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The Story of Kristin Lavransdatter

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The Wreath by Sigrid Undset
The Wreath by Sigrid Undset

A magnificent new translation of the first volume of a landmark historical saga by a Nobel Prize-winning novelist. Originally published in Norway in 1920, "The Wreath" is set in the 14th century and tells the story of the courtship of a strong-willed and passionate young woman and a dangerously charming and impetuous man.

The timeless problems of forbidden love, children born out of wedlock, and familial conflicts are presented through the eyes of a perfectly ordinary woman: Kristin Lavransdatter. It's been said she was the first perfectly real woman in all literature. In "The Wreath," the reader encounters Kristin's early life to her marriage and the difficult decisions she makes. Nunally writes of Kristin's actions without condemnation, but with compassion. I think this impartiality gives the book more power. THe reader is left to judge Kristin. Also, this is not one of those overwrought books in which every sentence must be analyzed for symbolism. One can read into Kristin Lavransdatter on many levels, but it does not consist wholly of linguistic capering as so many modern novels do. At the very least, it's just a great story with some extremely memorable characters.
The Mistress of Husaby by Sigrid Undset
The Mistress of Husaby by Sigrid Undset

Part two is the story of Kristin's fifteen years of troubled married life on the great estate of Husaby.

Please don't read this book without having read The Wreath first, you must have the foundation laid before you can appreciate Kristin and her family and her life. This book tugged at me so emotionally that to this day I still feel her feelings, I still get upset and her and Erlend. It is well written and not only does it explain life has it may have been at that time, it still has a ring of now, even though it was written in 1928. But above-all it captures and sends you to a world you will want to be a part of forever. DO NOT MISS THESE BOOKS!

The Cross by Sigrid Undset
The Cross by Sigrid Undset

The definitive new translation of the masterwork of Scandinavia's most beloved author is now complete.

Kristin Lavransdatter is a story of love, loyalty, and betrayal, set against a richly detailed historical backdrop of fourteenth-century Norway. The Cross finds Kristin returning with her husband, Erlend, and their sons to her childhood home, Jorundgaard. As the boys grow older, Kristin is increasingly worried about their prospects, and she and Erlend become estranged. The most devastating and emotional volume in the trilogy, The Cross chronicles the trials and losses Kristin must bear. Tiina Nunnally's exquisite rendering of this unforgettable novel, both more faithful to the beauty of the original Norwegian and more readable than the existing translation, is the first new English translation of Undset's masterpiece.