About & Contact Information

Deb Nelson Gourley

About Astri My Astri Publishing

Astri My Astri Publishing is solely owned by Deb Nelson Gourley. Deb was raised on a 150-year-old Norwegian ancestral farm in Fillmore County, Minnesota. She received both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Minnesota. The name Astri comes from the name Astri Herbrandsdatter 1812 that was written on an old immigrant trunk. Deb rescued the trunk from the burn pile at age 8. It was later discovered that the trunk belonged to Astri Herbrandsdatter Børtnes Syversrud, Deb’s great-great-great-grandmother, who had emigrated from Norway in 1857. The name Astri, My Astri comes from Astri, Mi Astri, the name of an old Norwegian folksong. The song was based on the 2,000-year-old Horace’s Ode to Lydia.

 

"History of the Norwegian Settlements" receives G.K. Haukebo Heritage Resource Award for 2006

The book "History of the Norwegian Settlements," a piece published by Deb Nelson Gourley’s Astri My Astri Publishing and edited by Jo Ann B. Winistorfer, has been awarded the prestigious G.K. Haukebo Heritage Resource Award for 2006. The announcement came during the 31st annual Family History Workshop held in Moorhead, Minnesota, on October 7, 2006. The award, presented by the Heritage Education Commission, Minnesota State University Moorhead, recognizes projects that aid in preserving and/or restoring cultural heritage. (Photo by David J. Luyben)

Astri My Astri Publishing works with an international group of artists, writers and translators including:

  • Erik Anundsen, a fourth-generation printer and owner of Anundsen Publishing Company, Decorah, Iowa, who prints the Astri My Astri Publishing books and handles website sales distribution
  • Anders Kvåle Rue, illustrator and author, Telemark, Norway
  • Kari Grønningsæter, simplification of Norwegian text, Telemark, Norway
  • Jim Skurdall, English translations, Decorah, Iowa
  • Jo Ann B. Winistorfer, editor, Hazen, North Dakota
  • Blaine Hedberg, Fellow, Gerhard B. Naeseth Chair for Genealogical Research and Publication, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Karl Jakob Skarstein, author, Bergen, Norway
  • Vigdis Sundsvold, Norwegian translations, Oslo, Norway
  • Chris Shelton, graphic design, Waukon, Iowa
  • Erik Halber, website design, Affinity Internet Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Kelly J. Warren, Mind's Eye Audio Productions, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Alex Huntrods (Deb’s son), audio recording, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Ben Huntrods (Deb’s son), inspiration, Waukon, Iowa


Contact Astri My Astri Publishing

Astri My Astri Publishing
Deb Nelson Gourley, author/publisher
602 3rd Ave SW
Waukon, IA 52172
Phone: 563-568-6229
Fax: 563-568-5377
deb@astrimyastri.com
http://www.astrimyastri.com


Astri, My Astri

(5 verses in English on Kings of Norway CD)

Astri! my Astri! your heart mine alone was,
in those old days of our joy and delight!
You always wept when our eventide flown was,
tho’ we did then meet each Saturday night.
Then ’twas my heart, Astri, you stole from me,
happier I was than princes can be.

Astri, Mi Astri

(6 verses in Norwegian on Kings of Norway CD)

Astri, mi Astri som eine heldt ’tå meg,
den tid du var meg so inderleg god,
den tid du gret kvar ein gong eg gjekk frå deg,
som var kvar laurdagskveld; minst du det no?
Då var i bygda eg sælaste gut,
inkje eg bytte med prest eller fut.


Recorded for Astri My Astri Publishing by:
Mannskoret Klang (Klang Male Chorus)
of Lillehammer, Norway; Dag Leonardsen, conductor;
Knut Litsheim, soloist