History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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Enjoyable little book

The Birth of a New Physics
I. Bernard Cohen
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393300455

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable little book.......2000-10-11

I found this to be a very enjoyable book written in a kind of history book style. There is enough information included to explain the discoveries of Newton and others without getting too technical. I read this book for a college paper on Newton's life.

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The Birth of a New Physics
I. Bernard Cohen
Manufacturer: Anchor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OLRTNG

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BIRTH OF A NEW PHYSICS
I. Bernard Cohen
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RETTTW

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Birth of a New Physics
I Bernard Cohen
Manufacturer: ANCHOR BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TXHBP0

THE BIRTH OF A NEW PHYSICS from Copernicus to Newton

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THE BIRTH OF A NEW PHYSICS from Copernicus to Newton

Manufacturer: Anchor Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HQLKOC

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The Birth of a New Physics
I. Bernard Cohen
Manufacturer: W W Norton & Co Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ10EM

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The Birth of a New Physics
I. Bernard Cohen
Manufacturer: Anchor Books/Doubleday & Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000O8720Y

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BIRTH OF THE NEW PHYSICS
I. Cohen
Manufacturer: Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RAT63K

Customer Reviews:

Poor Bindings.......2007-06-04

Over 30 pages of this book simply fell out while I was reading. I have experienced this problem with other Penguin Classics and attribute it to poor binding.

An eye for an eye.......2007-05-12

This very sad heroic epic tells the story of how `countless warriors met their doom' after the wrangling of two women.
Its themes are of all times: love, hate, sorrow, pride, jealousy, the `first night', greed, honor, friendship, loyalty, treason, power, strength, courage, kinship, revenge. Standing above the multitude is its immortal hero Siegfried.
Its roots are certainly not Christian (`you should be carrying swords, not roses; wearing good, bright helmets, not gem-encrusted chaplets'). On the other hand, it is a painful illustration that the law of the talion (`an eye for an eye; tooth for a tooth') leads to complete annihilation.

The translator A. T. Hatto (`licence is for poets, not translators') opted for a prose version, whereby, of course, the strophic nature of the original is lost. However, the result is still remarkable. I highly recommend this translation for those who cannot read a modern strophic version of the German original.
By the way, A.T. Hatto's notes are superb.
A must read for all those interested in world literature.

The Nibelungenlied.......2007-03-13

"The Nibelungenlied" (or in English: Song of the Nibelung) was written by an unknown poet sometime in the 1300's, which is a shame because this is one of the finest epics I've ever read. It's as spectacular and intelligent as Homer's "The Illiad", and the Finnish "Kalevala". This story, which was revised on the theatre stage as Richard Wagner's 15-hour opera Der Ring Des Nibelungen, takes place in Germanic Medieval times. I won't go into much detail, though I will give you the basic plot: after winning Kriemhild as a bride, Siegfried wins another bride, a Queen of Iceland named Brunnhild, for Gunther, the King of Burgundy. Tragic and revenge strike when the two women have a terrifying conflict, which leads to many deaths.

After reading the "Nibelungenlied" for the first time last week, I was surprised at how different it was from Wagner's lengthy music drama. Like the "Volsung Saga", most of the names and races from the book stay true, while the settings, the characters' motives, the philosophies, and the actual ring are undoubtably Wagner's own creations.

This is a must-read for those who love "Beowulf", "The Illiad", "The Odyssey", "The Kalevala", and of course, Richard Wagner's "Ring Cycle".

Mein Gott, what an epic!.......2006-01-23

Quite simply, this is the BEST epic tale of all time. Forget about the Iliad or the Odyssey: the Nibelungenlied trumps them both in spades. The story is gripping, tragic, exciting, bold, and passionate with a great deal of death and deceit as well as loyalty and heroism. And the hero of this tale? Well, there isn't really one overall protagonist. Siegfried is clearly the person whom the author wants us to root for in the first half, but the second...many cite a certain one-eyed vassal as the hero, but I beg to differ: KRIEMHILD, not Hagen or that weak little Gunther, wins my complete sympathy. I cheer every time she lobs that foul and contemptuous brute's head off! Yes, this story brings out many primal human emotions, and revenge is the first among many. At any rate, READ this book! I'm surprised it's not as widely acclaimed as it should be! It's become very obscure, yet it's as relevant today as it was in the thirteenth century. Perhaps even more so--it would be ideal for a variety of different college courses: Literature, Western Culture, heck, even a gender studies course would find it pertinent! Anyway, I hope my advice was somewhat useful, and if you follow it, I'm sure you'll find a most worth piece of fiction.

nicht schlecht (not bad).......2006-01-15

I was hesitant, at first, about buying this book. I was afraid that since it was written in the middle ages, it would be rather difficult to read. This was not the case. The language was modern enough for almost anyone to understand. The story was engaging. I finished this book in two days. I cannot say that this book is for everyone. I bought it because I am of German heritage and interested in learning more about the culture. I am also interested in that particular time period. So, for anyone who enjoys tales of chivalry, knights, fair ladies, and battle...I recommend you try this story.
As far as the book itself goes, the quality is very good for a paperback. There are appendices in the back refering to the author or authors, the geography, and time period of the text. Also, there is list of the characters and their descriptions.

Das Nibelungenlied: Song of the Nibelungs

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This generation's version
The Seminal Epic of Germanic Europe

Das Nibelungenlied: Song of the Nibelungs

Manufacturer: Yale University Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 030011320X

Book Description

No poem in German literature is so well known and studied in Germany and Europe as the 800-year-old Das Nibelungenlied. In the English-speaking world, however, the poem has remained little known, languishing without an adequate translation. This wonderful new translation by eminent translator Burton Raffel brings the epic poem to life in English for the first time, rendering it in verse that does full justice to the original High Middle German. His translation underscores the formal aspects of the poem and preserves its haunting beauty. Often called the German lliad, Das Nibelungenlied is a heroic epic both national in character and sweeping in scope. The poem moves inexorably from romance through tragedy to holocaust. It portrays the existential struggles and downfall of an entire people, the Burgundians, in a military conflict with the Huns and their king. In his foreword to the book, Michael Dirda observes that the story “could be easily updated to describe the downfall of a Mafia crime family, something like The Godfather, with swords.” The tremendous appeal of Das Nibelungenlied throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is reflected in such works as Richard Wagner’s opera tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen, Fritz Lang’s two-part film Die Nibelungen, and, more recently, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

Customer Reviews:

This generation's version.......2007-06-15

The Nibelungenlied is a half-forgotten epic in the English-speaking world. Before picking up Raffel's edition, my library had several dusty old Songs of the Niebelungen, volumes dating back to Victorian times and probably unopened since Edwardian times, silently testifying to the last "discovery" of the work. Marred by association with Wagnerian excesses and ignored in favor of more riveting contemporary versions of the Anglo-Saxon and Middle English classics, the Nibelungenlied has been barely read by my generation.

This will change. Raffel has crafted an elegant work. Most of the time, his poetry rolls like the best prose while maintaining a subtle internal structure that gives us a good glimpse of the beauty of the old Germanic alliterative verse. The pace is not as fast as Sir Gawain and the story not as packed as Beowulf. But Raffel does justice to the tragic grandness of this epic and the slow acidic decay brought on by Sifried's and Gunter's youthful lies. He tells the story well, with the verse accentuating his telling.

There are points where Raffel struggles, and where maintaining the verse in modern English becomes obviously forced. His word choice also can be a bit breezy in places. But these are minor and isolated flaws; his overall treatment of the work is beautiful.

The Seminal Epic of Germanic Europe.......2007-01-30

What a superbly crafted translation of this saga, capturing the metre of the Middle High German version surviving from, it is asserted, 12th century AD. The tale has frequent repetitions of key elements, presumeably for emphasis and continuity, with an excessive fixation on the custom of gifting gold, jewels, and fancy clothing. The translator is greatly mistaken that the lied's King of the Huns, Etzel, was Attila, who he identifies as a Moslem - completely impossible since Attila lived 2 centuries before the Prophet Mohammed. The attrocity of Etzel's warriors attempting to incinerate the invited Burgundian guests has no historical basis, although a similar attrocity was committed by the Teutonic Order in successfully immolating the Prussian Christian converts in the 12th century after inviting them to a peace conference. Nevertheless, this epic perpetuated the German concept of heroes and Gotterdamerung.

Das Nibelungenlied. Mittelhochdeutsch / Neuhochdeutsch (Universal-Bibliothek)

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Das Nibelungenlied. Mittelhochdeutsch / Neuhochdeutsch (Universal-Bibliothek)
Siegfried Gosse , Karl Bartsch , and Helmut De Boor
Manufacturer: Philipp Reclam jun. Verlag GmbH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3150006449

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Triuwe and Vriunt in the Nibelungenlied
Francis G Gentry
Manufacturer: Editions Rodopi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 9062033687

Song of the Nibelungs: A Verse Translation from the Middle High German Nibelungenlied (Waynebooks, No 15)

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A fine translation of a great poem
Excellent translation, in verse (strophe) form

Song of the Nibelungs: A Verse Translation from the Middle High German Nibelungenlied (Waynebooks, No 15)

Manufacturer: Wayne State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 081431192X

Customer Reviews:

A fine translation of a great poem.......2003-03-16

Frank G. Ryder's translation of the Nibelungenlied is the best that I have come across. I first became interested in this epic poem after seeing Fritz Lang's silent movie version. I loved the movie, but there were various aspects of the story which I did not fully understand. I turned to the poem for clarification and I'm glad I did, not merely because it aided my appreciation of the film, but more importantly because I thereby discovered one of the greatest works of literature. The story which the poem tells is exciting and has great depth. The characters are unforgettable. They are neither wholly good nor wholly bad. Even the villain of the piece, Hagen, eventually wins the reader's sympathy, while the heroine, Kriemhild, develops from virtuous maiden, to victim, to avenging harpy. This is a tale which shows what happens when the values of medieval times are taken to their extreme. It explores the consequences of fealty to a liege lord when such loyalty is given without question and upheld whatever the cost. It shows that honour and duty when held to rigidly, can lead to the destruction of all. For if two opposing sides remain unyielding, neither willing to lose face, each determined to maintain their reputations as bold, courageous heroes, then the result is catastrophe. Thus the poem while celebrating the virtues of medieval chivalry, at the same time implicitly criticises them.

I have read, in part or in whole, various prose translations of the Nibelungelied, but found them tough going. Some mistakenly used archaic language to try to reproduce the Middle High German of the original, but worst of all, none of these translations made the epic poem seem like a poem. The Nibelungenlied does not work when turned into a sort of prose novel. It comes across as stilted and stiff. The story remains but not much else. Ryder's verse translation, on the other hand, reproduces the form of the original. He translates the epic into four line stanzas, with the fourth line slightly longer than the other three. His skill as a poet is clear, as there are over 2000 stanzas to translate and he almost always makes each verse conform to the rhythmic structure. Occasionally his rhymes can by a little forced, but this is inevitable in an English translation which attempts to faithfully reproduce the meaning of the original. At times there are just not enough rhymes in English. Ryder's Song of the Nibelungs can be beautiful in its use of language, but is above all entertaining, telling a good story well. He uses simple, everyday language which makes the book a relatively easy read. It has a useful and detailed introduction, running to some 40 pages, which is scholarly, but not exclusively for those who study medieval German. Anyone interested in the Nibelungelied, who cannot read the original, should get this translation.

Excellent translation, in verse (strophe) form.......1998-04-04

While some translations of the Nibelungenlied are distorted into sentences, Ryder does a fine job in bringing this critical work to us in its original form, strophes - in groups of verse of about 4 lines each. The Nibelungenlied is almost essential for those traveling to Germany, for many streets and places are named after places and people in the lied. One will have a hard time understanding Germany if they have not read the country's national epic.

Medieval Epics: Beowulf; The Song of Roland; The Nibelungenlied; The Cid

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Medieval Epics: Beowulf; The Song of Roland; The Nibelungenlied; The Cid

Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Little Prince

ASIN: B000GTS8CW

Medieval Epics: Beowulf, The Song of Roland, The Nibelungenlied, and The Cid (Modern Library)

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Medieval Epics: Beowulf, The Song of Roland, The Nibelungenlied, and The Cid (Modern Library)
W.S. Merwin
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A Man for All Seasons (Special Edition)

ASIN: 0679603018
Release Date: 1998-08-25

Book Description

"The first great literary works of a culture are its epic chronicles, those that create simple hero-
figures about whom the imagination of a nation can crystallize," observed V. S. Pritchett. Medieval Epics presents acclaimed translations of epic legends from four Western cultures.
----Beowulf is the foundation of English literature. It celebrates the courage and leadership of the mythical Anglo-Saxon warlord in his battles with supernatural monsters. Hailed by John Gardner as "poetry of the highest order of intelligence and aesthetic sophistication . . . the greatest poem in Old English," Beowulf here was translated by William Alfred of Harvard.
----The Nibelungenlied, in a version rendered by critic and academic Helen M. Mustard, endures as a remarkable fusion of history and poetry that is a vital component of German literature. Goethe maintained that knowledge of the work constituted an integral part of the country's education. Indeed, The Nibelungenlied later inspired Wagner's four-opera Ring cycle.
----Also included in this edition are Pulitzer Prize-winning poet W. S. Merwin's translations of The Song of Roland, a chanson de geste extolling chivalric ideals in the France of Charlemagne, and The Poem of the Cid, the celebrated epic of Castilian Spain. "Both are the first great literary works to be written in their respective languages," noted Pritchett. "The Song of Roland is animated by the crusading spirit and fortified by national and religious propaganda. . . . [In] Merwin's translation of The Poem of the Cid . . . the Champion now stands clearly and firmly on the dusty soil of Castile and we can know for what solid reasons he became the legendary national hero. . . . We can see a myth being used, and why it was used. . . . Such epics are examples of fully realized, propagandist art."
The Modern Library has played a significant role in American cultural life for the better part of a century. The series was founded in 1917 by the publishers Boni and Liveright and eight years later acquired by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer. It provided the foun-
dation for their next publishing venture, Random House. The Modern Library has been a staple of the American book trade, providing readers with affordable hardbound editions of important works of literature and thought. For the Modern Library's seventy-fifth anniversary, Random House redesigned the series, restoring as its emblem the running torchbearer created by Lucian Bernhard in 1925 and refurbishing jackets, bindings, and type, as well as inaugurating a new program of selecting titles. The Modern Library continues to provide the world's best books, at the best prices.

The Nibelungenlied: Translated into Rhymed English Verse in the Metre of the Original

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The Nibelungenlied: Translated into Rhymed English Verse in the Metre of the Original
George Henry Needler
Manufacturer: BiblioBazaar
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1426422865
Release Date: 2006-09-27

Book Description

All the Aryan peoples have had their heroic age, the achievements of which form the basis of later saga. For the Germans this was the period of the Migrations, as it is called, in round numbers the two hundred years from 400 to 600, at the close of which we find them settled in those regions which they have, generally speaking, occupied ever since.

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The Nibelungenlied
Traditional
Manufacturer: Aegypan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1598188399

Book Description

The Nibelungenlied was originally written in Middle High German (M.H.G.), sometime around 1200 A.D., though the dating is by no means certain. The author is unknown, but the text is legend, and legendary. This particular translation is from an edition published as The Nibelungenlied in 1909. The translation is engaging and fairly modern English prose: it opens "Full many a wonder is told us in stories old, of heroes worthy of praise, of hardships dire, of joy and feasting, of the fighting of bold warriors, of weeping and of wailing; now ye may hear wonders told. . . ."

The Nibelungenlied (Dover Thrift Editions)

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Great Poem - Not a Great Translation
Good for culture, but not very exciting.

The Nibelungenlied (Dover Thrift Editions)

Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486414140

Book Description

Prose translation of epic tale, best known to modern audiences as source for Wagner's Ring cycle, recounts the life and death of Sifrid (Siegfried), the dragon-slaying superman who can only be undone through betrayal. In the 2nd half, his noble queen Kriemhilde extracts vengeance, destroying not only thousands of her countrymen but all of her kinsmen as well.

Customer Reviews:

Great Poem - Not a Great Translation.......2005-11-12

The four star review is not reflective on the Nibelungenlied itself; on the contrary, Nibelungenlied is one of my favorite epics, and would get five stars from me any day.

Nibelungenlied suffers from being misunderstood, or from readers expecting something different.

First, if you expect to see much of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, I recommend Volsungasaga instead, as he followed that source a bit closer than this German epic (ironic, no?).

Even with this in mind, however, Nibelungenlied is a shocker. Not only is there no happy ending, there are no clear "good guys," and the ending is so far removed from most literature that it disturbs some readers. The behavior of the characters is sometimes inexplicable, sometimes brutal, and ultimately all too human.

That's exactly why it is a classic. Parts of the poem are mildly monotonous; by the time you've read half the book, you're likely to get a chuckle every time clothing and courtly gifts are mentioned, so much does the poem dwell on them. No, it is not the literary style but the sheer otherworldliness of Nibelungenlied that makes in enduring. It has been said that Nibelungenlied is the source and the embodiment of German character and nationalism; this is perhaps not altogether a kind statement about German culture, but it is admittedly not entirely false either. Nibelungelied is a fairy tale, a tragedy, and blind berzerker rage in one poem utterly devoid of morals.

This aside however, I'm not thrilled by Mowatt's translation. I admittedly cannot read the German text, but I have read several translations into English, and I personally found Mowatt's the least compelling. Perhaps that's why his text is the "thrift edition." I personally recommend Margaret Armour's translation, which is reputedly accurate but more importantly fun to read. Hers is prose, the names are translated in a fashion most familiar to most readers, and her mildly antiquated style adds courtly atmosphere to the poem without sacrificing readability. Mowatt's struck me as stilted, and more difficult to follow, and altogether less poetic. He may have in fact been more literal, but a phrase-by-phrase comparison of his translation and Armour's shows her phrasing and wording to be more readable, clearer, and more enjoyable.

Armour's translation gets five stars, easily one of the 100 greatest books ever written. Mowatt's translation drops to four, because it is just not as much fun to read.

Good for culture, but not very exciting........2005-10-20

The Nibelungenlied is an old Germanic poem composed of two parts.

In the first half we learn about the warrior hero Sifrid, the extremely rich and magically strong Netherlandic prince of the Nibelung and of his quest to win the heart of fair Kriemhilde, princess of Burgundy, King Gunther's sister.

Later, there's a rumour that Brünnhilde of Iceland has set up an impossible challenge where the prize is no less than her hand.

King Gunther travels to Iceland to take up this competition With the help of his friend Hagen of Tronege, among others, and that of Sifrid's special powers. But for this he has to pretend that Sifrid is only his vassal. This will lead to a terrible quiproquo between both brides, many hurt prides, secret plottings, and finally to the death of Sifrid by Hagen of Tronege's hand.

The second half tells us of Kriemhilde's incosolable grief, which will turn into an insatiable hunger for revenge against her brother and Hagen, resulting in total carnage.

Probably misinformed, or also mislead by childhood memories of Saint Seiya (where I first heard of the Ring of the Nibelungen), I was expecting tales of Odin and Ragnarok. The fantasy part is actually rather small, as it only consists of the special powers Sifrid gets from the cloak of invisibility he won from a dwarf called Alberich. The story is a bit repetitive, perhaps because of the stances structure (even though this is the prose translation), and I didn't really care for any of the characters. In the beginning, I was on Kriemhilde's side, but in the end she caused too much death and destruction. As a whole, I will say that this was good for my general literary culture, but not a very exciting read.

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