Folio Archives 252: Laxdaela Saga 1975

Laxdaela Saga 1975

The Laxdaela Saga is intriguing historical fiction. The people, places and many events are real, but the detailed infill is fiction, and there is some confusion in the chronology. Written in about 1245, it details the clashing of two clans who arrived in Iceland from Norway in 890 shortly after the very first human settlement, and follows them for the next 150 years.

Divided into 78 short chapters, the saga has almost every imaginable human drama including murder, treachery, rape, abduction, clan wars, slavery, exile, lust, vengeance and treachery; but also celebrates feast, marriages, expeditions and the uniquely Icelandic parliament - the Aethling. In the background, you understand how the settlement of Iceland progressed from the early camps in the northwest of the island to become a thriving community.

The book has 256 pages with an appendix that includes five family trees, a glossary of proper names and a chronological table. The translators, Magnus Magnusson and Hermann Pálsson, have written an excellent 23 page introduction which gives the background and history of the saga.

There is a frontispiece and 21 half-page wood-cuts by Peter Pendrey integrated into the text. The endpapers are a map of northwest Iceland printed brown on white. It is quarter bound in black leather, with marble printed black, brown and white paper boards. The gilt spine title runs bottom to top and the page top edges are stained grey. The 23.6x14.1cm. slipcase is plain blue.











































































An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.

What a gem! Thank you for highlighting this book.

I bought this recently for €10, just browsed through it , but now you have prompted me to read it.

This was one of the first Folios I ever bought and still stands out as a treasure in my collection. Definitely one of those FS little gems!

>1 wcarter:

I love these illustrations. They remind me of Noggin the Nog.

https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/noggin-the-nog-1959

>5 boldface:

Oh yes, I love Noggin (and Nogbad the Bad). The similarity of the illustrations in Laxdaela Saga hadn't struck me before but you're right, of course.

It’s really beautiful. Thank you Dr Carter for sharing. I’m amazed how many woodcut illustrations there are. It really is a wonderful publication and I’ve gone ahead and ordered one. Being from Denmark, I’ve never really taken to these sagas. Of course I’ve heard many Norse stories growing up.