Olav Audunssøn: II. Providence

Sigrid Undset (1882-1949) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928, primarily for her epic novels set in Norway during the Middle Ages (the trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter, published in 1920-22, and the tetralogy Olav Audunssøn, which followed in 1925-27). She was a prolific writer of contemporary novels, essays, newspaper articles, autobiographical works, and children’s stories. During World War II she lived in Brooklyn and wrote passionately about Norway’s plight and the grim situation in Europe. She returned to her home, Bjerkebæk, in Lillehammer, Norway, and in 1947 she was awarded Norway’s highest honor, the Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav for her ＂distinguished literary work and for her service to her country.＂

Tiina Nunnally is the award-winning translator of many works of Scandinavian literature, including Sigrid Undset’s Marta Oulie (Minnesota, 2014) and Kristin Lavransdatter, which was awarded the PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club translation prize. She has translated fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen, Swede Hollow by Ola Larsmo (Minnesota, 2019), and The Complete and Original Norwegian Folktales of Asbjørnsen and Moe (Minnesota, 2019). In 2013 she was appointed Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for her efforts on behalf of Norwegian literature abroad.