Customer Reviews (4)

Historical writing at its dismal worst.
Without a doubt, one of the most boring books I've ever tried reading.

This is virtually nothing but an endless litany of names, dates, and places, barely held together by nebulous chapter themes (ex: "Monarchies in Equipoise").

My wife and I are taking a three week trip throughout Scandinavia, and I sought an interesting historical overview as background. This book is not it. I was a bit concerned since it originally published in 1977, but with 12 printings, I assumed it must have been updated (...wrong...) and was an interesting read (...wrong again...). There's only one illustration in the entire 400 page tome, and it's an out-of-date map.

Definitely written by a scholar for other scholars. Perhaps this book would be of interest to someone willing to spend a year deciphiring some runic inscription ... but for anyone seeking an interesting understanding of Scandinavian history, peoples and culture, this is death by detail.

A thorough, wide-ranging, scholarly work
This is a thorough, wide-ranging, scholarly work - a useful and insightful review that stretches over a millenium in time. Although the book charts the course in history of this geographically and culturally linked collection of peoples, it still emphasises the individuality of each.I hadn't realised just how complex a relationship of inter-dependence and rivalry existed between these nations for so long. Among the more fascinating discussions in the book, I would list: church-state relations especially in the period following the reformation, the impact of the industrial revolution and the development of the welfare state, the period leading up to the second world war and the relationship between the various countries and the major powers during the war (i.e. Finland with Russia, Denmark with Germany, etc.) and the historical contribution of each nation to the arts and sciences. One small criticism: I would have liked to have seen some maps in the book - my knowledge of Scandinavia is not so extensive that I could picture the geographical relationship of the many places mentioned.I especially found the early part of the book very heavy going, and difficult to follow the many movements of people that were detailed.

Excellent coverage of the war years
The author does an excellent job of covering Scandinavia during the war years. His use of information from Eisenhowers private papers brings a whole new dimension to understanding what was going on in each country.Iwas not aware that near the end of the war Ike had a serious plan toliberate the Norwegian Allies from the NAZIS, by first liberating Denmark,then proceeding overland across Sweden. (I wonder if he would have giventhe job to Patton?)

A concise and complete history of all of Scandinavia
In reading this book it becomes very apparent at how much the state-church relation influenced much of Scandinavia, and also it's people.It was also incredibly interesting to read about how the countries of Denmark, Swedenand Norway kept separating, and uniting.For anyone who is interested inScandinavian history, that delves way beneath the surface, look no further,TK Derry writes a book that can't be ignored. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Reader Beware
Readers are warned that this book is about a place in the U.S. State of Massachusetts.It is not about the Scandinavian Kingdom of Norway. ... Read more

Product Description
"[Snorri Sturluson] speaks--as almost no other historian ever has spoken--with the authority of a man whose masterful skills would have made him one of the formidable, foremost in any of the events he records. So he saturates even remotely past happenings with a gripping first-hand quality. . . Hollander's translation is very good, fresh on every page . . . Wherever you open the book, the life grips you and you read on . . ."--Ted Hughes, New York Review of Books ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

WARNING:Contains only Medieval Kings
Any prospective reader should know that Snorri has not written a comprehensive history of ALL of the Norwegian kings.His account stops in 1177, so don't expect any juicy gossip about the current king, Harald V or his son, the crown prince Haakon.Still, if the prospective reader's interest is the medievalhistory of Norway, Snorri's sagas are a good primary source to read.In fact, the prospective reader should stongly consider this work if he or she has a strong interest in medieval history in general, or if he or she is interested in the Christianization of Northern Europe, or if he or she wants to learn more about Norwegian state formation, or if he or she likes to read gory stories about Norwegians killing Norwegians.

Don't be daunted
Don't be afraid to start this very, very long book.You can skip around and read the exciting histories of the kings of Norway.I loved the tale of how Norway's "1st King" Harald Fairhair conquered the kingdom for the sake of a gal he liked.The sections on St. Olaf are good too.Happy reading!

Onward, Christian Vikings!
"The Heimskringla" was written around 1230 by Snorri Sturluson, a powerful Icelandic chief living in Norway. Snorri also wrote the "Prose (or Younger) Edda", a book about poetry that incidentally gives much valuable information on heathen Scandinavian mythology. While Snorri's contemporaries primarily regarded him as a politician and dangerous enemy, posterity remembers him as a writer and poet.

"The Heimskringla" is a highly entertaining work, at least if you are a hard-core Viking or medievalist buff. The story starts in Sweden, at Old Uppsala, then moves on to Norway, with occasional landfalls in England, Spain, Constantinopel and even Jerusalem. Today, the earliest portion of "the Heimskringla", the saga of the Ynglings, is regarded as purely mythological. While Old Uppsala undoubtedly existed (the large burial mounds mentioned by Snorri still stands), it was hardly the capital of a powerful Swedish kingdom. The later parts of Snorri's work deal with real people: St. Olaf, Magnus the Good, Harald Hardruler, Sigurd the Crusader, and others. This part of "the Heimskringla" blends fact and fiction. Some has been confirmed by other medieval chronicles. For instance, Sigurd did sail all the way from Norway to Palestine around the year 1100! Much else sound like tall-tales, as when St.Olaf, still a young boy, attacks and plunders the heathen Estonians...

Even so, this work tells us a lot about how at least some groups of Scandinavians saw themselves and their world during the 13th century. To a modern reader, much of it sounds shocking. That Muslims and heathens should be killed is taken for granted. Sigurd takes a dip in the Jordan river at the spot where Jesus was baptized. Then, he moves on to kill some infidels. He never sees any contradiction. Martial prowess, at as young an age as possible, is the ideal. Most wars are actually fought between different Christian factions. Part of the heroic exploit is to capture and enslave the womenfolk of your enemies. There are also constant supernatural occurances, as when an angel stops St.Olaf from sailing through the strait of Gibraltar, or when Harald Hardruler is saved by a supernaturally risen St.Olaf!

Most of the people described in this remarkable chronicle are Christians, as was Snorri himself. Yet, it's as if the Viking Age never ended. Onward, Christian Vikings!

Fun and Interesting Reading
First of all, a great translation! Fun and interesting (often very violent) reading. A good history also. Worth reading.

Long Live Hakon the Good!
I have never read a more hilarious piece of academic literature. The Norse Kings are so funny... you wouldn't believe how many of them died in drunken accidents. But that's not the book's focus. As a college junior, I found this book to be a great reference for my History and English papers and have included it in my necessary-reference-books collection. Sturluson is great! A very entertaining read.

Word Ninja ... Read more

Product Description
General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1900Original Publisher: T.F. UnwinSubjects: NorwayHistory / MedievalHistory / Europe / ScandinaviaTravel / Europe / ScandinaviaNotes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free.Excerpt:CHAPTER V.HAROLD THE FAIRHAIRED (860-930).HAROLD was only ten years old when his father died, and the kings whom Halfdan had conquered thought that the chance was now favorable for recovering what they had lost. But Harold's guardian Guttorm, his mother's brother, conducted the government with power and ability, and assisted his nephew in his efforts to put down his enemies. A long series of battles was fought in which Harold was usually victorious. It was but natural that the young king, flushed with success, should resolve to extend his domain. He knew that there was no king in Norway whose power and resources were equal to his own, and the determination to conquer the whole country may therefore have naturally ripened in his mind. Snorre, however, tells a different story, and as it is a very pretty one, it may be worth repeating.There was a maid named Gyda, the daughter of King Erik of Hordaland; she was being fostered by a rich yeoman in Valders. When Harold heard of her beauty, he sent his men to her and asked her to become his mistress. The maid's eyes flashed with anger while she listened to this message, and throwingher head back proudly she answered : " Tell your master that I will not sacrifice my maidenly honor for a king who has only a few counties to rule over. Strange it seems to me that there is no king here who can conquer all Norway, as King Erik has conquered Sweden and KingGorm Denmark."The messengers, amazed at her insolence, warned her to giv... ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

This is a fantastic book.
This book is a fascinating, well written book not only about Norwegian folk medicine but also about Norwegian culture.If you've ever wonderedwhat made your Norwegian ancestors tick, this is the book to read.This is one of the best books about Norwegians I have ever read. A thoroughly enjoyable read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Guide Book of Medeival Norwegian Churches
Stave churches are post and beam buildings that were constructed during the medeival period in Northwestern Europe.Most of these striking wooden churches have dissapeared over the centuries.However, due to its relative poverty and isolation, Stave churhes survived in Norway into the modern era.

Twenty nine of these remarkable churches can still be visited in Norway."Norway's Stave Churches", is a pleasant guide book for anyone interested in visiting them.After a straight forward introduction, the authors present three page descriptions of each of the surviving churches.The photos are beautiful and the written content is brief and to the point.If you are looking for an academic study of Stave churches, this book is not for you.However, if you are looking for a brief introduction to the surviving Stave churches, this book hits the spot.Highly recommended for anyone planning a trip to rural Norway. ... Read more

Product Description
The modern Norwegian-American Christmas is a warm and regenerative family holiday for millions of Americans whose ancestors came from Norway -- celebrated with family feasts of lutefisk, lefse, rommegrot, rull, and fruit soup, observed in homes where trees are decorated with straw ornaments, flags, and heart-shaped baskets. It is the time to carry on customs whose origins have been lost in the past.This book brings home the stories of Christmas customs in both countries. Norwegian immigrants carried with them the folk traditions, developed over centuries, that shaped their identities, and they held those practices especially dear at Christmas time, remembering family members left behind. But in the U.S., they and their descendants met the newly evolving traditions of the highly commercial American Christmas, a powerful homogenising force in a nation of immigrants. And the celebration of Christmas in Norway continued to evolve as well, as the holiday -- influenced in the twentieth century by U.S. practices -- became more child-centred and more commercial.Stokker describes and traces the development of folkways on both sides of the ocean, from their origins to their practice today.With fascinating details, with scores of accounts of ancient and modern Christmases, with recipes and photographs, this book reminds Norwegians and Norwegian Americans of their connections to each other and explains how their celebrations differ on this most joyous of holidays. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Amazing resource!
This book goes very in-depth into details about Norwegian traditions, and also quite a bit into the myths and creatures surrounding them.There are recipes in there as well and tid-bits about how rural life was and what they ate and even how they prepared it.This book is fascinating and a good resource for anyone interested in Norwegian myth and traditions in general.

Not just for Norwegian-Americans
This book is a valuable addition to the collection of anyone who enjoys reading about Christmas traditions.

Stoker traces the Roman and Viking roots to Christmas celebrations in Norway and their evolution among Norwegian-Americans.She emphasizes the importance of preserving ethnic heritage:"Americans find in ethnicity an antidote to the isolation that has grown increasingly acute in the wake of the massive suburbanization that began in the 1940's....Ethnicity fulfills the particularly American need for origins and belonging..."

Christmas is an ideal time to reconnect with one's cultural roots.As Stokker writes:"Incorporating change while retaining everything that makes it so beloved, Christmas holds within its vast and monumental embrace diverse individuals, families and cultures, allowing each a means of self-expression."

The "authenticity" of ethnic celebrations, however, is open to interpretation.Stokker writes:"When people no longer fear that their ethnicity may threaten their life chances, they can express it more freely.With greater time separating them from the Old Country, they can also feel less constraint about the way they choose to express their attachment to it.As a result, individuals and families increasingly create the content of their ethnicity, picking and choosing the items that they themselves find meaningful...."

This book is a great read and worth the trouble of finding a used copy. (Or buy a brand new copy from Barnes & Noble)

... Read more