Kristin Lavransdatter

I just finished the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy by Sigrid Undset. It was great!

These books were written a century ago in Norwegian.

• Kransen (The Wreath), published in 1920

• Husfrue (The Wife), published in 1921

• Korset (The Cross), published in 1922

It has been translated into English more than once; I read the Tiina Nunnally translations from a quarter century ago.

• The Wreath, published in 1997

• The Wife, published in 1999

• The Cross, published in 2000

They are historical novels about the life of a fictional woman (Kristin, the daughter of Lavrans) in 14th century Norway. They're terrific stories, but also I learned a lot about Norway (as well as Sweden and Denmark and Finland). For example, the wreath refers to that crown on her head on the first cover, which signifies she's unmarried. Married women in 14th century Norway wore a wimple (the white cloth on her head on the other two covers).

It's sort of doubly-historic because it was written a hundred years ago and it takes place 700 years ago. I had this same thought when I was reading Barnaby Rudge recently. It was written in 1840, but takes place in 1780. Reading "contemporary" historical fiction, like The Fraud is great fun, but reading "historical" historical fiction kind of adds another level. It's not just about the past, but also a past view of the past.

Someone at the Mega Dickens Readalong was reading Kristin Lavransdatter and recommended it. I love book clubs!

I was happy to learn about Sigrid Undset, who is apparently very famous. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928, she's been cast in bronze, put on stamps, put on bank notes, and who knows what else. I think I shall put some of her other works on my reading list!