The Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings

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This volume would make an excellent textbook and a splendid introduction to the world of the Vikings for any reader. One-third of the dead chief's wealth went to supplying alcohol to keep the men drunk for the 10 days of funeral preparation; one-third for burial clothing; one-third to his heirs. The parts that I found less interesting were where the author seemly slipped into the world of academia- taking issue with some other historians at times and exploring the proofs of what he asserts at others.

The nursery rhyme about London bridge falling down is purportedly recording Viking attack in England.To add insult to injury, he soft pedals the blatantly wretched aspects of Viking culture, minimizing them. the acknowledgment of these people’s brutality and the horrible nature of their world (slaves, rough conditions, social mores that limited so many). Verwacht dus geen verhalen van bloeddorstige plundertochten maar eerder een mooi overzicht in de denkwereld en tijdperk van de Vikingen.

This effected the Vikings perceptions of self and place, putting them firmly in a world populated by gnomes and dwarves, elves and Valkyrie. Of course, there were many other contemporary societies, besides the Vikings, that also dealt in slaves. Mostly, I'm constantly frustrated because I find archaeological conclusions suspect, but also wish there were more of them -- rather like that Woody Allen quip about the restaurant with terrible food and small portions. Now the chair of archeology at the Swedish university at Uppsala, this English-born academic reveals a knack too few in his field share. No other history of the Vikings is as vibrant or expands the scope of the Viking world to encompass not just landscapes, but mindscapes.Up to 7% of men and up to 37% of women had been malnourished as children, in central Sweden in the Viking Age. He observes the Vikings “as if through a prism, each turn of the glass producing new people, new reflections.

He also does a good job pushing back on the notion that the Vikings were in any way a "pure" Nordic race, and notes all the ways in which they mixed with and embraced other peoples and cultures. As a truly modern skald he has given his work a soul, which is rare for nonfiction, and this ability is what separates him from the rest who had endeavoured such an adventure into the Viking world. The descriptions were so vivid and thorough that I had no problem picturing everything from their ships to their jewelry to their funeral rituals - even though that last was probably one I could have done without picturing, because OMG THE RAPEY SLAUGHTER FESTIVAL was a LOT just to send someone to the afterlife. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. A wonderful read, with prose that flows like poetry in places and modern analogs that inspire creative thinking.Copious documentation and the latest archaeological findings gird a new history of the Vikings, which broadens the narrative beyond the violent warrior image. Toch is dit boek soms wel wat droog, maar het is wel fijn om van begin tot eind mee te worden genomen in de Vikingcultuur. Yo buscaba una historia de la presencia y expansión de los vikingos, que sabía habían llegado desde Norteamérica hasta Rusia y más al este.

I loved it, and now I kinda want to go back and watch the Viking series on History channel to see if they got it right or not.Anyway, this book starts with the Norse creation myth, and ends with Ragnarok, and covered literally everything in between, from socio-political aspects to fashion to trade to how the Vikings shaped the world we live in to this day. This book was clear, concise and analytical, while also allowing lots of space for fun examinations, easy to digest prose, and moments of fancy from the author. Children of Ash and Elm will reward the casual reader as well as serve the serious student looking for a better understanding of who the Vikings were, what drove them, and the effects they had on the world around them. Viking attacks increased, penetrating deep into France, thanks to civil war among Charlemagne's grandsons. There's an Ektors saga, which is the Iliad translated into Old Norse, focusing on Hector, the doomed prince of Troy.