Why Sigrid Undset still speaks to the Church — and where to start reading

The canonization cause for celebrated novelist and Catholic convert Sigrid Undset is expected to open its diocesan phase this fall. One of Norwayʼs most celebrated writers, her life of faith, suffering, and intellectual depth still speaks powerfully to the Church in a secular age.

Undset’s life was marked by personal challenges, public controversy, and choices that drew social scandal — giving complexity to her witness to the faith. Literary historians have noted that her life was unconventional for a woman of her time: She smoked, drank, swore, and was known for a sharp tongue and strong personality.

Her work reflects the suffering and turmoil she encountered in her own life as well as the transcendent faith she discovered in Christ. She became Catholic at 42 after being raised an atheist.

Below is a list of several of Undset’s books — both fiction and nonfiction — each a starting place to discover more about the work and life of this renowned writer and possible saint.

‘Kristin Lavransdatter’

Set in medieval Norway, Undset’s magnum opus follows the life of Kristin Lavransdatter, a headstrong and passionate fictional character who defies societal expectations. Throughout the trilogy, Kristin falls in love and weds against her family’s wishes into a marriage that ultimately becomes tumultuous and stained with infidelity and tragedy.

‘Gunnar’s Daughter’

Set in the Viking era on the edge of the introduction of Christianity, a young woman named Vigdis is raped by a man she loved and conceives a son whom she raises on her own. The heart-wrenching story deals with revenge, forgiveness, and a society on the cusp of accepting Christianity but governed by laws of vengeance.

‘The Master of Hestviken’ tetralogy

“The Master of Hestviken” follows the life of Olav Audunsson, a man torn between pagan codes and Christian piety in medieval Norway. The tetralogy, consisting of four volumes (“The Axe,” “The Snake Pit,” “In the Wilderness,” and “The Son Avenger”), deals with sin, suffering, guilt, and redemption. The book has deeply Catholic themes, including a focus on the sacrament of reconciliation, as Audunsson deals with the guilt of a great sin that he feels he cannot confess.

‘Saga of Saints’

“Saga of Saints” tells the history of Norway through the lives of saints who witnessed to the faith throughout the nation’s history. The saga begins with an opening essay called “The Coming of Christianity to Norway” and follows with stories of historical Norwegian figures including Sunniva, King Olava, and Eystein.

Undset’s personal writings

With a journey to faith that has been compared to St. Augustine, Undset was raised by atheist parents and did not find Catholicism until later in her adult life. “Men, Women, and Places” is a collection of Undset’s biographical and cultural essays that offer a closer look into her inner life.

In the collection of nine biographical essays and literary critiques, Undset explores literary figures, saints, and geography, among other topics. Essays highlight medieval English mystics like Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich as well as poet and philosopher D.H. Lawrence and Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.