November 20, 2015 -- Njáls Saga (part of Sagas of Icelanders)

We will discuss the Njáls saga.
Meeting Information:
Location: Kansas City Public Library, Plaza Branch, Small Meeting Room
Address: 4801 Main Street, Kansas City, MO
Date: November 20, 2015
Time: 7:00 PM
We will also select books for next year at this meeting.

Nominations received thus far for the 2016 Schedule are at THIS LINK.The following links can help you prepare for the book selection process:
G.B. KC What Makes a Great Book
G.B. KC History of Previous Books
G.B. KC Categories of Books
Send book suggestions to the following email address and I'll add it to a list.    greatbookskc@gmail.com

Njáls saga or ("The Story of Burnt Njáll") is a 13th century Icelandic saga that describes events between 960 and 1020. The principal characters are the friends Njáll Þorgeirsson, a lawyer and a sage, and Gunnar Hámundarson, a formidable warrior. Gunnar's wife instigates afeud that leads to the death of many characters over several decades including the killing by fire of the eponymous "Burnt Njáll". The saga deals with this process of blood feuds in the Icelandic Commonwealth, showing how the requirements of honor could lead to minor slights spiralling into destructive and prolonged bloodshed. Insults where a character's manhood is called into question are especially prominent and may reflect an author critical of an overly restrictive ideal of masculinity. Another characteristic of the narrative is the presence of omens and prophetic dreams. It is disputed whether this reflects a fatalistic outlook on the part of the author.

The work is anonymous, although there has been extensive speculation on the author's identity. The major events described in the saga are probably historical but the material was shaped by the author, drawing on oral tradition, according to his artistic needs. Njáls saga is the longest and most highly developed of the sagas of Icelanders. It is often considered the peak of the saga tradition.