Sigrid Undset, one of the authors to appear on a bank note, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928, mainly for her novel Kristin Lavransdatter. The book is a trilogy about life in Norway during the Middle Ages (its 3 books are The Wreath, The Wife and The Cross), and I’ve been re-reading it with enormous pleasure. Kristin is a heroine on the lines of Becky Sharp and Scarlett O’Hara, a feisty and wilful woman whose life is a tumultuous one.
Sigrid Undset on her first working day at Bjerkebæk. This was the place where she finished her trilogy “Kristin Lavransdatter” during the years 1920 – 1922.
There is an excellent new translation available by Tiina Nunnally (Penguin Classics). Do think of giving it a try. It’s not a short book, but it’s a Norwegian classic and was controversial when published in the 1920s because of its portrayal of female sexuality. It is a moving story. Undset was much praised for her historical accuracy. I look forward to visiting places connected with the novel on my Scandinavian literary tour next year.
Have you read this trilogy, or another of Sigrid Undset’s books? Tell me by leaving a comment.
The Wreath – Kristin Lavransdatter I by Sigrid Undset, Tiina Nunnally (Translation)
The Wife – Kristin Lavransdatter II by Sigrid Undset, Tiina Nunnally (Translation)
The Cross – Kristin Lavransdatter III by Sigrid Undset, Tiina Nunnally (Translation)
Kristin Lavransdatter [Audio] by Sigrid Undset, Tiina Nunnally (Translation)
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Gwen McNeill
I read the trilogy last year and loved all of it. I found it totally engrossing and a marvellous insight into the times in which she lived.It is a big and heavy volume so I downloaded it so that I could carry it about on my iPad. I really recommend it
Susannah Fullerton
It’s a powerful book, isn’t it. On my Scandinavian tour next year we will visit Sigrid Undset’s house and see where it was written.