Reading Schedule and Translations

[Tamara]

Our reading of Independent People begins on March 13. It is a hefty book of around 500 pages. Since the chapters are not numbered, I divided the readings by chapter headings. I tried to keep the readings to around 40 – 50 pages per week. Sometimes it is a bit more, sometimes a bit less depending on where there is a natural break at the end of a book or its part. I hope this is a manageable schedule.
I have found one copy available for free download on Internet Archive, translated by J.A. Thompson.
https://archive.org/details/in.ernet....
I will be using the same translation in paperback.
For those of you who prefer audiobooks, there is an audio book version available, read by Michael Page.
This is the place to let us know if you have a different translation you plan to use.

On a personal note: I’m embarrassed to admit I had not heard of Halldór Laxness until hubby and I went to Iceland on vacation several years ago. The bus driver pointed out Laxness’ home and mentioned he had won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1955. I purchased a copy of Independent People as soon as I got home. Since then, I have devoured every English translation of his novels I’ve been able to find. Independent People is still my favorite. I’m looking forward to the discussion to see what you make of it. I hope you enjoy it.

READING SCHEDULE
BOOK 1, PART I: ICELANDIC PIONEER
Week 1: March 13 -19: Kolumkilli – Dry Weather
Week 2: March 20 – 26: A Day in the Woods – Search
Week 3: March 27 – April 2: Ballad Poetry – Fire of Frost

BOOK 1, PART II: FREE OF DEBT
Week 4: April 3 - 9: Winter Morning – The Sea Cow
Week 5: April 10 - 16: Gentry – The Tyranny of Mankind
Week 6: April 17 - 23: Great Events – Death in Spring

BOOK 2, PART I: HARD TIMES
Week 7: April 24 - 30: On the Paving – Better Times
Week 8: May 1 - 7: Poetry – It is I

BOOK 2, PART II: YEARS OF PROSPERITY
Week 9: May 8 - 14: When Ferdinand was Shot – Politics
Week 10: May 15 - 21: The Racehorse – Dogs, Souls, etc.

BOOK 2, PART III: CONCLUSION
Week 11: May 22 – 28: Other People’s Bread – Blood in the Grass; the book as a whole

[Monica]

Tamara wrote: "Our reading of Independent People begins on March 13. It is a hefty book of around 500 pages. Since the chapters are not numbered, I divided the readings by chapter headings. I tried to keep the re..."

Funny, in my Portuguese translation, the chapters are numbered. Fortunately, it also kept the title of the chapters, so this will not be a problem.

I have started reading and found out that my version does not have many comments from the translator or the editor. So I am taking my time to research some references that I think are not properly explained to someone who is not familiar with the region's culture or history. Like Bjornstene Bjornson who I have just discovered is a Norwegian writer, winner of Nobel prize in 1903. My to-read list grew a little bit more...

[Tamara]

Monica wrote: "I have started reading and found out that my version does not have many comments from the translator or the editor..."

I'm glad your translation kept the chapter titles so you are able to follow. But I'm curious about the comments you mention by the translator and editor. The English translation I'm using doesn't have any comments by either translator or editor. It just has an Introduction. Are the translator/editor comments you mention in the form of footnotes to explain Icelandic references?

[Monica]

Tamara wrote: "Monica wrote: "I have started reading and found out that my version does not have many comments from the translator or the editor..."

I'm glad your translation kept the chapter titles so you are a..."

Exactly. Like in the very first page "... desde meados do Þorri...", there is a footnote explaining that Þorri is the name of a month in the old Icelandic calendar. I liked these footnotes, although they are very few.

[Tamara]

Great! That's going to be very helpful as we go through the reading.