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The Norse Atlantic Saga: Being the Norse Voyages of Discovery and Settlement to Iceland, Greenland, and North America
The voyages of the Norsemen, or Vikings, across the North Atlantic to Iceland c. 860-70, Greenland c. 986, and the east coast of North America was a turning point in world history and one of the greatest adventures of all time. In Norse Atlantic Saga , Gwyn Jones re-tells the dramatic story of
the Viking voyages in vivid, striking prose and includes translations of six classic Viking "The Book os the Icelanders," "The Book of the Settlements", "The Greenlander's Saga", "Eirik the Red's Saga", "Karlsefni's Voyage to Vinland", and "The Story of Einar Sokkason". Published to great
acclaim in 1964, The Norse Atlantic Saga is now available in an expanded edition, which takes into account the tremendous gains that have been made in Viking scholarship in the past 22 the discrediting of the Vinland Map, greatly extended knowledge of the Vikings' life in Greenland and proof
that Norsemen did indeed land and establish a settlement in L'Anse aux Meadows in the New World. For this expanded edition, Jones has largely rewritten his account of the Viking voyages, and added numerous new maps, plates, and illustrations, as well as appendices in which Robert McGhee, Thomas H.
McGovern and Brigitta Linderoth Wallace, three prominent archaeologists, discuss their recent findings. The incorporation of this latest research into Gwyn Jones's narrative account of the Viking story guarantees its continued importance to Viking scholars as well as to readers interested in tales
of bravery and heroic adventure.
the Viking voyages in vivid, striking prose and includes translations of six classic Viking "The Book os the Icelanders," "The Book of the Settlements", "The Greenlander's Saga", "Eirik the Red's Saga", "Karlsefni's Voyage to Vinland", and "The Story of Einar Sokkason". Published to great
acclaim in 1964, The Norse Atlantic Saga is now available in an expanded edition, which takes into account the tremendous gains that have been made in Viking scholarship in the past 22 the discrediting of the Vinland Map, greatly extended knowledge of the Vikings' life in Greenland and proof
that Norsemen did indeed land and establish a settlement in L'Anse aux Meadows in the New World. For this expanded edition, Jones has largely rewritten his account of the Viking voyages, and added numerous new maps, plates, and illustrations, as well as appendices in which Robert McGhee, Thomas H.
McGovern and Brigitta Linderoth Wallace, three prominent archaeologists, discuss their recent findings. The incorporation of this latest research into Gwyn Jones's narrative account of the Viking story guarantees its continued importance to Viking scholars as well as to readers interested in tales
of bravery and heroic adventure.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 1986
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About the author
Gwyn Jones
76 books16 followersSon of a miner, Gwyn Jones (1907-1999) became a schoolteacher, then lecturer, then Professor of English from 1940. He was a novelist and short-story writer, translator of The Mabinogion and Icelandic sagas, founder and editor of The Welsh Review. He became Chairman of the Welsh Arts Council and was awarded the CBE (1965), the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Falcon (1963), and the Commander's Cross (1987) of Iceland.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 14, 2013
This is a great study of the Viking Age discovery and settlement of Iceland, Greenland and Vinland by Gwyn Jones and an excellent companion to his more well known History of The Vikings.
Jones divides the book into two sections, the first of which is his own exploration of the source material, archaeology, ship building and Viking sailing techniques. In the second part, jones gives translations of the source material. The selection includes translations of The Book of Icelanders, The Book of Settlements, The Greenlander's Saga, Eirik the Red's Saga, Karlsefni's Voyage to Vinland from the Hauksbok and the Story of Einar Sokkason.
The book is well worth a read just for the authors own study of the period but the inclusion of the source material make it an inexpensive way of obtaining some sort after material.
Jones divides the book into two sections, the first of which is his own exploration of the source material, archaeology, ship building and Viking sailing techniques. In the second part, jones gives translations of the source material. The selection includes translations of The Book of Icelanders, The Book of Settlements, The Greenlander's Saga, Eirik the Red's Saga, Karlsefni's Voyage to Vinland from the Hauksbok and the Story of Einar Sokkason.
The book is well worth a read just for the authors own study of the period but the inclusion of the source material make it an inexpensive way of obtaining some sort after material.
October 27, 2018
Well, I've been reading this for research purposes and really enjoyed what I read. It was largely an intelligently argued review of others' work and so I had read much of what he had to say before. For all that, it was a highly cogent summary. Moral force is with Jones too - he won't let appalling behaviour off as anything less than that, no historical moral relativism here.
You get plenty for your money. After the accounts of Norse discoveries and colonies in the North Atlantic come several translations of relevant sagas and various other bits and bobs including a grizzly Inuit folk tale and moving details on the last days of one particular farmstead on Greenland.
Caveats:
The prose was what one might expect of an academic educated a century ago. It was beautifully constructed but to these relatively modern eyes, tending toward the pedantic and pompous at times. It also hasn't aged well in some of its vocabulary. There are endless references to "white men", for example, which feel a little uncomfortable in the world of today. Otherwise, Jones' book is a great introduction to the subject matter.
You get plenty for your money. After the accounts of Norse discoveries and colonies in the North Atlantic come several translations of relevant sagas and various other bits and bobs including a grizzly Inuit folk tale and moving details on the last days of one particular farmstead on Greenland.
Caveats:
The prose was what one might expect of an academic educated a century ago. It was beautifully constructed but to these relatively modern eyes, tending toward the pedantic and pompous at times. It also hasn't aged well in some of its vocabulary. There are endless references to "white men", for example, which feel a little uncomfortable in the world of today. Otherwise, Jones' book is a great introduction to the subject matter.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews