The Book of Beowulf -
If
you love Beowulf
You'll
love Walton's Translation
It isn't just through luck
that Mike Walton's The
Book of Beowulf
comes close to the original sound and sense of the Anglo-Saxon poem.
Walton studied Beowulf
word-by-word under Professor Alvin A. Lee of
McMaster University. He spent years researching the poem and its
background, and polishing up and field-testing his translation.
Walton
thinks listening is the most important faculty for a translator. In his
Introduction to the Beowulf
section, he writes, "If some passages of this translation seem like
good writing, it's because the original passage is excellent poetry, in
a language enough like ours that a translator has only to listen
carefully before finding the modern English equivalent." (The Book of Beowulf,
page 22).
Several passages from the Walton
translation of Beowulf
are quoted on other pages of the beowulf-country.org
site. We invite you to compare them with those in your favourite
translation by another writer. Want another sample?
Show me a sample (page 85) of
your Beowulf
translation
for lines 1888-1909, at
About the Book
The Book of
Beowulf
with
The
Fight at Finnsburg, Widsith, Deor, Caedmon's Hymn, Waldere, and the
Battle of Maldon
in
modern English verse translations
byMichael Waltonwithdrawings by Gary
StrongA Walton
Family Farm Book
R.R.3
Cayuga, Ontario, Canada
Working Readers love The Book of Beowulf
"High Standards" I
read Beowulf
back in high school, but only now do I understand the Anglo-Saxon
poetic style and the excitement this tale must have aroused in the mead
halls of northern Europe. This translation sets high standards for
accuracy and clarity, and makes Beowulf
accessible to modern readers, while giving a strong sense of the
original Anglo-Saxon verse."
John R. VanMaanen,
Musician, Teacher and Composer, Simcoe, Ontario
"A Direct Linguistic Connection" "I
have read and studied Beowulf
in the original, and thought no translation could do the poem justice.
This one does. Walton has found the drumbeat of the Dark Ages and
brought it into a new modern poem. Aficionados of dragons, ring bearers
and sword-wielding heroes will find a direct linguistic connection to
the original story of Beowulf."
Steve
Matthews, Stone Mason, York, Ontario
"Incredibly Clear" "Walton's
poem rewritten in today's terms and his line for line interpretations
from old to new make Beowulf
incredibly clear and easy for a student or average Beowulf fan to
understand. ..."
Michelle
Barrett, Publications Manager, St. Thomas Ontario
though The Book of Beowulf
is about pagans, Even the Clergy like It!"A Great Read" "Mike
Walton's The Book of
Beowulf is
a great read. Here were people I could relate to - people who took a
cheerful view even when things were tough - people who favoured deeds
over talk - people who had a high regard for loyalty and generosity -
people who felt duty-bound to balance betrayal with revenge - people
who really believed in bravery in the face of death. I wanted to keep
going, even through the commentaries and appendices."
Reverend
Michael Beacom, Long Point, Ontario
" A Very Readable Translation" "The Book of Beowulf
offers the scholar and general reader a modern English translation of
an ancient tale of good versus evil. The book balances a very readable
translation with useful commentaries and other aids, so Beowulf
can be read at leisure or studied in depth. Mike's translation offers
another version of the ongoing story of mercy, authority and living and
being in relationship with others."
Reverend
Mary Jo Patterson, Simcoe, Ontario
The Book of Beowulf
Challenge: Compare
this passage (lines 1888-1909) with the same lines in your
favourite translation. Show me your Book-of-Beowulf-samplepage
A Well-Built Book:
The First Edition of The Book of
Beowulf
is a hardcover with maps, line drawings and half-tone pictures, five
appendices and a descriptive bibliography. It has 307+viii = 315 pages,
6" x 9" (152 x 229mm.)
It's printed in a 12-point
serif type face on
cream paper, Smyth sewn in signatures, bound in linen-covered boards
with a dust jacket. This good-looking library edition is easy
on
the reader's eyes and will stand up to repeated use.
ISBN 978-0-9782925-0-8
For Teachers and
StudentsThe Book
of Beowulf
is of interest to anyone who wants to get close to the original without
having to learn Anglo-Saxon (aka
Old English). With its introductions,
commentaries and supplemental material it's suitable as a class text,
especially for teachers and students who prefer a
multidisciplinary approach to literature.
To Order The Book of Beowulf The suggested
price is $40.00 Canadian. We add whatever Canada Post charges
us for delivery; usually in the Can $6 to $12 range. Ordering The Book of
Beowulf:
A. 2. You must tell us how many
copies you want and the exact
mailing address where you want them delivered.
Your postal
code if you have one is especially important for
determining the postage. 3.
We
will promptly e-mail you back, to tell you the exact cost, $40 Canadian
per copy +
Canada Post charge for delivery - usually totals in the $46 to $52
range (we don't charge for "handling"; just package and postage). 4.
You
then mail us a postal
money order for that amount and 5. we
mail you the book(s) by priority post.
OR,
B.
1. If you prefer to use surface
mail, please write Walton Family Farm Books
266
Irish Line
R.R. 3 Cayuga, Ontario
Canada N0A 1E0
2. You must tell us how many
copies you want and the exact
mailing address where you want them delivered.
Your postal
code if you have one is especially important for determining
the postage.
3. We'll
mail you a reply stating the exact amount, $40 Canadian per copy +
Canada Post charge, usually totals in the $46 to $52 range (we don't charge for "handling"; just package and postage).
4. You mail us the postal money
order for that amount.
5.
We mail you the book, priority post. Takes a little longer, but you
don't have to give us your e-mail address.
Your Library May Have ItIf you want to read it, but don't want to buy the
First Edition of The Book of
Beowulf,
ask for it at your public, school or university library. If
the librarian wants to know the ISBN, it's ISBN 978-0-9782925-0-8
PR1508.W35
2007
829'.1008
C2007-901737-1
The
libraries we know have it include:
University LibrariesThe
Bodleian Library, Oxford, England
The Carolina
Rediviva Library, University of Uppsala, Sweden
The
Bergen University Library, Norway
The Mills Library,
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Irving
K. Barber Learning Centre, The University of British Columbia,
Vancouver B.C. Canada
Simon Fraser University,
Vancouver, B.C. Canada
McPherson
Library, The University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. Canada
Public LibrariesThe
British Library, London, England
The Roskilde Public
Library, Roskilde, Denmark
Haldimand County Public
Library, Cayuga and Jarvis, Ontario, Canada
Brant
County Library, Simcoe and Brantford, Ontario, Canada
The Book of Beowulf
is dedicated to Dr Alvin A. Lee,
McMaster University,
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; It
was illustrated by Gary Strong and Mike Walton; Printed at the Aylmer
Express, Aylmer, Ontario; Bound at the Bookshelf
Bindery, Ridgetown, Ontario; Launched at the Blue
Elephant in Simcoe, Ontario, May 2007; Copyright 2007
Take
me back to 6 Anglo-Saxon Poems Take me to
England-Beowulf-resources
for Sutton Hoo treasures and the
Maldon Battlefield show me your
pictures of Maldon, Essex Take me to Denmark-Beowulf-resources
for
viking ship building, rune
stones and Grendel country Take me to Sweden-Beowulf-resources
for clothing, jewelry, runestones, burial mounds and beautiful countryside Take me to Norway-Beowulf resources for Oseberg Viking Burial Ship, Stave Churches, Weapons, Treasures and Clothing Take me to Versions-of-Beowulffor recommended Editions & Translations, Movies and other Media Children's versions Contact MikeHome!
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