History of the Norwegian Settlements:
A translated and expanded version of the
1908 De Norske Settlementers Historie and the
1930 Den Siste Folkevandring Sagastubber fra Nybyggerlivet i Amerika
By Hjalmar Rued Holand
63 chapters in English
Published by Astri My Astri Publishing
- ISBN: 0976054116
- Hardcover, 512 pages including 32 in full color
- Old 1890 and 1892 lithographs
- Old 1901 maps of the USA
- 3,800 name searchable index
- Current 18 fylker (district) and 433 kommuner (municipality) maps of Norway
- Courtesy of NAF – Norwegian Automobile Association
- 2006 (1st printing), non-fiction, 6” by 9”
- $39.95
Reviews
Hjalmar Rued Holand deserves credit for being one of only a few who gave us documentation of the Norwegians’ first years in the U.S. While Holand may at times be criticized for his reliance on secondary rather than primary sources, his book provides an engaging and enthusiastic depiction of the struggles as well as the triumphs of pioneer life. His stories will appeal to a broad spectrum of interest levels, from the grass roots to academia. This publication is an important milestone, one that will serve as a foundation for future generations of Norwegians on both sides of the Atlantic. This new book will create discussion, proof of important work done.
—Steinar Opstad, Ph.D., Sarpsborg, Norway, Norwegian scholar and writer
Hjalmar Rued Holand captured on paper the captivating sagas of the early Norwegian immigrants and the settlements they established across the Upper Midwest. This translation of Holand’s writing lets readers trace the trails of their ancestors through Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakotas as they explore new frontiers and build new communities. Along the way lurk killer diseases, grasshopper plagues, prairie fires and loneliness. Thanks to this book, countless Norwegian- Americans will be able to learn more about their own heritage from the pioneer sagas recorded here and to pass these stories down to their children and grandchildren.
—Walter F. Mondale, Minnesota, former U.S. Vice President, 2005 Norway Centennial Chairman
History of the Norwegian Settlements gives today’s generations of Norwegian-Americans fresh insight into their heritage. This new 512-page, hard-cover book details the unprecedented migration of the Norse people to America in the 19th and early 20th centuries and their struggles to build a better future. Holand’s translation also describes the importance of faith and worship to the new immigrants. The impact of the pioneer pastors to the settlers and their new communities is beyond measure. Indeed, some such as Pastor C. L. Clausen explored new territories and established colonies to help the new arrivals.
—Pastor Jens Dale, Norway, 2002-05 at Mindekirken in Minneapolis, Minnesota