The Faber Book of Northern Legends

by Kevin Crossley-Holland

Twenty-two stories drawn from Norse mythology, Germanic legends, and Icelandic sagas portray the sense of harsh fate, stoic courage, and familial loyalty inherent in Teutonic heroic literature

Genres: Scandinavian Literature, Folklore

236 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Kevin Crossley-Holland is an English poet and prize-winning author for children. His books include Waterslain Angels, a detective story set in north Norfolk in 1955, and Moored Man: A Cycle of North Norfolk Poems; Gatty's Tale, a medieval pilgrimage novel; and the Arthur trilogy (The Seeing Stone, At the Crossing-Places and King of the Middle March), which combines historical fiction with the retelling of Arthurian legend.

The Seeing Stone won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award and the Smarties Prize Bronze Medal. The Arthur trilogy has won worldwide critical acclaim and has been translated into 21 languages.

Crossley-Holland has translated Beowulf from the Anglo-Saxon, and his retellings of traditional tales include The Penguin Book of Norse Myths and British Folk Tales (reissued as The Magic Lands). His collaborations with composers include two operas with Nicola Lefanu ("The Green Children" and "The Wildman") and one with Rupert Bawden, "The Sailor’s Tale"; song cycles with Sir Arthur Bliss and William Mathias; and a carol with Stephen Paulus for King’s College, Cambridge. His play, The Wuffings, (co-authored with Ivan Cutting) was produced by Eastern Angles in 1997.

He often lectures abroad on behalf of the British Council, regularly leads sessions for teachers and librarians, and visits primary and secondary schools. He offers poetry and prose workshops and talks on the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, King Arthur, heroines and heroes, and myth, legend and folk-tale.

After seven years teaching in Minnesota, where he held an Endowed Chair in the Humanities, Kevin Crossley-Holland returned to the north Norfolk coast in East Anglia, where he now lives.

He has a Minnesotan wife, Linda, two sons (Kieran and Dominic) and two daughters (Oenone and Eleanor). He is an Honorary Fellow of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, a patron of the Society of Storytelling and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Reviews

[Hannah Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of book including thirty six folktales from countries including; Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Sweden, England, Norway and more. The stories are about listening, not stealing, telling the truth and more. The stories are in the perspective of the narrator to get children to follow the rules. The strength of the book are embedded within the vocabulary because the vocabulary is precise and well written for intermediate aged children There is a ton of descriptive detail embedded in each of the stories as well descriptive metaphors and similes. Overall, the story is a great to teach students about other cultures and their interpretations of folktales. The book would be great for students who are in intermediate grades and allows them to talk about diversity in stories and cultures.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a handsome striking cover design, all very late 70s zing. One of those random esoteric secondhand bookshop finds which are so pleasing. Contents live up to the cover, great collection of Norse myths, Icelandic sagas and some old Germanic legends as well. Some of these are so visceral and violent. Cracking stuff!

[Cat {Pemberley and Beyond} · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good selection of Norse Myths, Icelandic Sagas and Germanic Heroic Legends that's whetted my appetite for more.