“A stirring investigation of the Scandinavian influence on our times, both past and present. You won’t look at the world the same way again.”—Neal Bascomb, New York Times best-selling author of The Winter FortressFrom a New York Times best-selling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist, a sweeping epic of how the Vikings and their descendants have shaped history and America Scandinavia has always … shaped history and America
Scandinavia has always been a world apart. For millennia Norwegians, Danes, Finns, and Swedes lived a remote and rugged existence among the fjords and peaks of the land of the midnight sun. But when they finally left their homeland in search of opportunity, these wanderers—including the most famous, the Vikings—would reshape Europe and beyond. Their ingenuity, daring, resiliency, and loyalty to family and community would propel them to the gates of Rome, the steppes of Russia, the courts of Constantinople, and the castles of England and Ireland. But nowhere would they leave a deeper mark than across the Atlantic, where the Vikings’ legacy would become the American Dream.
In The Viking Heart, Arthur Herman melds a compelling historical narrative with cutting-edge archaeological and DNA research to trace the epic story of this remarkable and diverse people. He shows how the Scandinavian experience has universal meaning, and how we can still be inspired by their indomitable spirit.
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Norse, European-history, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, history-trivia, cultural-exploration, cultural-heritage*****
Who is the most influential author of all time (besides God or Allah)? Snorri Sturluson! Without his Eddas there would be no Lord of the Rings, Ragnar, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter (and a whole lot more). And he was only one of the influencers detailed in this comfortable and well-researched read about the Norse influences from BCE to the present. This is history in fairly chronological order with in text references to stuff we know today but without being stuffy or pedantic. There are pictures and quotes as well.
I am writing this review before finishing this book but after I have pre-ordered print copies for two of my sons (one of whom graduated UMnDuluth with history honors) and an ebook for myself.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via NetGalley. Thank you!
The Viking Heart: How Scandinavians Conquered the World by Arthur Herman is a highly recommended history of the Vikings, their influence in Europe and beyond, and eventually how the mind set of the Scandinavians influenced American history. This is a history written with ties to Herman’s own family heritage.
As most people know the Vikings, Norwegians, Danes, Finns, and Swedes, were raiders who sparked terror across Europe and east Eurasia for more than two centuries after 780 C.E. and shaped the history of these areas before they settled down to becoming settlers and traders. These Norsemen were never part of one national identity and represented a very small population, which makes their impact even more interesting. What set them apart was that where ever they went they brought with them a certain attitude, way of life, and mythology. Herman also shares archaeological and DNA research to trace the movements and reach of the Vikings.
As this is a history focused on Scandinavians, the peoples comprising these countries are the focus of the book. Their bold actions, raids, travels, movements, mythology, communities, families, inventiveness, and adventurous spirit are the focus of the history from the early time of the Viking to the contributions of settlers in America. Once in America, Herman covers the role the role these settlers played in American history along with several famous descendants of Scandinavian ancestry. The part that many Scandinavians will stand up and applaud is the clear presentation of how Snorri Sturluson’s Eddas and guide to Old Norse Mythology influenced so many parts of popular culture today, especially Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.
The narrative is very accessible to readers wanting a basic account of Vikings and their descendants in America rather than an encyclopedic history of all things Viking and Scandinavian. Those who are looking for a complete in-depth examination of the history can look for further information, but a causal reader will appreciate this presentation. Herman states that he wrote this book to examine and pay homage to his ancestors, so he does make the book personal, naming his Scandinavian relatives and sharing personal family stories. The volume includes chapter notes and an index, as well as photographs.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of HMH Books.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/07/the-viking-heart.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4136619108