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The Story of Siegfried
This version offers 'a clearer understanding and a wiser appreciation of the thoughts and feelings of our old northern ancestors'.
156 pages, Print on Demand (Paperback)
First published January 1, 1882
About the author
James Baldwin
383 books26 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Baldwin (1841-1925) was an American editor and author. Largely self-educated, he began teaching at the age of 24. In addition to editing school books, he started writing books of his own. After the publication in 1882 of The Story of Siegfried, he went on to write more than 50 others. At one time it was estimated that of all the school books in use in the United States, over half had been written or edited by him. He is best remembered for the books of introductory historical sketches he wrote for younger students and his retellings of the legends of heroes for older students. Other works include: The Story of Roland (1883), A Story of the Golden Age (1887), Old Greek Stories (1895), Fifty Famous Stories Retold (1896), Four Great Americans (1897), Hero Tales (1904), Fifty Famous People (1912) and In My Youth (1914).
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 2, 2020
Kuzey mitolojisinin öykülerle anlatıldığı bir derleme. Romancı J. Baldwin, Anglo-Saksonlar, Normandiyalılar, İskandinav ülkeleri, Hollanda, Danimarka, İngiltere ve İzlanda’yı kapsayan geniş bir coğrafyadaki söylenceleri birbirine bağlı öykülerle roman gibi yazmış.
Bu çalışması için İngiliz efsanesi olan Beowful şiirinden, eski Alman efsanesi Nibelung destanından, İzlanda efsaneleri eski ve yeni Edda yazıları, Viking efsaneleri gibi birçok eski eserlerden faydalanmış. Antik Yunan mitolojisi ile karşılaştırmalar da metni zenginleştiriyor.
Açıkçası ne Hint, Aztek, Mezopotamya mitolojileri ne de Antik Yunan mitolojisi gibi ilgi çekici gelmedi bana, belki düz yazıya kendi yorumuyla aktarmasından belki de içeriğinden kaynaklanıyor bu.
Mitolojiye ilgi duyanlara.
Bu çalışması için İngiliz efsanesi olan Beowful şiirinden, eski Alman efsanesi Nibelung destanından, İzlanda efsaneleri eski ve yeni Edda yazıları, Viking efsaneleri gibi birçok eski eserlerden faydalanmış. Antik Yunan mitolojisi ile karşılaştırmalar da metni zenginleştiriyor.
Açıkçası ne Hint, Aztek, Mezopotamya mitolojileri ne de Antik Yunan mitolojisi gibi ilgi çekici gelmedi bana, belki düz yazıya kendi yorumuyla aktarmasından belki de içeriğinden kaynaklanıyor bu.
Mitolojiye ilgi duyanlara.
September 16, 2016
You will like this book if you like-Tolkien, Norse Mythology, Iliad, Beowulf, Hercules
This is a great story told in an innovative prose. The story of Siegfried is one of my favorites (the Niebelunglied is my favorite medieval epic), and this book gives the story credit. This book will not change your life or make you think about the greater universe in a new way. It is the equivalent to reading a well written book about the life of Hercules
This is a great story told in an innovative prose. The story of Siegfried is one of my favorites (the Niebelunglied is my favorite medieval epic), and this book gives the story credit. This book will not change your life or make you think about the greater universe in a new way. It is the equivalent to reading a well written book about the life of Hercules
July 27, 2017
A lovely read for any Tolkien fan. It is a wonderful resource to see what inspired such a legendary author.
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April 10, 202075%
November 15, 2018
This was an unexpectedly fun read, and a nice change of pace from the usual.
I read it for a challenge in tandem with another book, and have left with a greater understanding and admiration for the Norse legends as Baldwin presents them; certainly there are a certain number of tropes that would absolutely not work in a contemporary novel (such as the stupidity of telling your sworn enemy your only weakness) and all the characters were somewhat selfish, but the story was well-constructed and it all just worked in the grand scheme of things.
So, to anyone who’s curious about this book; definitely check it out, I don’t think you'll be disappointed.
I read it for a challenge in tandem with another book, and have left with a greater understanding and admiration for the Norse legends as Baldwin presents them; certainly there are a certain number of tropes that would absolutely not work in a contemporary novel (such as the stupidity of telling your sworn enemy your only weakness) and all the characters were somewhat selfish, but the story was well-constructed and it all just worked in the grand scheme of things.
So, to anyone who’s curious about this book; definitely check it out, I don’t think you'll be disappointed.
September 5, 2017
I do have to say, I enjoyed this. I would have given it 3.5 stars if I had the option of half-stars, but as it isn't something I can see myself consistently rereading or suggesting to others, I rounded down.
I enjoyed Baldwin's interpretation of Siegfried's life. It's certainly more continuous than other stories I've read, where the tales tend to conflict and things. While I enjoyed the footnote explanations, I would have preferred not having to flip to the back every time there was one to be read. It's a foot note. Put your note in the foot note!
I really did enjoy the comparisons to other types of mythology. Some were obvious, like winter battling spring. Others I simply had never thought about. The story of Brunhild being the source of Sleeping Beauty was really interesting to me. It had never occurred to me that it had originated as a Norse myth as opposed to a Grimm Fairy Tale. I thought that was very interesting. You learn something new every day, right?
The illustrations were fun, but not really accurate to the story. I commented that the illustration of Thor was funny to me because if he lifted his arms, you'd get to see the crowned jewels of Asgard. Also, a lot of pink! I don't think I've ever seen so much pink used when it comes to Viking stories in my life.
Overall, this isn't really something I would suggest to others. The voice in which it's written is like a boring Shakespeare knock off, meaning you really need to love mythology to enjoy this book. I would recommend it to people looking for interpretations of Norse mythology, but not something necessarily to be read for fun. It definitely was not something I felt compelled to read out of sheer joy and personal amusement.
I enjoyed Baldwin's interpretation of Siegfried's life. It's certainly more continuous than other stories I've read, where the tales tend to conflict and things. While I enjoyed the footnote explanations, I would have preferred not having to flip to the back every time there was one to be read. It's a foot note. Put your note in the foot note!
I really did enjoy the comparisons to other types of mythology. Some were obvious, like winter battling spring. Others I simply had never thought about. The story of Brunhild being the source of Sleeping Beauty was really interesting to me. It had never occurred to me that it had originated as a Norse myth as opposed to a Grimm Fairy Tale. I thought that was very interesting. You learn something new every day, right?
The illustrations were fun, but not really accurate to the story. I commented that the illustration of Thor was funny to me because if he lifted his arms, you'd get to see the crowned jewels of Asgard. Also, a lot of pink! I don't think I've ever seen so much pink used when it comes to Viking stories in my life.
Overall, this isn't really something I would suggest to others. The voice in which it's written is like a boring Shakespeare knock off, meaning you really need to love mythology to enjoy this book. I would recommend it to people looking for interpretations of Norse mythology, but not something necessarily to be read for fun. It definitely was not something I felt compelled to read out of sheer joy and personal amusement.
August 1, 2011
Tolkein-esque story and Norse mythology blended together. Very enjoyable!
December 24, 2012
Norse mythology is my favorite.
August 12, 2016
Written for young adults, it really reads well from anyone interested in just a good story. Faced paced and well written, it's sure to entertain. I liked it so much I ordered his retelling of Roland.
June 1, 2010
Classic stories from Norse mythology, told in a delightful tone of heroic manliness.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews