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A review by abetterjulie
The Word Exchange: Anglo-Saxon Poems in Translation by
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. With the information I've learned over the last few months from the History of English podcast, I was able to understand context better than maybe someone who would be coming to these poems unknowingly. The psychology of a warrior mindset combined with the conversion to Christianity is endlessly fascinating to me. When you add in riddles and charms, I'm sold.
Having the poems translated by different people is a stroke of genius. It makes the collection as a whole more accessible. I read from first page to last - straight through without growing bored or feeling weighted down by the tone. I will add here that the religious section is a bit tough if you aren't of that mindset. I may have skimmed some of the more fawning works.
I did get online and find various oral renditions in the Old English. Some of them were better than others, but all of them made me wish I could read the original included in the book.
Having the poems translated by different people is a stroke of genius. It makes the collection as a whole more accessible. I read from first page to last - straight through without growing bored or feeling weighted down by the tone. I will add here that the religious section is a bit tough if you aren't of that mindset. I may have skimmed some of the more fawning works.
I did get online and find various oral renditions in the Old English. Some of them were better than others, but all of them made me wish I could read the original included in the book.