FoC 097: Gunnar’s Daughter by Sigrid Undset; It’s Complicated

 

Every so often we tell the listeners ahead of time about a great book we want to discuss and have a little FoC “book club.”  This time it’s Gunnar’s Daughter by Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset. You’ve probably heard us talk about how much we love Undset’s most famous work, Kristin Lavransdatter. But since Kristin is a thousand pages long, it didn’t seem like a good book club option (you’re welcome, everyone!) and we’ve been wanting to branch out and read some of Undset’s other works, this 148-page tour de force seemed like a better option.

Before we get any further, consider yourself warned that this book contains some very difficult topics such as sexual assault and infant and child loss. Due to its mature content, this isn’t a good one to listen to with kids around. And if any of these topics might trigger trauma for you, feel free to skip this episode and we’ll see you in a couple of weeks!

In our discussion we talk about how the old saga style of this work lends itself surprisingly well to the multi-dimensional characters and strong visuals Undset presents in the story. We discuss the fascinating setting of Viking culture being introduced to Christian thought and the effects of sin on the perpetrator, the wronged, and the community. We also touch on the idea of justice versus revenge and  how it’s a crime that no one has made this story into a TV show (did you hear that, all you TV producers who surely listen to our podcast?!!!).

So grab something warm to drink while we discuss journeys in the snow and Viking halls!

Today’s book:

(This post contains Amazon affiliate links.)

Gunnar’s Daughter by Sigrid Undset

Other books we talked about:

Kristin Lavransdatter

TV shows we talked about:

Vikings

The Last Kingdom

And check out our previous book episodes!

We’ll definitely be chatting more about Gunnar’s Daughter in our Facebook group so be sure to join in over there!

Our Sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by the 2018-2019 Year of Virtue Liturgical Calendar created in a collaboration between The Telos Art Shop and Providential Company.

This calendar seeks to support individuals and families on their journey of faith. Through studying the lives of the saints, following the liturgical calendar at home, making hands-on crafts, and lots of prayer we open our lives to the pursuit of virtue. The focused content is centered around a core virtue or a focused feast day with relevant insights, common Catholic prayers, and family-friendly activities.

Since the new liturgical year does not start until December,  The  Telos Art Blog has already started publishing some of the activities and ideas. To learn more about their calendars and Catholic jewelry head over to telosartshop.com .

Take advantage of their coupon code CARROTS to get your Year of Virtue Liturgical Calendar at 20% off before November 1! Grab yours here.

 

Come hang out with us!

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You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.

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