Product Description
Discover the story of the Vikings -- their ships and weapons, legends and sagas of war and discovery.

Here is a spectacular and informative guide to the daring adventurers of the Viking Age. Superb color photographs of Viking ships and swords, clothes and shields, memorial stones and beautiful brooches offer a unique "eyewitness" view into the lives of the Norse people and their outstanding achievements. See a Viking battle-ax, the magnificent ship in which a Viking queen was buried, the Viking fortress, a beautiful ceremonial sledge, and the tools of a Swedish swordsmith. Learn why the goddess Feya cried tears of gold, how longships were made, how Greenland got its name, why walruses were used to make ship ropes, what happened to Thor when he caught the world serpent, and how warriors got to Valhalla. Discover why Erik the Red had to leave Iceland, how Viking women applied for a divorce, how Viking sailors navigated, what was on the menu at a Viking feast, how to put down an empty drinking-horn, the legend of Sigurd the dragon-slayer, and much, much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Yet another strong entry in the Eyewitness Books series
I love this series, Eyewitness Books, made for younger readers. This is another solid entry in this series, focusing on the Vikings. The introductory segment is entitled "Who were the Vikings?" and this provides a good entree to this volume. Key points: Vikings were major players from the 8th through 11th centuries; they set foot on the Americas in 1001 (Leif the Lucky landed on Labrador soil); they rangedas far east as Constantinople; their society was among the closest to any that could be termed "open and democratic" in its day.

The next two sections, fittingly enough, focus on the ships of the Vikings, pointing out key characteristics. Then, a series of segments on the warrior Vikings, including their weapons, how they dressed for warfare, and their depredations in the West (including attacking Paris).

Vikings traded a great deal, and had networks in the East and West.This book also portrays daily life among Viking communities, including meals, housing, and herds.

All in all, another strong work in the series.Younger readers would enjoy this. Even older readers will find much of the material interesting and useful (I still enjoy reading these works).

WHAT A GREAT PRIMER ON THE VIKING CULTURE
The quality of this particular series certainly has not suffered with this offering.This work explores the world of the Vikings, their culture, times, influence on the rest of the world and life.Actual photographs of artifacts, wonderful art, photographs of reenactments are all combined with a text that is actually informative and actually interesting. It is well written and easy to understand.It is great to use to start group discussions with.This book is geared for the younger crowd, but I will promise you, that unless you are an expert,you will learn things about the Viking Culture you never knew as you read this one with your young ones. You really cannot go wrong with this work, nor any of the other books in this great series and I do highly recommend it.

Pictoral Wonders
You can't find this many pictures in a single book about Vikings for adults that I'm aware. Believe me I've looked. I also appreciate the fact that the book is historically accurate, such as explaining that the horned helmets are myth. I recommend this to both adults and children (I'm 28).

Eyewitness Viking
This provided all the information needed for a school report.

excellent book
This is an excellent source for basic information about the Vikings. It provides pictures of actual artifacts from the Viking Age, as well as photos of reenactors dressed in period clothing. A very informative book, for children and adults alike! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Medieval History, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
This short article examines the origins of the cult of St Bega in Ireland and Britain. Insular and Scandinavian analogues of her Life are explored and so is the popularity of Celtic saints in northern Europe during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. This topic can shed light on broader issues of cultural identity in the Irish Sea Region during the middle ages. ... Read more

Product Description
This new work fills a vacuum in English language studies of the swords made and used in northern Europe during the Viking Age, from the mid-eighth through to the mid-eleventh century. Given the mission of seeking out the best representative examples of the broad diversity of sword types surviving from this time, Ian Peirce, lecturer and museum consultant, travelled to museums of northern Europe and, from the hundreds of swords he handled, selected some sixty examples. While a few of these swords will be well known from inclusion in previous publications but are too important to omit, the majority are rarely seen or newly shown here. Where possible, a full-length photograph and photographs of details have been included for each example, with the illustrations and descriptions of most of the swords covering two facing pages. Eight pages of colour illustrations are included, three of which are reproductions from Lorange's unsurpassed lithographs of 1889. A brief illustrated overview of blade types and construction, pattern-welding, inscriptions and handle forms and their classification under Jan Petersen's classification is included as an introduction to the catalogue of examples which forms the bulk of this work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

viking sword classification for the sword collector
This book is an absolute must have for anyone interested in Viking swords and sword collecting.

Outstanding-a must for any student of Viking arms & armour!
This book has a wealth of information on what is otherwise a very inaccessible topic, at least in English (most books touching on Viking Age swords are often in German, Norwegian, or Swedish, which is less than helpful). Not only are the different hilt styles detailed, but there is information on blade types and pattern welded construction, not to mention the numerous colour and b&w illustrations. Finally, unlike just about every other book on the subject of swords, this actually gives important measurements; not merely length but point of balance (or center of gravity), as well.

There are a couple of minor flaws. For one, they do not discuss in as much detail as I would like the fact the pommel construction of the Norse swords (actually, an upper guard and a pommel cap), though they do mention it and at least give some inkling as to which types usually used this feature. The more serious problem is the lack of weight measurements. While not practical for more seriously damaged specimens, there was no reason not to include such for the majority of intact swords that are profiled in the book.

Other than that, an outstanding contribution to this subject. The beautiful cover picture is itself worth the ..price tag; indeed, this book would be a bargain at twice the price! I cannot emphasise enough: if you are at all interested in Norse arms & armour, you ***NEED*** this book. Period. It is not an option.... ... Read more

Product Description
This book studies two Viking families who appear in the records of the Atlantic littoral as pagan raiders and reinvent themselves as established Christian rulers. Their rise and transformation from the 10th to the 12th centuries highlights a period and people important for understanding the political, religious, and culture development of Europe in the High Middle Ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very Specific
"Viking Pirates and Christian Princes", (VPCP), is a very detailed and specific book that focuses on one geographical area through a particular period of time. This is definitely not a general introduction to Viking history overall, but rather a look at one manifestation of that history in the seas between Ireland and Scotland, Wales and the Isles therein.

Focusing on the Haraldson family and the descendents of Olaf Cuaran, the book attemmpts to show that the Vikings had a much wider impact on the surrounding peoples than just raiding and plundering. By following two powerful families and their political machinations over the region, the author does a good job of demonstrating his point.

The book is very detailed and there are many, many names to get one's head around. The fact that many people in the same families had the same names does not help, so frequent glances at the family trees may help with this. The two families chosen were major players in the Irish Sea region and made significant contributions to the political landscape of the area, even as far as York in England itself.

VPCP is a book about politics and its instruments, so the majority of the text is taken up with alliances, marriages and wars. However, it also delves into the motivations of the people concerned and what their thinking was, as far as that can be established. There are also aspects of social history dealt with too.

What one ends up with is a very detailed looked into the lives of specific Viking descendants who are trying to establish their own colonies and nations within the lands of larger native populations. It is a very interesting story and the history makes for fascinating reading.

As already mentioned, this is not a general history of wider Viking activities, but restricts itself to Scotland, Wales, Ireland England and the Kingdom of the Isles in scope. If something a little more specific is what one is after, then this would be a good book to acquire. For more general looks at Viking history, other books would be better suited, such as Viking Empires. ... Read more

Product Description
The Sagas of Icelanders are enduring stories from Viking-Age Iceland filled with love and romance, battles and feuds, tragedy and comedy. Yet these tales are little read today, even by lovers of literature. The culture and history of the people depicted in the Sagas are often unfamiliar to the modern reader, though the audience for whom the tales were intended would have had an intimate understanding of the material. This text introduces the modern reader to the daily lives and material culture of the Vikings. Topics covered include Icelandic religion, social customs, the settlement of disputes, and major milestones in life of Viking-Age Icelanders. Issues of dispute among scholars, such as the nature of settlement and the division of land, are addressed in the text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Don't let Pop Culture determine who the 'Vikings' were
Short's examination of these people is nothing short of fascinating.Growing up with endless showcases in popular culture, movies, games, and even biased historical accounts, one would easily miss out on learning what a 'true' Viking was like or why they did what they did.Short regularly refers to information from the Sagas, and supports many comments using archaeological evidence and research that not only supports writings in the Sagas, but still exist to this day. To be able to cross-reference so much from what the 'vikings' wrote to what is continually being unearthed and researched gives the reader a sense that there are so many more layers and an amazing depth of character and culture that demands much more respect from the modern audience. Granted it is nearly impossible to get into such depth in a school history class, for instance, but Short's book easily helps scratch deeper into the surface on the vikings, and would make an excellent stand-by reference or supplement to historical research.This would be a welcomed addition to any historical library, and will probably never sit on a shelf for long.

Short's book is densely referenced, researched and presented in a clear, defiant manner, with several excellent illustrations and with photos he has taken himself.Short also gives a number of lectures and demonstrations/presentations that are very informative, engaging, and enjoyable, which are highly recommended.

A solid addition to any world history collections focusing on the Middle Ages
Commonly written off as Barbarians, the people of Iceland were nothing but. "Icelanders in the Viking Age: The People of the Sagas" is a historical look at the people of Iceland during the heights of the Viking age, from about 800 to 1100 where Norwegian sailors found Iceland and claimed it as their own, developing their own version of the Viking culture. A land of art, society, and literature that revered war, "Icelanders in the Viking Age" is a riveting exploration of these peoples, a solid addition to any world history collections focusing on the Middle Ages.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Wonderful book
I'm glad I bought this book.The information is great and it's well presented.Great for the reenactor.

Chock full of interesting detail
This book has so much information .. it's a subject area that interests me, and I love anything that I can pore over several times and still find something new.My only complaint is that there aren't enough illustrations to explain what the author is trying to say.When it comes to clothing design/construction, I like illustrations (ok..pictures and drawings).I don't mean that I am looking for illustrations to help recreate the clothing, but just to visualize some of the archeological finds or interpretations of these finds.It's possible that this is deliberate on the author's part, so as not to influence any one particular approach or interpretation to the evidence that he so competently presents. Anyway, I liked all of the interesting detail and honest opinions on what we do know and what we don't know!

Not for the amateur re-enactor
Thor Ewing's book is well written and it does a good job of laying out the current state of Norse costume research.However, this is not a book for the amateur re-enactor who wants to make a "Viking costume."It will not give you step-by-step instructions on how to make a "Viking costume."

In many ways, the book raises more questions than it answers and I forsee it sparking some excellent and spirited discussions among those of us who have been researching Norse costume for many years.It's a fine book which has given me a great deal to think about and I am truly glad I purchased it.But, if you are new or fairly new to the Society for Creative Anachronism or other Dark Ages re-enactment groups, I would pass on this book until you have done more research or you could end up very confused.

Thought-provoking survey of a specialized field
Ewing's book is not designed as a how-to or a basic reference for reenactors.Instead, it surveys the current knowledge and scholarly thinking about Viking-era costume and challenges the reader to consider different theories that are consistent with the evidence.An enjoyable, educational read for costume-enthusiasts and recreationists willing to think outside the box instead of looking for easy answers. ... Read more

Product Description
This second volume, based on the excavations of the Viking town Kaupang 2000-2003, presents find types used in economic transactions - coins, hacksilver, ingots, weights and balances. Changes in type and volume of economic transactions at Kaupang and in Scandinavia are discussed, and the economic mentality of Viking crafts- and tradesmen is explored. Earlier, the study of Viking silver currency was based mainly on hoards containing coins and hacksilver. In this volume, the combined study of the find types mentioned, as well as the sophisticated chronology of settlements finds from sites like Kaupang, gives a completely new insight into economy and exchange. In the early 9th century, silver and goods seem to have come to Kaupang mainly from the Carolingian world. Silver, weighed with locally produced lead weights, was used as currency on a limited scale. The old e unit was easily convertible to Carolingian units. After the mid-9th century this early system was altered. The increased availability of silver caused by the import of Islamic coins, as well as the introduction in most of Scandinavia in the 860s/870s of standardized weights of probable Islamic origin, paved the way from then on for an increasing use of silver as payment. These studies demonstrate that sites like Kaupang led the way in economic development in Scandinavia. The urban environment promoted an economic mentality which contributed significantly to the fundamental transformation of Scandinavian culture and society, which culminated in the region's integration in Christian Europe in the High Middle Ages. ... Read more

Product Description
Published to tie-in with the BBC series, this lavishly illustrated book brings the world of the vikings to the present day - using up-to-the-minute scientific techniques to link us to our viking ancestors and answer the questions that have puzzled historians for centuries. The Blood of the Vikings is a five part series, each programme 50 minutes long, fronted by Julian (Meet The Ancestors) Richards, which will be BBC2's showcase series for next Christmas. It not only tells the story of the Vikings in Britain in a new and exciting way, but also uses advanced DNA testing to show how the influence of the Vikings has lingered genetically in modern Britain. ... Read more

Product Description
Feared pirates, intrepid navigators, skilled craftsmen- these are the bold Vikings who erupted into history at the end of the eighth century and forged the destiny of nations.

The Vikings reveals the lives of ordinary people living in these extraordinary times-- the beautiful jewelry they crafted, and charming toys for their children; the early pagan sacrifices, including human sacrifice; the mysterious runes, the written language of the Vikings; and of course the remarkable ships in which they invaded so many lands. Interwoven throughout the book are tales of famous Norse adventurers and excerpts from the Icelandic sagas, stories of gods and myths that are still enchanting today.

The photographs depict the beauty of jewelry and artifacts created in gold, silver, bronze, and stone; a fascinating reconstruction of a Viking Age house; the "horn of plenty" in which the most precious valuables of the dead are buried with the body; an ice-skate made from a leather shoe and a sharpened bone; and Icelandic farmhouses with roofs of turf, resembling the nearby hills.

With the talent of a storyteller, the author weaves the true tale of the Viking race in a style that is accessible to students, intriguing to adult readers, and provides an ideal introduction to this Nordic culture.
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Customer Reviews (3)

A good read
Dr Woodings very interesting overview of life in the North Atlantic some 1200 years ago is delightful.He covers a heavy subject with great style.In addition, the quality of production is excellent and it is a worthyaddition to any Viking collection.I do not see it as a scholastic work. If it were, I would have a different view of its content.But as a easyread, it certainly serves us well.

A lovely little book
Dr. Wooding's brief account of the Vikings is as attractive as it is useful.The work is intended for anyone curious about the infamous medieval raiders, and yet introduces the reader to some of the mostimportant debates about the Vikings: Why did they come? Why were they sosuccessful? What were they really like? What did they contribute toEuropean society and culture?The brief but lucid discussions of subjectsranging from ship-building technology to town life to Scandinavianmythology, are based on the most current archaeological, linguistic andhistorical findings.The approximately 150 pages are filled withbeautiful, full-color photographs and new translations of selections fromOld Norse texts, all of which help to illuminate different aspects ofScandinavian culture. In this elegant little work the author has aquaintedus with a many-faceted people, whose identity went well beyond theirreputation as fierce raiders.

a black sheep in an otherwise terrific series
While the other book in this series were compact, informative and easy to read, this book is very repetitive and gives hardly any solid information about the Vikings at all. All we really get from this book are historicalaccounts of what Viking did what and during what year. But as far asinformation about who the Vikings actually were and what they did as awhole and what their contribution to society was, the book is very verydry. In fact there's an entire chapter devoted exclusively to Vikingartwork that is there basically just to fil up space, with an entiresection devoted simple to each style. The author is most likely trying toavoid the harsh historical facts, that being that, despite the fact thatthe Vikings made inovations in seamanship that was aeons ahead of theirtime, they were also murderers and marauders. As such, nowhere in the bookare there any solid accounts of Viking raids, and a certain part is anaccount of Viking setlements in the near East, which I doubt anyone whowould be buying this book would be the slightest bit interested in. Thebook is completely dry, with little information that is relevent. ... Read more

Product Description
The Vikings were the master mariners and ship-builders of the middle ages: their success depended on these skills. Spectacular archaeological finds of whole or partial ships, from burial mounds or dredged from harbours, continue to give new and exciting evidence of their practical craftsmanship and urge to seek new shores. The nautical vocabulary of the Viking Age, however, has been surprisingly neglected - the last comprehensive study was published in 1912 and was heavily dependent on post-Viking Age sources.
Far better contemporary sources from the later Viking Age are available to document the activities of men and their uses of ships from c.950-1100, and Judith Jesch undertakes in this book the first systematic and comparative study of such evidence. The core is a critical survey of the vocabulary of ships and their crews, of fleets and sailing and battles at sea, based on runic inscriptions and skaldic evidence from c.950-1100. This nautical vocabulary is studied within the larger context of 'viking' activity in this period: what that activity was and where it took place, its social and military aspects, and its impact on developments in the nature of kingship in Scandinavia.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Serious research for the serious scholar
Dr. Jesch keeps getting better and better. I have a number of her books and papers, and this one is a keeper. Just got it for Yule, and can't put it down. Of course, it helps if the reader is somewhat familiar with the runic tradition, as well as the sagas.Excellent illos (runes came out nice & clear) and clearly written, with an extensive bibliography, index, and footnotes. Probably the best researched volume on the topic of Viking period ships and the men who sailed in them. It's not a fast read, but it is chock full of details and information. ... Read more

Product Description
Just before the year 1000, a young Viking named Thorvald turned his back on the pagan gods of his fathers to preach the Christian gospel. But his Icelandic countrymen mocked and outlawed him. Abandoning his homeland, Thorvald embarked on an epic journey to the heart of all medieval world maps-Jerusalem.

A thousand years later, Victoria Clark embarked on the same journey to discover to what extent the dramatic changes and conflicts sweeping Western Europe a millennium ago still resonate today. The Far-Farers is both the story of this twenty-first-century journey and a history of eleventh-century western Christendom.

In this remarkable book Clark illuminates a group of influential eleventh-century characters-Thorvald, emperors of eastern and western Christendom, abbots, saints, princesses, Crusaders-who form links in a historical chain extending down the century and all the way from Iceland to the Holy Land. Western Europe was struggling to unite then, expanding rapidly and changing utterly. Warfare, peacekeeping, multinational monasticism, institutional power struggles, mass pilgrim travel, and rising religious fundamentalism were a few salient characteristics of this world-a world more like our own than we might imagine.

The twenty-first-century people Clark encountered as she traveled through Iceland, central and Western Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, and the Middle East cast fresh light on both worlds. In the ancient capital of Poland, a young Catholic priest scorns the idea of Europe uniting in the name of human rights instead of Christ. At the Crusader stronghold of Krak les Chevaliers, a Syrian playboy highlights the deep and widening gulf between the West and Islam. A richly evocative and beautifully written work, The Far-Farers is neither conventional history nor travel, but a powerful and authoritative demonstration of our enduring connection with the distant past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fun to read
I enjoyed Victoria Clark's book, "The Far-Farers."The title is from the name given a Viking who lived ten centuries ago, Thorvald the Far-Farer.And Clark tried duplicating Thorvald's trip in a way, a little like William Dalrymple did as described in his book "From the Holy Mountain."I read and reviewed Dalrymple's book and I found it way too biased to suit my tastes.And this book is biased as well, although it's not as bad as Dalrymple's.

I know that the conversion of Iceland to Christianity, in the year 1000, was under duress.But I still regard it as a great tragedy.Clark regards it as a wise compromise.And I think that's overdoing it.And there's more politics when we get to Jerusalem, where Clark says that the Levantine Arabs have been "paying" for what happened to the Jews in Europe!Well, I think that's preposterous, and it's a little like saying that the Whites in the American South have been "paying" for what happened to the Blacks in Africa.I know that Clark (and Dalrymple) are free to say what they please.And this is Clark's book and she's done just that.Well, it is my review, and I'm saying what I think.

On the whole, I found the book, both the modern travelogue and the history behind it, worth reading.But I was put off by some of the bias Clark showed. ... Read more

Product Description
Emma was one of England's most remarkable queens: a formidable woman who made her mark on a Europe beset by Vikings. By birth a Norman, she married and outlived two kings of England and witnessed the coronations of two of her sons: Harthcnut the Viking and Edward the Confessor. She became an unscrupulous political player and was diversely regarded as a generous Christian patron, the admired co-regent of the nation, and a ruthlessly Machiavellian mother. She was, above all, a survivor: her life was punctuated by dramatic falls, all of which she overcame. Her story is one of power, politics, love, greed and scandal in an England caught between the Dark Ages and the Norman invasion of 1066. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Emma: A bridge between cultures...
I've come to understand how Dark Ages and early Medieval time period biographies are written, especially in regards to women, and so it is easier to take in their lives.There aren't that many sources and the sources that there are are tangential references from a different figure in history, such as a king or other noble male figures.The scarcity of the documents makes it hard, and the fact that women were considered inferior to men also meant that biographies on women, such as Emma or Eleanor of Aquitaine, would invariably revolve around the lives of the men that they interacted with.Emma is no different as her life is told through the lives of the four kings directly related to her and to, eventually, a fifth king a few generations later.

Emma is important as she is the bridge that joined the three different cultures together.Born a Norman, married an Anglo-Saxon and then remarried a Danish Viking, all of which were the various men and women that lived in England at the time.She went through a lot and was involved in many facets of the English monarchy and nobility.There is no doubt in my mind that Emma was one of the more important women of early England.O'Brien does a very good job of bringing to life Emma and showing us the world she lived in, notably her life amongst kings and the nobility.This is certainly a laymen's account, not necessarily written for the hardcore historian, and focuses more on telling a story than being a scholarly dissertation.

That being said there were a few areas I would have wished could have been better.First and foremost is her writing style.She switches back and forth from the present tense to the past tense.One minute she is writing about the past and the next she tries to write as though we are right there.Since this is a history it detracts from the story if you suddenly make it something that is happening as we speak.The other is a minor issue that could go either way.She speculates on speculation quite a bit.On the one hand it is good to see and understand what Emma's contemporaries thought as well as the people writing history a few generations after.It tells a lot of what that time period was thinking and where their political inclinations led.This is where O'Brien did great because she made sure that she let the reader know that this is not fact, that it was indeed speculation and could be any number of possible explanations.Where it is a little on the downside is when she then speculated on the speculation, making the issue at hand become murky and unclear.As I said, a minor issue.

Overall I enjoyed reading about Emma and the people in her lives, notably Kings Aethelred, Cnut, Harthacnut and Edward.You can't have a story without them and the only reason we know much about her is because of them.They are as intrinsic to her story as the book that she had written is.Definitely written for the common reader, but will certainly lead me to research further into the lives of these early English rulers.

4 stars.

A must for history amateurs
A fantastic read. England before 1066BattleofHastings. Queen Emma is quite a character, a survivor, almost on par with my alltime favorite Eleanor of Aquitaine. Ms O'Brian's research is implecable, her narrative gripping, the wealth of detail, considering the lack of primary sources, is impressive. I wish all history books were this well written.

WELL DONE AND WELL WORTH THE READ!
There are a couple of facts we need to remember when reading this particular book. First, and this is important, it, the book, is not a Doctorial Thesis and it is not written as such. This is a popular historical work, meant to inform, but at the same time, to entertain. Secondly, I too, like a couple of other reviewers, was a bit disappointed that more was not written about the main character, Emma, her personal life, etc. This leads to the second fact we must remember. Source documents from this era, in particular personal histories, are very, very hard to come by. Most documents from this time have simply disappeared, have been destroyed, or are lost in some historical black hole. This being said and this being remembered, as the book is being read, might help.

The author has given us a fascinating look into the life and politics during the latter part of the first century. A very troubled time for England, and indeed, most of Europe. True, she, the author, does not go into the depth of her subject as many of us would like, but as I have stated, the author had very few source documents of refer to. This work is done in the "popular mode," and is quite readable. The author has taken great pains to let us know when she is stating documented facts and when she drifts into the realm of speculation. This is important to understand what the author is trying to do. I found the author's style far from dry, considering the subject matter. Queen Emma was indeed a complex and fascinating woman and the author has gone to great lengths to bring this across.

This is one of those book I like to call a "tickler," or "seed book." It gives information to those who are interested in a subject, but not fanatical about it. My primary interest is in New World History, but I do like to know where we came from. Works such as this give me as much information as I need for my purposes. Granted, if I were doing a research paper, or was extremely interested in the subject, I would indeed want more. As it stands though, this work gave me a wonder glance into those days and times. Now that I have this information, I find I do have an interest and this work has "tickled" me into checking other works out. This is a good thing. Perhaps one day I could land a nice juicy government grant, travel to England, and check out some of the source documents myself. Would not that be fun!

All in all, I found the work to be very well done, enjoyable to read and quite helpful. I do recommend this one for any individual interested in those days and times and the Queen Emma.

excellent
Queen Emma and the Vikings opens a window on a time and a queen that is not often discussed. Emma was an extraordinary woman who married two kings, one an unlamented bumbler, the other a conquering Viking was mother to two more and lived through five kings altogehter. She was a survivor and no matter what life in her brutal era threw at her she triumphed.

Harriet O'Brien is a very talented author who took what could have been a dry, threadbare history and made it a thrilling read. I really loved it. ... Read more