The Vikings: Third Edition

Although the current interest in the Viking era has led to a plethora of glossy books on the subject anyone who wants an interesting and balanced, albeit somewhat scholarly, overview of the places, politics and culture that produced the Norse expansion should read this.It still constantly appears as a recommendation for further reading in many newer books so can be regarded as a classic.It is a tad dry, but for anyone wanting a balanced view of the Viking era which does not jump to conclusions, uses many sources and injects some reality into the frequently exaggerated accounts in contemporary chronicles, it is a delight.I was hugely amused by the likelihood that monastic raiders would ignore ecclesiastical objects (that were rarely made of precious metal) but would steal your nicely made bucket with the pretty bronze mounts. Their priorities were acquisition of silver, gold, slaves and honour, but they would take your bucket and the clasp from a holy book would be levered off to take home to be made into a new brooch for your girlfriend.The author also doesn't evade the issue of slavery in Norse society, since all agrarian cultures worldwide depended on un-free labour at this time, but this is something that many writers are uncomfortable in addressing, and skip over.It is this sort of detail that makes the book a good read as far as I am concerned and, though it is probably not suitable as one's first book on the period, I thoroughly recommend it as a really good overview.

Everything you have heard and not heard about the Vikings is True/False. You must learn to find your own verasity. They were multi-facited Explorers and Settlers. The developed their own art in jewelry(bloom wire wrapping), Language, painting & sculpture. They left their mark in ancient sites. They mastered the Compass Rose(navigation)and Ship Stores(salt Cod-Torsk). Modern Kingdoms and Introduction of Christianity came to be in the Vikings. Rune Stone Inscriptions yield to study. A range from Novgorod Russia to North Atlantic America is investigated. These were an enigmatic People. Site finds reveal an amazing depth of residue. 0810 was the first attack in Frisia(Flanders Zeeland) of w. Europe. To the East Russia & Bizantium were great sources of valuable trade goods. Caravans from the East brought amazing goods Tributes were imposed by IE. Olaf, king of Birka. Many areas were looted by Scandinavians. For a revealing study of this ERA, you must peruse this Tome. Good Reading. DAS

nice book, lots of b/w photos, maps, sketchs of ships,towns,camps,battles and items like robes,weapons and other items, chapters on the homelands,kings,people and lands they moved to like England, Ireland etc

I wanted to get some historical perspective after being entertained by the recent Netflix series. This book comes with many (academic ) recommendations, so I thought I would give it a try.The writing style is extremely boring, with very little flow to keep you interested. It often reads like bullet points without the points. Tedious sections are there in nearly every page. The author obviously knows her Viking academia, but has written a book with low readability: you have to have determination to search out the few interesting sections from a mass of mediocre writing.

Pretty beat up when I finally received it. I was expecting hardcover and at least a few color illustrations. It is also older than I thought.