We are once again on the road with our camper van. The destination is Norway, the middle and southern part. We have reached Lillehammer for our first stay. It is still a little bit chilly and rainy. The rain stopped midday and we walked up to the city. Lillehammer is situated on a hillside so there is a lot of going up and down. The 1994 winter olympics took place here. It is a lovely place with a lot of old buildings giving the town a wonderful atmosphere.
Sigrid Undset
I discovered that Sigrid Undset lived here and we visited her house, or houses, today. They are really old houses built of thick timber stocks as was done in the old days. A guide took us around the houses and told us about her life and deeds. She received the Nobel Literature Prize in 1928 for her magnificent family saga Kristin Lavransdotter. There are three books; The Wreath, The Wife and The Cross. A wonderful story of a strong woman in the 14th century.
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| Sigrid Undset's houses in Lillehammer, Norway |
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| Sigrid Undset's study |
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On this telephone Sigrid Undset
received the call from Sweden
that she had received the
Nobel Literature Prize |
Books on the road
I tried to collect a few books to bring with me, not totally abandon my challenges, as well as a few others. Mostly books I can leave behind along the road.
My challenges for June
Nonfiction - Du begriper ju ingenting (You Just Don't Understand) by Deborah Tannen
Fiction - Dr Copernicus by John Banville
Translated (except English/Swedish) - The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa (Portuguese)
Classic - The Trial by Franz Kafka
My challenges for July
Nonfiction - Civilization, The West and The Rest by Niall Fergusson
Fiction - Kingdom of Shadows by Barbara Erskine
Translated (except English/Swedish) - Przewalskis horse by Maja Lunde (Norwegian). The third book in her excellent climate series.
Classic - Lissabons belägring (The History of the Siege of Lisbon) av José Saramago (I try again to finish this book, which I have read for several months).
Themes:
June - The Last Kingdom
I am totally addicted to the TV-series The Last Kingdom. The story takes place during the 9th century when Danish vikings attacked Anglo Saxon England. I have already seen the 4 seasons available on Netflix. There is a 5th season which is not shown in Sweden, at least not so far. Too bad indeed. I did want to read some of the books anyway to see how they compare to the series. The first four seasons cover books 1-8 (of 13), so I will start with book number 9, Warriors of the Storm. If it is good, I will continue with The Flame Bearer, War of the Wolf, Sword of Kings and War Lord.
Has anyone of you read any of the books? Watched the series? What do you think?
July - Paris in July
I hope Paris in July will come back. In case this will happen, I have chosen a couple of books from my shelves.
Återträffen (La jeune fille et la nuit) by Guillaume Musso
Hemingway, The Paris Years by Michael Reynolds
And finally I can read The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley. I loved her books The Guest List and The Hunting Party but wanted to wait with this one for the July challenge.
Other books
Nonfiction
Imperiernas tid 1815-1919 by Henk Wesseling
Women Travellers edited by Mary Morris with Larry O'Connor
Hur mycket pengar behöver man egentligen by Eric Skopal
That's Not What I Meant by Deborah Tannen
Fiction
The Witch Elm by Tana French
Snablar by Arto Paasilinna
Henrik Ståls sägner by Johan Ludvig Runeberg
Carambole by Håkan Nesser
Flugan och evigheten by Håkan Nesser
Halvmördaren by Håkan Nesser
Stormvakt by Kristina Ohlsson
Upplösning (Dissolution) by C.J. Sansom
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I don't really think I will have time to read them all, but at least I will not run out of books. I have a few e-books as well.
Wow, Norway! I'm sure it's such a beautiful country!
ReplyDeleteIt is a marvellous country and so beautiful. Now on the middle west coast on an island called Leka. The nature here is out of the extraordinary. When the continents collided millions of years ago, this part broke loose from the continent that became America. Quite interesting geological features here.
DeleteSounds brilliant. Great choices.
ReplyDeleteI have read Kristin Lavrandsdottir and loved it, I will have to visit Lillehammer one day.
Enjoy your trip.
A mixture. One has to choose for different moods. Kristin Lavransdotter was really a very good read. Surprisingly so after so many years. Her house, or houses were very nice, and I especially liked her writing den.
DeleteAs you know, we are both lovers of classic literature, so I'm not surprised I loved it as much as I did. And I love visiting old houses, especially if I know someone who lived in it or - like in museum villages - people like my ancestors who lived in similar ones.
DeleteWhat a lovely trip you have planned!
ReplyDeleteI hope we will have Paris in July again this year, too.
It's nice to have plans, so not to run out of books!
ReplyDeleteI loved a lot Kristin Lavransdotter, this would be a neat place to visit!
I have indeed read 8 books (out of 13) in the Last Kingdom series, also called The Saxon series or The Saxon Tales, by Bernard Cornwell. He is an amazing author of historical fiction, and knows so well his stuff. I only stopped because for some reason I was no longer interested in the period. But this is really excellent.
I don't have TV, so I have not seen any.
That is what I was thinking. Better to bring a few extra. I am so happy you have read and liked the Saxon series. Makes me even more eager to read them. I have to check up his other books.
DeleteI don't know Sigrid Undset but I love her home! You have an ambitious summer reading line-up. I'll have to think about Paris in July -- I don't have any good book choices in mind!
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely home, in all its simplicity. I hope to come up with a few more French authors this year.
DeleteThanks for the tantalising glimpse into Sigrid Undset's home - an unexpected treat on a cold, miserable wintry night in Sydney! Have a fabulous trip :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you. It is rather cold her as well, but not wintry. Spring is a little bit later her in the middle of Norway. But, the last days have been milder and sunny, so there is hope.
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