozen; however, after Columbus, America remained discovered... ;-)

#49

What do you mean "supposedly"? We've got an entire UNESCO World Heritage Site based on it being true:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/index.aspx

> 50

I'm not disputing the Norse settlement. Leif Erikson remains a character in an Icelandic saga. Is that "proof" that he existed? Please read carefully what I said. Human beings crossed from Asia into what is now Alaska way before "Europeans" set foot on the American continent. All I'm saying is that only after Columbus sailed with three Spanish boats from Spain, with a bunch of men who were forcibly recruited or lured into the adventure, and returned to Europe to tell what they had done, a "new" continent remained effectively "discovered." A discovery is no discovery unless it becomes known. Nothing more, nothing less. Let whatever "merit" derives from it be tinged or not by any nationalistic colours you wish.

>51 drasvola:
I'm pretty sure it "remained effectively discovered" to the native Americans (by virtue of them living here) from the time they crossed the landbridge until well after Columbus' arrival. And it "remained effectively discovered" to the Icelanders via their sagas from the time of Erikson's voyage until today. Yes, Columbus discovered a new (to his culture) continent, but I don't see how his discovery remained discovered any more than it did for the first Americans (who stayed here) or the Icelanders (who retained the knowledge via their sagas).

Os.

> 52

I would imagine that the answer to your question is found in the degree of the consequences that each succesive discovery/settlement had.

> 34

Oh and, back on track, thanks David, for the excellent pictures of the set. Myths, legends, sagas, etc. are a fascinating subject. Early cultural manifestations make us reflect on human conditions, fears, hopes and social developments.

> 53

Thanks, Antonio. I think myths and sagas appeal to our most archetypal instincts. I also think this instinct explains the success of mythological and legendary fiction such as the Lord of the Rings and Tolkien's fascinating mythology. Tolkien was greatly influenced by the Icelandic Sagas and the (in particular see the recently released Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun, directly taken from the Elder Edda).

The contents of The Complete Sagas of Icelanders (may have OCR errors):

CONTENTS OF VOLUMES I-V

I

Foreword
-- By the President of Iceland
-- By the Icelandic Minister of Education, Science and Culture
-- By the Former Director of the Manuscript Institute of Iceland
-- Preface
-- Credits
-- Publisher's Acknowledgements
-- Introduction
Vinland and Greenland
-- Eirik the Red's Saga
-- The Saga of the Greenlanders
Warriors and Poets
-- Egil's Saga
-- Kormak's Saga
-- The Saga of Hallfred the Troublesome Poet
-- The Saga of Bjorn, Champion of the Hitardal People
-- The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue
Tales of Poets
-- The Tale of Arnor, the Poet of Earls
-- Einar Skulason's Tale
-- The Tale of Mani the Poet
-- The Tale of Ottar the Black
-- The Tale of Sarcastic Halli
-- Stufs Tale
-- The Tale of Thorarin Short-Cloak
-- The Tale of Thorleif, the Earl's Poet
Anecdotes
-- The Tale of Audun from the West Fjords
-- The Tale of Brand the Generous
-- Hreidar's Tale
-- The Tale of the Story- Wise Icelander
-- Ivar Ingimundarson's Tale
-- Thorarin Nefjolfsson's Tale
-- The Tale of Thorstein from the East Fjords
-- The Tale of Thorstein the Curious
-- The Tale of Thorstein Shiver
-- The Tale of Thorvard Crow's-Beak

II

Outlaws and Nature Spirits
-- Gisli Sursson's Saga
-- The Saga of Grettir the Strong
-- The Saga of Hard and the People of Holm ..
-- Bard's Saga
Warriors and Poets
-- Killer-Glum's Saga
-- The Tale of Ogmund Bash
-- The Tale of Thorvald Tasaldi
-- The Saga of the Sworn Brothers
-- Thormod's Tale
-- The Tale of Thorarin the Overbearing
-- Viglund's Saga
Tales of the Supernatural
-- The Tale of the Cairn-Dweller
-- The Tale of the Mountain-Dweller
-- Star-Oddi's Dream
-- The Tale of Thidrandi and Thorhall
-- The Tale of Thorhall Knapp

III

An Epic
-- Njal's Saga
Champions and Rogues
-- The Saga of Finnbogi the Mighty
-- The Saga of the People of Floi
-- The Saga of the People of Kjalarnes
-- Jokul Buason's Tale
-- Gold-Thorir's Saga
-- The Saga of Thord Menace
-- The Saga of Ref the Sly
-- The Saga of Gunnar, the fool of Keldugnup
Tales of Champions and Adventures
-- Gisl Illugason's Tale
-- The Tale of Gold-Asa's Thord
-- Hrafn Gudrunarson's Tale
-- Orm Storolfsson's Tale
-- Thorgrim Hallason's Tale

IV

Regional Feuds
-- The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal
-- The Saga of the Slayings on the Heath
-- Valla-Ljot's Saga
-- The Saga of the People of Svarfadardal
-- The Saga of the People of Ljosavatn
-- The Saga of the People of Reykjadal and of Killer-Skuta
-- The Saga of Thorstein the White
-- The Saga of the People of Vopnafjord
-- The Tale of Thorstein Staff-Struck
-- The Tale of Thorstein Bull's-Leg
-- The Saga of Droplaug's Sons
-- The Saga of the People of Fljotsdal
-- The Tale of Gunnar, the Slayer of Thidrandi
-- Brandkrossi's Tale
-- Thorstein Sidu-Hallsson's Saga
-- Thorstein Sidll-Hallsson's Tale
-- Thorstein Sidu-Hallsson's Dream
-- Egil Sidu-Hallsson's Tale

V

An Epic
-- The Saga of the People of Laxardal
-- Bolli Bollason's Tale
Wealth and Power
-- The Saga of the People of Eyri
-- The Tale of Halldor Snorrason I
-- The Tale of Halldor Snorrason II
-- Olkofri's Saga
-- Hen-Thorir's Saga
-- The Saga of Hrafnkel Frey's Godi
-- The Saga of the Confederates
-- Odd Ofeigsson's Tale
-- The Saga of Havard of Isafjord
Religion and Conflict in Iceland and Greenland
-- The Tale of Hromund the Lame
-- The Tale of Svadi and Arnor-Crone's-Nose
-- The Tale of Thorrvald the Far- Travelled
-- The Tale of Thorstein Tent-Pitcher
-- The Tale of the Greenlanders
Reference Section:
Maps, Tables, Illustrations and Diagrams, Glossary and Cross-Reference, Index of Characters

I can assure you, it is complete. My set (purchased in 1997) included a slipcase. I also believe it to be the best generally available English translation.

I just ordered this set last week and I anxiously await its arrival. I have a question for those in the know. Is the Poetic Edda contained in this set or is that something different entirely?

> 56

The Poetic Edda is not included. This is Norse Mythology rather than a Saga. But it is worth getting - I have the translation of Lee M. Hollander published by University of Texas.

Btw the set I ordered was the Leifur Eiriksson set not the FS one. I assume that the Poetic Edda is still not included though. After reading someone here say they received their order in a week I was hoping to have mine by now. I am looking forward to digging in to it.

I still haven't received my set from them and it has been a couple of weeks. I wouldn't worry except I saw another American say that they got theirs in a week and I was charged $57 for airmail. I tried to phone them through the number on their website and it is no longer an active number so I sent them an email yesterday and haven't heard back yet. Has anyone bought this set recently? A loss of $357 is quite a bit to swallow if I do not receive my books.

I wouldn't worry if I were you. Probably in your hands next week. In any case a replacement would be coming your way.

ETA: Ohh, I just realized it's not an FS order! Still, the chances are that the order is a few days delayed.

> 60

The publisher is reputable so I am sure your books will arrive. If I remember my books took about three weeks to arrive.

Ah ok. Thanks guys. I'll just sit tight then.

And they arrived today in great condition. They were packaged with thick foam wrapped around them. Good way to ship books. Maybe it will catch on... :p

I ordered a set two weeks ago. Just arrived in perfect condition. Very nice set. So far I've only read throught the introduction and prefaces.

>57 Quicksilver66:

I just picked up that Hollander translation. I wish I could have found it in hardcover though.

Just found out about this 5 volume set. I love Njal's Saga and Laxdale's Saga. Read some others too. Strongly considering this set. Only negatives, maps and appendicies only in the final volume which would seem to make it difficult if you're reading vol 1-4, you can't easily flick to the back to look at a map or glossary.

How big is each volume in thickness? I've got some hard cover sets in the past, but sometimes find each volume is too thick to be very practical to read on the bus or train.

> 67
I've never handled that 5-volume translation, so I can't answer your question, I'm afraid.

More generally (and slightly O-T), anyone interested in Icelandic / Old Norse literature might also like to pick up some of the texts in the original (there are of course online text resources, but I assume we're more interested in the bound book on this forum!)

Islenzk fornrit publish the whole Icelandic corpus (ongoing), including the sagas (in the original Old Icelandic - no translation provided). Their English catalogue is here:
http://hib.is/kynningar/fornrit2011_english.pdf

I have never bought any of these volumes myself, though they look like very collectible books, with nicely designed series livery.You would need to contact them for a quote in your currency. I was quoted between 26 to 33 euros depending on the volume, excl. tax & postage.

Interesting, better find out how much Icelandic is different to Danish :)

> 69
I doubt a Danish speaker would have any difficulty! (Unlike me - I can't read it myself). There's an excellent guide in Rory McTurk, ed, A Companion to Old Norse-Icelandic Literature & Culture (Blackwell, 2005)

I have the set (I posted the pictures above) and I can highly reccomend them. The leather binding is not top notch - does not really feel like leather at all. But this is still a superb set, complete with authoratitive translations, elegant and clear typeface and beautiful maps. The volumes are not thick and I have read them on the train - they are very durable and portable. I have always been pleased with my set and if you have any interest in Icelandic Sagas this set is a no-brainer.

>70 Firumbras: Thanks for the answer Firumbas, I'll check it out. Btw I like your gallery picture of those Patrick O'Brian sets.

Resurrecting this old thread as I saw the set mentioned by >6 LucasTrask: in Kim's Books, Chichester, today. It didn't have the slipcase but otherwise seemed in very nice order. £200.

Between the Arundel and Chichester shops she has quite a few nice Folios at the moment at reasonable prices, e.g. The Four Gospels £250, Decameron LE £100, plus various other standard editions and sets. Many of the books are still shrinkwrapped, so, if anyone is in the West Sussex area, it may be worthwhile to call in one or both.