I'm absolutely thrilled to hear this! As a Norwegian-American and Norwegian speaker, it has been so heartening seeing all these little and sometimes not-so-little ways the Holy Spirit has been moving in the one-sleepy and once-marginal Church in Norway.
Another edifying story from the Nordic episcopal conference! If she's eventually glorified at the altars, I suppose that would make Kristin Lavransdatter formally a classic work of spiritual reading?
Important: When you read Kristen Lavransdatter for the first time, read Tiina Nunelly’s translation. It is much more fluid, exact, and readable than the Archer, the first English translation, whose anachronisms make for some very clunky English.
And also not accurate to the original text. My understanding is that one of the remarkable things about Undset’s prose in Norwegian is its elegant spareness. She wasn’t attempting to “sound” Medieval. The Archer translation tries to make it sound Medieval.
The only reason I didn't suggest that one is because writers already have a few different patrons--St John the Apostle, St Francis de Sales, St Hildegard von Bingen... wanted to give her a more unique patronage!
"Kristin Lavransdatter" is a book that I recommend to fellow Catholics all the time. She also wrote a fantastic biography of St. Catherine of Siena and a collection of essays on certain English martyrs in "Stages on the Road." She had some other novels and short stories that are also just very beautiful reflections on human nature - her characters and plots have very rich and resonant psychological realism.
Fantastic news! I read Kristin Lavransdatter at Christmas and it’s really stayed with me.
I'm absolutely thrilled to hear this! As a Norwegian-American and Norwegian speaker, it has been so heartening seeing all these little and sometimes not-so-little ways the Holy Spirit has been moving in the one-sleepy and once-marginal Church in Norway.
Bishop Hansen out here cooking this week
Another edifying story from the Nordic episcopal conference! If she's eventually glorified at the altars, I suppose that would make Kristin Lavransdatter formally a classic work of spiritual reading?
Important: When you read Kristen Lavransdatter for the first time, read Tiina Nunelly’s translation. It is much more fluid, exact, and readable than the Archer, the first English translation, whose anachronisms make for some very clunky English.
And also not accurate to the original text. My understanding is that one of the remarkable things about Undset’s prose in Norwegian is its elegant spareness. She wasn’t attempting to “sound” Medieval. The Archer translation tries to make it sound Medieval.
Wonder what her patronage would be... divorced/separated Catholics? Parents with special needs children?
Novelists!
The only reason I didn't suggest that one is because writers already have a few different patrons--St John the Apostle, St Francis de Sales, St Hildegard von Bingen... wanted to give her a more unique patronage!
I closed my copy of Kristin, which I’m currently reading, and opened up the pillar to see this! Excellent
"Kristin Lavransdatter" is a book that I recommend to fellow Catholics all the time. She also wrote a fantastic biography of St. Catherine of Siena and a collection of essays on certain English martyrs in "Stages on the Road." She had some other novels and short stories that are also just very beautiful reflections on human nature - her characters and plots have very rich and resonant psychological realism.
I believe the Church could use more literary saints. So, let’s bolster the causes of G.K. Chesterton and Flannery O’Connor as well.
Chesterton’s case is officially closed.
So heartened to hear this! Kristin Lavransdatter is a masterpiece, as is Undset’s life.