Trolls: From Scandinavia to Dam Dolls, Tolkien, and Harry Potter

by Ronald M. James

Trolls always get a bad rap. One lurks under a bridge, another harasses a gnome, and suddenly people label the entire species as trouble. Of course, that is because they are, indeed, trouble. The folklore about these Scandinavian supernatural beings is rich and varied, and there is plenty of opportunities to pursue Celtic parallels. Comprehensively examined in a 1936 German-language dissertation, this book adapts the earlier work, taking popular belief further to the English-speaking world and the literature of Tolkien and Harry Potter. 18 illustrations.

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2014

About the author

Ronald M. James is the author or co-author of ten books, and he received the Wilbur S. Shepperson Humanities Book Award in 1998. His articles on history, folklore, and archaeology have appeared in six countries, and he has lectured on western history throughout the nation. James also lectures occasionally at the University of Nevada, Reno in history and folklore. He is the chairman of the National Historic Landmarks Committee for the National Park Service, and he served as Nevada’s State Historic Preservation Officer for three decades.

Reviews

[Anna Sojourning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who would've thought there would be so much to learn about trolls?

This is a very interesting in-depth book on Scandinavian folklore and ledgends. It discusses the origions of the common tropes and creatures found in these stories.