20 Best Books About Vikings (2023 Update)

The vikings were a seafaring people from the late eighth to early 11th century who established a name for themselves as traders, explorers and warriors. they discovered the americas long before columbus and could be found as far east as the distant reaches of russia. while these people are often attributed as savages raiding the more civilized nations for treasure and women, the motives and culture of the viking people are much more diverse. in this book, find out: where the vikings come from, their invasions and travels, how they led their daily lives, how and why they fought other peoples, their culture, their religious beliefsthe norse mythology, and plenty more! they could be educated in religion and weaponry, own and inherit property, keep their finances separate from their husbands' assets, be a force in the military and in politics, seek judgment for crimes against them, and be punished equally to men for equal crimes. there was some equality for them, maybe even more than women over a thousand years later. if you want to try to understand how a celtic thought this book is for you!

A "thrilling" (wall street journal) history of the vikings by a pre-eminent scholar the viking age saw an unprecedented expansion of the scandinavian peoples into the world. as traders and raiders, explorers and colonists, they ranged from eastern north america to the asian steppe. but for centuries, the vikings have been seen through the eyes of others, distorted to suit the tastes of medieval writers, victorian imperialists, nazis, and more.based on the latest archaeological and textual evidence, children of ash and elm tells the story of the vikings on their own terms: their politics, their cosmology and religion, their material world. known today for a stereotype of maritime violence, the vikings exported new ideas, technologies, and beliefs to the lands and peoples they encountered. from eirík bloodaxe, who fought his way to a kingdom, to gudríd thorbjarnardóttir, the most traveled woman in the world, children of ash and elm is a remarkable history of the vikings and their time.

Buying the sea wolves: a history of the vikings from betterworldbooks means 1 book gets donated to someone in need. 20+ million books donated to date through several hundred non-profits organizations.

An indie next pick for december 2012, song of the vikings brings to life snorri sturluson, wealthy chieftain, wily politician, witty storyteller, and the sole source of viking lore for all of western literature. tales of one-eyed odin, thor and his mighty hammer, the trickster loki, and the beautiful valkyries have inspired countless writers, poets, and dreamers through the centuries, including richard wagner, jrr tolkien, and neil gaiman, and author nancy marie brown brings alive the medieval icelandic world where it all began. she paints a vivid picture of the icelandic landscape, with its colossal glaciers and volcanoes, steaming hot springs, and moonscapes of ash, ice, and rock that inspired snorri's words, and led him to create unforgettable characters and tales. drawing on her deep knowledge of iceland and its history and first-hand reading of the original medieval sources, brown gives us a richly textured narrative, revealing a spellbinding world that continues to fascinate.

"a wide range of topics are covered, from the equipment and training of the individual warriors to the overall structure of their campaigns. from the eighth to the eleventh centuries, they ranged across europe—raiding, exploring, colonizing—and their presence was felt as far away as russia and byzantium. they are most famous as warriors, yet perhaps their talent for warfare is too little understood. philip line, in this scholarly and highly readable study of the viking age, uses original documentary sources—the chronicles, sagas, and poetry—and the latest archaeological evidence to describe how the vikings and their enemies in northern europe organized for war. his graphic examination gives an up-to-date interpretation of the vikings’ approach to violence and their fighting methods that will be fascinating reading for anyone who is keen to understand how they operated and achieved so much in medieval europe. he explores the practicalities of waging war in the viking age, including compelling accounts of the nature of campaigns and raids, and detailed accounts of viking-age battles on land and sea, using all the available evidence to give an insight into the experience of combat. throughout this fascinating book, philip line seeks to dispel common myths about the vikings and misconceptions about their approach to warfare.

Let's say you're the coach of the minnesota vikings, deciding which players should start in a super bowl matchup against the toughest team in the afc. but instead of choosing from the current roster, you have every player in the team's 60-year history in your locker room. who starts at quarterback: scrambling fran tarkenton, gunslinger daunte culpepper, or deadly accurate kirk cousins? at defensive end, do you play fearsome carl eller, fan favorite jared allen, sack specialist chris doleman, or stalwart jim marshall? combining career stats, common sense, and a host of intangibles, veteran sportswriter chris tomasson imagines an embarrassment of riches and sets the all-time all-star vikings lineup for the ages.

Follow an epic story of the viking age that traces the historical trail of an ancient piece of jewelry found in a viking grave in england to its origins thousands of miles east in india.an acclaimed bioarchaeologist, catrine jarman has used cutting-edge forensic techniques to spark her investigation into the history of the vikings who came to rest in british soil. by examining teeth that are now over one thousand years old, she can determine childhood diet—and thereby where a person was likely born. with radiocarbon dating, she can ascertain a death-date down to the range of a few years. and her research offers enlightening new visions of the roles of women and children in viking culture. three years ago, a carnelian bead came into her temporary possession.

The rise of the viking kingdom of norway is one of the most exciting medieval accounts in history. it traces the lives of twelve kings, from the notorious viking age to the high middle ages, each with their own unique impact on scandinavia – and the world. their boundless lives involve dramatic power struggles, fierce battles, love affairs, bitter betrayals, and daring voyages into the unknown. this is an extraordinary story of how a viking kingdom was forged, transformed, and ultimately, collapsed. "in this brisk and riveting-and not a little bloody-read, simon vincent recounts how norway was forged through the lives of twelve of its most remarkable men-founders and forgers, all of them kings. fusing the passion of the sagas with the accuracy of scholarship, vincent succeeds in providing us with a narrative that is as entertaining as it is edifying. as he writes, here is the 'real game of thrones.'" – raymond ibrahim, best-selling author. "not since my childhood have i read such a comprehensive and exciting narrative on norwegian history. the concept – a depiction of how the norwegian state emerged, flourished, and then collapsed in the late middle ages – is very good." – halvor tjønn, historian and author. simon vincent is a norwegian author and film maker. he holds an msc. from cass business school, city university of london.

Get the beautiful book that presents the history of the minnesota vikings football team, with full-color photography and fascinating text. the minnesota vikings are a proud and storied franchise. some of the nfl's all-time best players–and all-time great teams–have donned the purple and gold. author, historian, and lifelong vikings fan chad israelson presents the perfect gift for minnesota sports fans. kings of the north collects the team's rich history and pairs it with professional, full-color photography to create a stunning book for any coffee table or bookshelf. it presents a season-by-season summary, which includes the team's schedule, starting lineup, and statistical leaders. chad also takes a closer look at a few of the best players and greatest wins. the book is rounded out with chad's picks for every all-decade team. it truly has it all for anyone who loves minnesota's favorite team! book features fascinating summary of every minnesota football season schedules, starting lineups, and statistical leaders the author's picks for every all-decade team full-color photography from throughout the vikings' history

The predominant modern image of the mighty viking warriors has become that of the warmonger and marauding berserker. in popular culture, the norsemen, portrayed as giant, sword-wielding men with flowing hair and bushy beards, have been reduced to a one-dimensional tribe of ruthless warriors, who cared little for the communities they attacked and plundered. men like ragnar lothbrok, eric bloodaxe, ivar the boneless and bjorn ironside are portrayed as preying on unsuspecting communities and spreading fear across europe as they laid waste to all that lay before them, taking what they wanted at the point of a sword. it is true that the vikings were, without a doubt, brutal men living in a brutal age. they did use their skills as warriors to relentlessly attack europe and the british isles to increase their wealth and territory, but that is not all the vikings were, and their contribution to world history is far more than warmongering. in this captivating history book, you'll not only learn about heroic warriors in battle but you'll also discover the remarkable achievements made by the vikings. – significant viking raids and battles – ragnar lothbrok – man or myth – ivar the boneless – ruthless warrior, leader of the great heathen army, and conqueror of england – bjorn ironside – raider of the mediterranean harald fairhair – first king of norway – eric bloodaxe – terrifying family killer – egil skallagrimsson – warrior poet/li>sweyn forkbeard – the forgotten king of england – king olaf tryggvason and the rise of christianity in norway – harald hardrada – the last great viking ruler – the significance of the settlement of iceland, greenland, and vinland – viking society and everyday life – and much, much more! so if you want to learn more about the history of the vikings, click "add to cart"!

They came, they conquered, and they took whatever they wanted. they were strong men in both body and mindset, with a culture and religion that promoted men to be "men". for their mastery and bravery in battle, they were rewarded with status, plunder and women! vikings were also passionately devoted to their brothers. bonds formed in the bloody terror of battle, which they celebrated with much feasting and mead! but today, you live in a modern world of smartphones, suits and safety. pillaging and plundering opportunities are limited, and many of your friends are probably too concerned with their smartphones or gluten free diets to be interested in going on a viking campaign together. but there is still hope! in this book, you will learn how to build the strong body and mindset of a viking warrior and how to apply your increased masculinity in the modern world! … in this book, liam gooding walks you through his personal journey from the top to the bottom. he lost his multi-million dollar company, his house and his fiancée. but worst of all, he lost his masculinity. but that's when he discovered the power and strength hidden within ancient viking culture. the liberating freedom of their mythology, the guiltless pride in building a strong and muscular body, the confident ambition of getting what you want in life (no matter who or what stands in your way). this is a story about beating depression and emerging stronger than ever before. a guide for any man (or woman) to follow on how a stronger body builds a stronger mind, and how that builds better defences against depression and other mental health issues. becoming a modern viking allowed liam to become a man again. to rebuild himself stronger than before, to embrace the body and the mindset that evolution and natural selection had intended, and to remove the chains and limitations of modern western society. … chapter highlights build a viking body using principles and guidelines such as 'lift like a god' and 'train like a warrior' follow a spreadsheet-free nutrition diet that allows a man to eat as much as he wants, and still boost testosterone and build muscle, or lose fat, depending on his goals (vegetarian/vegan options too) how to stop worrying about overwhelming situations by thinking like a viking in the shield wall how to become more assertive in social and professional situations how to live in winter season or raiding season to encourage your body to build muscle or lose fat with just a few small changes to your routine modern viking is not a fitness and exercise book promising to help you look like an instagram model. it isn't a book to guide you on meditation or mindfulness bodyscans. modern viking is a practical, no-nonsense self improvement book for men who want to become better men. men who are suffering with depression or perhaps just the early warning signs of it. men who feel like there must be more happiness in life than they are currently feeling. modern viking can be especially effective for larger men – guys who are fed up of being told they should have "shredded abs" to feel great about themselves.liam gooding stands at 6'5" and weighs 240 lb. he eats 4000 – 5000 kcal every day. and none of the women in his life ever complain that he doesn't have "instagram abs"! modern viking is about looking like a man who can swing an axe, row a boat, build a house, and then carry his woman to bed after the days work!

Folklorist helene adeline guerber brings to life the gods and goddesses, giants and dwarves, and warriors and monsters of these stories. ranging from the comic to the tragic, these legends tell of passion, love, friendship, pride, courage, strength, loyalty and betrayal. scandinavians of the viking age explored the mysteries of life through their sagas. folklorist helene adeline guerber brings to life the gods and goddesses, giants and dwarves, and warriors and monsters of these stories. ranging from the comic to the tragic, these legends tell of passion, love, friendship, pride, courage, strength, loyalty and betrayal. each volume in the barnes & noble collectible editions series features authoritative texts by the world's greatest authors in an exquisitely designed, bonded-leather binding, with distinctive gilt edging and a silk-ribbon bookmark

Tales are often told marking the vikings as no more than simple horn-helmeted explorers, infamous to abuse, pillage and plunder all that stood in their way. however, many of us lack to see the parallels aligned with modern culture, and the influences our viking ancestors provided and passed down to our own aspects of modern practices, beliefs, languages and pastimes. here's what you'll discover inside: a guide on the vikings origins, including their language, calendar, society structure, and military conquests – historic tales of the viking's customs, art, and shipbuilding craft – a guide on the norse creation myths a presentation of the norse pantheon – a detailed description of many norse gods and heroes – and much, much more! the stories and myths of the norse were passed down by the vikings in oral tradition until they were recorded in manuscripts by anonymous authors in the mid-13th century. the myths that survived tell the story of how the world was first created by the gods using the dead body of a primeval giant, the existence of the different realms surrounding the universe, and various tales and lore about the gods' adventures.

From the translator of the bestselling poetic edda (hackett, 2015) comes a gripping new rendering of two of the greatest sagas of old norse literature. together the two sagas recount the story of seven generations of a single legendary heroic family and comprise our best source of traditional lore about its members–including, among others, the dragon-slayer sigurd, brynhild the valkyrie, and the viking chieftain ragnar lothbrok.

The period between the end of the eighth century ce and the middle of the eleventh is often called the "viking age" because this is the period in which scandinavian people expanded their contacts with the outside world through trade, raiding, exploration, and colonization. – the first manuscript of this book presents a version of ragnar's saga compiled from different modern sources, along with information providing additional historical and documentary context, followed by a discussion of some aspects of modern appropriations and representations of ancient norse culture. – the first section of the first manuscript provides historical context for ragnar's saga through an exploration of daily life in ninth-century scandinavia and of contemporary viking culture and history. – the text of the saga itself forms the second part of the first manuscript, along with notes giving further information about how this version of the saga is presented and about elements within the story that might not be familiar to modern readers. – the third section of the first manuscript deals with representations of ancient norse cultures in modern popular media. – the second manuscript in this book presents three viking sagas. two are legendary sagas, while the third is historical. – some of the topics covered in manuscript 1 of this book include: the world of ragnar lothbrok – the saga of ragnar lothbrok and his sons – representations of norse myths and history in modern media – the clash of history and drama in the history channel television series vikings – and much more! some of the topics covered in manuscript 2 of this book include: the saga of king heidrek the wise – selections from the saga of örvar-oddr – the voyages to vinland – scroll up and click the "add to cart" button to discover captivating viking tales and sagas!

The books in this series contain short texts from the original stories from viking age. these new translations unlock the treasures of the classical texts and will make a valued gift for friends, relatives or business associates. a little guide to understanding the ancient rune letters. where-ever the vikings went, they took the language of the runes with them. runes have been found from the black sea and russia in the east, all over europe and scandinavia and in greenland. there are runes on memorial stones, weapons and tools. they were used to send messages, mark possessions, make calendars and other writings. each letter is explained with the help of a runic verse dating from the viking age.

The books in this series contain short texts from the original stories from viking age. these new translations unlock the treasures of the classical texts and will make a valued gift for friends, relatives or business associates. a little guide to understanding the ancient rune letters. where-ever the vikings went, they took the language of the runes with them. runes have been found from the black sea and russia in the east, all over europe and scandinavia and in greenland. there are runes on memorial stones, weapons and tools. they were used to send messages, mark possessions, make calendars and other writings. each letter is explained with the help of a runic verse dating from the viking age.

2nd edition free bonus right after the conclusion mythology is interesting as well as complicated. it becomes even more intricate when the narrators and their opinions are many and do not seem to converge at some point. this is however, one side of the picture. mythology can be worth considering if one follows it with concentration and an evaluative approach. this book unveils all those significant features of viking mythology, which can be interesting as well as elaborative for your knowledge about the vikings and their ancient tales. the major theme of the book is to break all those incorrect views, which have traveled across the various areas of viking mythology. viking mythology is also a worth viewing and evaluative area of mythology, which unveils multi-layered aspects of norsemen civilization. the viking era cherishes a long history that is why a number of historical records have been distorted or altered. however, on the basis of the most authentic and reliable information and historical text available, i have compiled this book, to make it a comprehensive, yet elaborative source of knowledge about viking mythology and related characters. viking mythology deals with a number of different aspects of norsemen civilization and their beliefs and rituals. this book will uncover all those distinctive tales and mythological narration, which are helpful in understanding the vikings. the manuscript of the book has been written and formulated on the basis of the most authentic and consistent information and historical text available. although it was impossible to cover all the aspects, yet you will find this book elaborative enough for covering the major aspects of viking mythology and the related characters. the book has been divided in different subsections, with the groundwork of the discussion of the emergence of viking era. the purpose is to take the readers on board and make them feel familiar to this domain of mythology. the overlapping context of viking and norsemen mythology has also been discussed, to dissolve up the bewilderment about these two. the viking mythology deals with two types of characters, giants and gods. so in the book i have tried to provide a brief account of the most prominent gods and goddesses, along with different other characters of giants, who are frequently mentioned in the viking literature of mythology.

2nd edition free bonus right after the conclusion mythology is interesting as well as complicated. it becomes even more intricate when the narrators and their opinions are many and do not seem to converge at some point. this is however, one side of the picture. mythology can be worth considering if one follows it with concentration and an evaluative approach. this book unveils all those significant features of viking mythology, which can be interesting as well as elaborative for your knowledge about the vikings and their ancient tales. the major theme of the book is to break all those incorrect views, which have traveled across the various areas of viking mythology. viking mythology is also a worth viewing and evaluative area of mythology, which unveils multi-layered aspects of norsemen civilization. the viking era cherishes a long history that is why a number of historical records have been distorted or altered. however, on the basis of the most authentic and reliable information and historical text available, i have compiled this book, to make it a comprehensive, yet elaborative source of knowledge about viking mythology and related characters. viking mythology deals with a number of different aspects of norsemen civilization and their beliefs and rituals. this book will uncover all those distinctive tales and mythological narration, which are helpful in understanding the vikings. the manuscript of the book has been written and formulated on the basis of the most authentic and consistent information and historical text available. although it was impossible to cover all the aspects, yet you will find this book elaborative enough for covering the major aspects of viking mythology and the related characters. the book has been divided in different subsections, with the groundwork of the discussion of the emergence of viking era. the purpose is to take the readers on board and make them feel familiar to this domain of mythology. the overlapping context of viking and norsemen mythology has also been discussed, to dissolve up the bewilderment about these two. the viking mythology deals with two types of characters, giants and gods. so in the book i have tried to provide a brief account of the most prominent gods and goddesses, along with different other characters of giants, who are frequently mentioned in the viking literature of mythology.

For those living outside scandinavia, the viking age effectively began in 793 with an attack on the monastery at lindisfarne. the attack on lindisfarne was a characteristically violent harbinger of what was in store for britain and much of europe from the vikings for the next 300 years, until the final destruction of the heathen temple to the norse gods at uppsala around 1090. robert ferguson is a sure guide across what he calls �the treacherous marches which divide legend from fact in viking age history�. the hammer and the cross ranges from scandinavia itself to kievan rus and byzantium in the east, to iceland, greenland and the north american settlements in the west. beyond its geographical boundaries the book takes us on a journey to a misty region inhabited by hallfred the troublesome poet, harald bluetooth, ragnar hairy-breeches, ivar the boneless and eyvind the plagiarist, in which literature, history and myth dissolve into one another.