Ghosts, Trolls, and the Hidden People

Voted 0

ISBN: 9781836390251
Author : Dagrun Osk Jonsdottir
Published: 2025
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Number of pages: 248
Language: English
Format: Hardback

Description

From the land of the sagas, a collection of little-known, little tales from myth and lore—many available in English for the first time.

This unique and enchanting book opens the door to a captivating world of Icelandic folk legends unfolding across six chapters, each based on a different setting: farm, wilderness, darkness, church, ocean, and shore. The anthology provides translated tales from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as introductions by the author that place these often supernatural happenings in the context of Icelandic society. The legends include tales of hidden people, trolls, ghosts, sea monsters, and even polar bears, exploring themes of love, revenge, and conflict. The book highlights the tension between Christianity and heathen beliefs, past and present, nature and humanity, and divides within society. Drawing from a wide variety of Icelandic sources, the book makes these colorful, entertaining, lively stories available to non-Icelandic speakers, many for the first time.

Reviews (0)

Write a review

Rate this item

Your name

Your e-mail

Your review

Comment

Selection

Description

Functionality (necessary) cookies

These cookies are essential to the functioning of the website and they cannot be disabled. They do not store any personally identifiable information and are deleted once you leave the website.

Performance Cookies

These cookies are used to measure the use of the website and traffic sources in order to gain information required to improve the functioning of the website. These cookies help us to determine which pages are the most popular and to learn about the users’ browsing habits. To this end we use the Google Analytics statistical engine. We do not disclose any information we have collected. All information gathered is completely anonymous and cannot identify you personally.

Marketing cookies

These third-party cookies are used to display ads personalized to your needs. We use cookies that help us to collect information on your web surfing behaviour and allow us to learn about your interests so that we could display only those ads that are relevant to you. Leave this box unchecked if you do not want us to show you any advertising.