- Amazon Business: Make the most of your Amazon Business account with exclusive tools and savings. Login now
- Amazon Business : For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. Register a free business account
Other Sellers on Amazon
$21.48
+ Free Shipping
+ Free Shipping
Sold by:
Publisher Direct
$22.49
+ Free Shipping
+ Free Shipping
Sold by:
Lakeside Book Merchant
$27.49
+ Free Shipping
+ Free Shipping
Sold by:
californiabooks
Have one to sell?
Add to book club
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club?
Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Flip to back
Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
OK
Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings Paperback – May 1, 1990
by
Snorre Sturlason
(Author)
Enhance your purchase
-
Print length832 pages
-
LanguageEnglish
-
PublisherDover Publications
-
Publication dateMay 1, 1990
-
Dimensions5.4 x 1.8 x 8.4 inches
-
ISBN-100486263665
-
ISBN-13978-0486263663
A new pulse-raising crime thriller
The electrifying sequel to "The Sympathizer" by Viet Viet Thanh Nguyen. Listen now
Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
-
Apple
-
Android
-
Windows Phone
-
Android
|
Download to your computer
|
Kindle Cloud Reader
|
Frequently bought together
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes (Hackett Classics)Paperback
Heimskringla: History of the Kings of NorwayPaperback
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)Snorri SturlusonPaperback
The Sagas of Icelanders: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)Robert KelloggPaperback
The Wanderer's HavamalPaperback
The Saga of the Volsungs: With the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok (Hackett Classics)Paperback
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
The Sagas of Icelanders: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)Robert KelloggPaperback
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)Snorri SturlusonPaperback
The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes (Hackett Classics)Paperback
The Saga of the Volsungs: With the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok (Hackett Classics)Paperback
Saxo Grammaticus: The History of the Danes, Books I-IX: I. English Text; II. CommentarySaxo GrammaticusPaperback
The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki (Penguin Classics)Jesse L. ByockPaperback
Special offers and product promotions
Start reading Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings on your Kindle in under a minute.
Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Give the gift of Amazon for any occasion
Free shipping on all gift cards
Shop now
Shop now
Product details
- Publisher : Dover Publications; Reprint edition (May 1, 1990)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 832 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0486263665
- ISBN-13 : 978-0486263663
- Item Weight : 2.1 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.4 x 1.8 x 8.4 inches
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#143,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #18 in German Literary Criticism (Books)
- #222 in Antiques & Collectibles Encyclopedias
- #471 in Folklore & Mythology Studies
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
54 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
This has all the lives of the Norse kings. Great addition to any library for those interested in Norse/Anglo Saxon/Frankish history.
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
High quality print. Binding is good. Worth the money.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hardly a "victorian" translation, but rather an attempt to retain old norse flavor!
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2007Verified Purchase
This compendium of the norse kings' chronicles is a great effort to keep the flavor and literary rhythym of the original works by Snorri Sturluson.
The extensive annotations and clarifications make this an ideal reference work for navigating the labyrinth of icelandic and norse sagas and other literature from the Scandinavian side of the sea. It's an ideal companion to an aggregation of the norse sagas. If this volume has a shortcoming, that is that it lacks what all of the present-day renderings of the related body of literature could have to add interest for the novice: up-to-date maps keyed to the individual chronicles. But in fairness, that could be a volume in itself, for sure!
Criticism of this translation of the Snorri's chronicles of the lives of the norse kings as "victorian" is not very insightful. First, the Victorian era ended with the 20th century (Queen Victoria died in 1899). This volume dates at the earliest back to 1932.
Second, expecting a translation that reads like Harry Potter does a major disservice to both Snorri's and the editorial board/translators' efforts. It might make for a more casual read, but that isn't the purpose of this volume. Perhaps a version of Clif's Notes or a lighter pictoral Marvel's comics edition will be forthcoming...
The extensive annotations and clarifications make this an ideal reference work for navigating the labyrinth of icelandic and norse sagas and other literature from the Scandinavian side of the sea. It's an ideal companion to an aggregation of the norse sagas. If this volume has a shortcoming, that is that it lacks what all of the present-day renderings of the related body of literature could have to add interest for the novice: up-to-date maps keyed to the individual chronicles. But in fairness, that could be a volume in itself, for sure!
Criticism of this translation of the Snorri's chronicles of the lives of the norse kings as "victorian" is not very insightful. First, the Victorian era ended with the 20th century (Queen Victoria died in 1899). This volume dates at the earliest back to 1932.
Second, expecting a translation that reads like Harry Potter does a major disservice to both Snorri's and the editorial board/translators' efforts. It might make for a more casual read, but that isn't the purpose of this volume. Perhaps a version of Clif's Notes or a lighter pictoral Marvel's comics edition will be forthcoming...
13 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great book good for history buffs of the middle ages! This is especially good for viking historiography and the christianization of Scandinavia.
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2009
Verified Purchase
I rate translations of historical document based on the importance of the original, the readability of the translation, and the availability of better translations. In rare cases, I also look at the fidelity to the original (in cases where I have read the material in the original language). This work gets 3 stars.
On the first element, Heimskringla is is of enormous importance in both mythological and historical studies relating to Viking and Medieval Scandinavia. Snorri's account begins with a mythological account of the gods euhemerized (as in Edda) in the Ynglinga Saga, and then goes through the history of the kings of Norway starting with Harald Fairhair. The material is of tremendous importance and even later sagas in the series have proven important in folklore studies.
However the translation was made at a time when it was fashionable to provide very flowery translations of sagas and other Old Norse documents. The goal was to make the work feel classy and old. Unfortunately this greatly hurts its readability and, as Einar Haugan pointed out in his essay "On Translating from the Scandinavian," this approach fails to note that in their day such works did not have such a feel and hence a more direct translation is often better. Hence I think that the fidelity and readability issues are worth treating this edition as less important than it would be otherwise.
Finally there are other translations out there which are more recent and reflect a better understanding of the Old Norse documents in their historical context. For this reason, while this is't a BAD addition to one's library, I would recommend other translations instead.
On the first element, Heimskringla is is of enormous importance in both mythological and historical studies relating to Viking and Medieval Scandinavia. Snorri's account begins with a mythological account of the gods euhemerized (as in Edda) in the Ynglinga Saga, and then goes through the history of the kings of Norway starting with Harald Fairhair. The material is of tremendous importance and even later sagas in the series have proven important in folklore studies.
However the translation was made at a time when it was fashionable to provide very flowery translations of sagas and other Old Norse documents. The goal was to make the work feel classy and old. Unfortunately this greatly hurts its readability and, as Einar Haugan pointed out in his essay "On Translating from the Scandinavian," this approach fails to note that in their day such works did not have such a feel and hence a more direct translation is often better. Hence I think that the fidelity and readability issues are worth treating this edition as less important than it would be otherwise.
Finally there are other translations out there which are more recent and reflect a better understanding of the Old Norse documents in their historical context. For this reason, while this is't a BAD addition to one's library, I would recommend other translations instead.
42 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2020
Verified Purchase
Love this whole book! ❤️
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2018
Verified Purchase
got it for my boyfriend who is a history fanatic and loves everything about the vikings. great bday gift:)
One person found this helpful
Report abuse
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2018
Verified Purchase
best history of Viking kings available
One person found this helpful
Report abuse
Top reviews from other countries
James McGrory
5.0 out of 5 stars
Required reading for the Viking Age!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2015Verified Purchase
sine qua non of the Viking Age!
Fully comprehensive; Excellent value!
Fully comprehensive; Excellent value!
One person found this helpful
Report abuse
Roberto R. B.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crónica de reyes
Reviewed in Spain on August 3, 2020Verified Purchase
La famosa crónica de los reyes noruegos que menciona Verne en su Viaje al centro de la tierra. Al no existir traducciones al español, esta asequible edición en inglés resulta muy útil.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crónica de reyes
Reviewed in Spain on August 3, 2020
La famosa crónica de los reyes noruegos que menciona Verne en su Viaje al centro de la tierra. Al no existir traducciones al español, esta asequible edición en inglés resulta muy útil.
Reviewed in Spain on August 3, 2020
Images in this review
luis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bueno, bonito y barato
Reviewed in Spain on June 8, 2019Verified Purchase
No puedo estar más contento, un libro de este tipo por solo 6 euros es una ganga.
Darrell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 19, 2016Verified Purchase
Great historical reading.
What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Pages with related products.
See and discover other items: norse history, scandinavian history
