European history: the Vikings Books

Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & THE TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF 2021''Astonishing and compelling'' Bernard CornwellThis superb book is like a classical symphony, perfectly composed and exquisitely performed' THE TIMES Books of the Year Follow bioarchaeologist Cat Jarman and the cutting-edge forensic techniques central to her research as she uncovers epic stories of the Viking age and follows a small Carnelian' bead found in a Viking grave in Derbyshire to its origins thousands of miles to the east in Gujarat.This superb book is like a classical symphony, perfectly composed and exquisitely performed' THE TIMES Books of the Year Dr Cat Jarman is a bioarchaeologist, specialising in forensic techniques to research the paths of 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 new visions of the likely roles of women and children in Viking culture.In 2017, a carnelian bead came into her temporary possession. River Kings sees her trace its path back to eighth-century Baghdad and India, discovering along the way that the Vikings' route was far more varied than we might think, that with them came people from the Middle East, not just Scandinavia, and that the reason for this unexpected integration between the Eastern and Western worlds may well have been a slave trade running through the Silk Road, and all the way to Britain.Told as a riveting story of the Vikings and the methods we use to understand them, this is a major reassessment of the fierce, often-mythologised voyagers of the north, and of the global medieval world as we know it.Trade Review A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER (September 2021) Waterstones Book of the Month (October 2021) ‘A masterly history … River Kings is a mystery and an adventure, the tale of a quest that took Jarman from Repton to Scandinavia, across the Baltic Sea, over to Baghdad and finally to India. I was held captive … In addition to being a wonderful writer, Jarman is a skilled bioarchaeologist … River Kings is like a classical symphony, perfectly composed and exquisitely performed. Tiny trills of detail give way to pounding drums of drama’Gerard deGroot, Times ‘Cat Jarman will transform the way you think about the Vikings’ Dan Snow 'A bead was discovered in a Viking warrior’s grave, and that discovery led Cat Jarman on an amazing journey which is described in this extraordinary story. That bead, in Cat Jarman’s hands, taught me more about the Vikings than a score of history books. River Kings is an astonishing and compelling triumph!'Bernard Cornwell ‘Will cast a spell on any reader who enjoys their history well-written and clearly argued. Just as Antony Beevor’s Stalingrad reminded us that the eastern front of WW2 was of far greater consequence than its western theatre, so Jarman shows how the westward trading and slaving voyages of the Vikings were only half the story. The real source of Viking wealth lay far to the east.’ William Dalrymple, FT ‘A thrilling read … Illuminates Viking culture in an utterly intriguing new light’Charles Spencer ‘An extraordinarily imaginative conjuring of the Viking world … This is not archaeology as dry stones and bones, but as the lived lives of the people of the past brought to life with verve, style and sympathetic imagination. Beautifully written … You’ll never see the Viking Age in the same way again’Michael Wood

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Norse legends of Odin, Thor, Loki and all the gods of Asgard are well known, but less so are the historical origins of civilization in the very early days of Norway and wider Scandinavia which evolved this dramatic mythology. Archaeology furnishes us with fascinating evidence of the progress of the peoples and their way of life, until later the skaldic poets began to write down and celebrate the life and exploits of their rulers, establishing divine authority through legend and myth. The various tribes of the more southerly regions – from the Geats (Gautar or Goths) of Götaland and the Swedes (Suiones) to the Cimbri of Jutland – migrated and expanded north to evolve from tribal systems into fully fledged kingdoms. This fascinating book revives some classic historical works, with an insightful introduction explaining context and modern knowledge. Trace the ancient origins of the Norsemen and historical Norway, from the Stone Age, through the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman Iron Age to the famous Viking Age and its impact across Europe; discover the migrations, culture, kings, literature and sagas which combine to create modern identity, tracing ancestry back to the gods. This new book is the perfect companion to Norse Myths & Legends in the same series of beautiful Collector's Editions, and sits alongside the other great cultures of the early world. Flame Tree Collector's Editions present the foundations of speculative fiction: authors, myths, tales and history without which the imaginative literature of the twentieth century would not exist, bringing the best, most influential and most fascinating works into a striking and collectable library. Each book features a new Introduction and a Glossary of Terms or lists of Ancient Leaders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDescribing the different garments worn by women and men, this book looks at the aspects of cloth production - raw materials, production tools and techniques for woven and non-woven textiles, decorative textiles and embroidery. It also shows how much can be reconstructed from the discoveries of archaeological excavation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWELCOME TO UHTRED'S FEAST . . .Over the course of writing the Last Kingdom series, Bernard Cornwell discovered an increasing fascination for the Anglo-Saxon world: its people, their culture, and their domestic lives beyond the battlefield. And so when he met renowned chef Suzanne Pollak, someone with a passion for Anglo-Saxon cookery, Uhtred's Feast was born.A combination of beautifully crafted recipes which incorporate Anglo-Saxon ingredients and cooking techniques, and brand new Uhtred stories by Bernard which show the iconic warrior behind the shield, Uhtred's Feast opens a door into the ordinary Saxon home and an extraordinary moment in our history.Trade ReviewPraise for Bernard Cornwell: 'Strong narrative, vigourous action and striking characterisation, Cornwell remains king of the territory he has staked out as his own' SUNDAY TIMES ‘Like Game of Thrones, but real’ OBSERVER 'Blood, divided loyalties and thundering battles' THE TIMES ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive’ George R.R. Martin ‘He’s called a master storyteller. Really he’s cleverer than that’ TELEGRAPH ‘A reminder of just how good a writer he is’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘Nobody in the world does this better than Cornwell’ Lee Child ‘Cornwell’s skill [is] in ageing his warrior-hero, who now creaks as he fights and is haunted by those he has loved and lost’ THE TIMES ‘The master still adding to his wonderful Saxon Chronicles’ SUNDAY TIMES MAGAZINE ‘Legendary … excellent storytelling, as ever’ SUNDAY SPORT 'A violent, absorbing historical saga, deeply researched and thoroughly imagined' WASHINGTON POST

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Haywood's lucid explanations of the cultures of the Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians are vital to understanding the motivations for their movements' KIRKUS REVIEWS. The violent and predatory society of Dark Age Scandinavia left a unique impact on the history of medieval Europe. From their chill northern fastness, Norse warriors, explorers and merchants raided, traded, and settled across wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic from the late 8th to the mid-11th century. Northmen narrates their story focusing on places where key events were played out, from the sack of Lindisfarne in 793 to the murder in Iceland in 1241 of the saga-writer Snorri Sturluson. Such episodes are fascinating in themselves, but also shed crucial light on the nature of Viking activity – its causes, effects, and the reasons for its decline. In 800 the Scandinavians were barbarians in longships bent on plunder and rapine; by 1200, their homelands were an integral part of Latin Christendom. John Haywood tells, in authoritative but compellingly readable fashion, the extraordinary story of the Viking Age.Trade ReviewHaywood has made this period of history accessible to all * All About History *Haywood's lucid explanations of the cultures of the Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians are vital to understanding the motivations for their movements * Kirkus Reviews *Fascinating and authoritative * The Westmorland Gazette *Looks at the evolution of civilisations in Scandinavia, with a sprinkling of mythology thrown in for good measure... A full picture of the Viking Age' * History of War *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA rich history of the years leading up to 1066 when Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans vied for the English crown. A tale of loyalty, treason and military might. In a saga reminiscent of Game of Thrones and The Last Kingdom, Battle for the Island Kingdom reveals the life-and-death struggle for power which changed the course of history. The six decades leading up to 1066 were defined by bloody wars and intrigues, in which three peoples vied for supremacy over the island kingdom. In this epic retelling, Don Hollway (The Last Viking) recounts the clashes of Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans, their warlords and their conniving queens. It begins with the Viking Cnut the Great, forging three nations into his North Sea Empire while his Saxon wife Aelfgifu rules in his stead and schemes for England''s throne. Her archenemy is Emma of Normandy, widow of Saxon king Aethelred, claiming Cnut''s realm in exchange for her hand in marriage. Their sTrade ReviewA great book both for those exploring the story behind the Norman Conquest for the first time, and for more knowledgeable readers who want to read a fresh account of it. * Aspects of History *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Author's Note Dramatis Personae Introduction: A New Millennium Part One. The Vikings: AD 1001–1043 I. Normandy Invasion: 1001 II. Foreigners: 1002 III. Woe to King Aethelred: 1003–1009 IV. The Jomsvikings: 1009–1012 V. Hnefatafl: 1012–1014 VI. Sons of the Fathers: 1014–1016 VII. One King to Rule All: 1016 VIII. Viking England: 1017–1022 IX. Forging an Empire: 1022–1028 X. Kingdoms, Dukedoms, Heirdoms: 1028–1030 XI. Seeking Deliverance: 1030–1035 XII. Power Games: 1036–1037 XIII. Nadirs: 1037–1040 XIV. Harthacnut: 1040–1042 XV. Their Just Rewards: 1042–1043 Part Two. The Anglo-Saxons: AD 1042–1065 XVI. Edward Rex: 1042–1045 XVII. Comeuppances: 1045–1046 XVIII. Outcasts: 1046–1047 XIX. Val-ès-Dunes: 1047 XX. The Godwins: 1047–1049 XXI. William the Bastard: 1049–1051 XXII. Rebellion: 1051 XXIII. Heir to the Throne: 1051–1052 XXIV. The Return of the Godwins: 1052 XXV. Asserting Power: 1052–1053 XXVI. Wars in the North: 1054 XXVII. The Godwinsons: 1055–1056 XXVIII. War and Diplomacy: 1057 XXIX. Supremacy: 1058–1060 XXX. Fragile Peace: 1061 XXXI. Conquerors: 1062–1063 XXXII. Betrayals: 1064–1065 Part Three. The Normans: AD 1066 XXXIII. Challenge Accepted: Spring 1066 XXXIV. Opening Moves: Summer 1066 XXXV. Return of the Vikings: September 1066 XXXVI. Hastings: October 1066 Afterword: Domesday, 1066–1154 Sources Bibliography Acknowledgments Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe history of the Normans began a long time before 1066. Originating from the 'Norsemen' they were one of the most successful warrior tribes of the Dark Ages that came to dominate Europe from the Baltic Sea to the island of Sicily and the borders of Eastern Europe. Beginning as Viking raiders in the eighth century, the Normans not only changed the landscape of Europe but were changed by their new conquests. As a military force they became unstoppable. As Conquerors, they established their own kingdom in Normandy from where they set out on a number of devastating campaigns, where they also introduced innovations in politics, architecture and culture. In A Brief History of the Normans leading French historian, Francois Neveux, gives an accessible and authoritative introduction.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA new narrative history of the Viking Age, interwoven with exploration of the physical remains and landscapes that the Vikings fashioned and walked: their rune-stones and ship burials, settlements and battlefields.To many, the word Viking' brings to mind red scenes of rape and pillage, of marauders from beyond the sea rampaging around the British coastline in the last gloomy centuries before the Norman Conquest. It is true that Britain in the Viking Age was a turbulent, violent place. The kings and warlords who have impressed their memories on the period revel in names that fire the blood and stir the imagination: Svein Forkbeard and Edmund Ironside, Ivar the Boneless and Alfred the Great, Erik Bloodaxe and Edgar the Pacifier amongst many others. Evidence for their brutality, their dominance, their avarice and their pride is still unearthed from British soil with stunning regularity.But this is not the whole story.In Viking Britain, Thomas Williams has drawn on his experience as projecTrade Review‘Fresh, vivid and impeccably researched … the most rip-roaring work of nonfiction I read this year’ Tom Holland, Observer, Books of the Year ‘Williams’ infectiously enthusiastic book gives you everything you could want from a history of the Vikings’ Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times, Books of the Year ‘A debut that pulses with the author’s passion for his subject and his mastery of written sources, archaeology and legend. Williams narrates a complex story in enjoyable, lusty prose’ Dan Jones, Sunday Times ‘Viking Britain [is] an engrossing account … Williams is scrupulous to avoid the easy pub-chat message. He writes fluently and with feeling’ Thomas W. Hodgkinson, Spectator 'Williams is a master at conveying the atmosphere of Viking Britain … We are guests at a sensory feast, at times immersed … and at others guided by the comforting hand of firm historical evaluation. Viking Britain is a giddy ride … a real treat’ Philip Parker, Literary Review ‘Williams evocative prose puts flesh on sturdy academic bones. ‘Viking Britain’ is a pleasure to read… a lively, colourful book that explores in high definition what being a Viking really meant. Williams … succeeds where many have failed: to make the truth about the Vikings as entertaining as the fiction’ Giles Kristian, The Times ‘An exemplary work of popular history, at once full of the most up-to-date archaeology and international scholarly thought, and full of the literary flourishes which bring the past most vividly to life for readers: dramatic reconstruction, physical scene-setting and authorial intervention. It is a great success’ Ronald Hutton ‘A fundamentally new history of the Vikings in Britain: authoritative, at times controversial, and above all a personal journey through the byways of life under Scandinavian military occupation … A real pleasure to read’ Professor Neil Price, University of Uppsala

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Iceland, the age of the Vikings is also known as the Saga Age. A unique body of medieval literature, the Sagas rank with the world's great literary treasures as epic as Homer, as deep in tragedy as Sophocles, as engagingly human as Shakespeare. Set around the turn of the last millennium, these stories depict with an astonishingly modern realism the lives and deeds of the Norse men and women who first settled in Iceland and of their descendants, who ventured farther west to Greenland and, ultimately, North America. Sailing as far from the archetypal heroic adventure as the long ships did from home, the Sagas are written with psychological intensity, peopled by characters with depth, and explore perennial human issues like love, hate, fate and freedom.Trade Review"One of the great marvels of World Literature.... This is a dream come true." --Ted Hughes"A testimony to the human spirit's ability not only to endure what fate may send it but to be renewed by the experience." --Seamus Heaney"The glory of the Sagas is indisputable." --Milan Kundera"Generally excellent, accurate and readable, these translations are sure to become the standard versions." --The Times Literary Supplement (London)Table of ContentsThe Sagas of Icelanders List of Illustrations and TablesPreface by Jane Smiley Introduction by Robert KelloggFurther ReadingA Note on the TextsSagasEgil's Saga (trans. Bernard Scudder)The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal (trans. Andrew Wawn)The Saga of the People of Laxardal (trans. Keneva Kunz)Bolli Bollason's Tale (trans. Keneva Kunz)The Saga of Hrafnkel Frey's Godi (trans. Terry Gunnell)The Saga of the Confederates (trans. Ruth C. Ellison)Gisli Sursson's Saga (trans. Martin S. Regal)The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-tongue (trans. Katrina C. Attwood)The Saga of Ref the Sly (trans. George Clark)The Vinland Sagas:The Saga of the Greenlanders (trans. Keneva Kunz)Eirik the Red's Saga (trans. Keneva Kunz)TalesThe Tale of Thorstein Staff-struck (trans. Anthony Maxwell)The Tale of Halldor Snorrason II (trans. Terry Gunnell)The Tale of Sarcastic Halli (trans. George Clark)The Tale of Thorstein Shiver (trans. Anthony Maxwell)The Tale of Audun from the West Fjords (trans. Anthony Maxwell)The Tale of the Story-wise Icelander (trans. Anthony Maxwell)Reference Section:Illustrations and Diagrams: Ships; The Farm; Social and Political StructureGlossaryIndex of Characters

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn alphabet developed by Germanic and Nordic peoples during ancient times, runes were used to represent both simple things and more complex concepts, providing a written form of communication before the latin alphabet was adopted. Today, reading runes are a popular tool for understanding the present and divining the future. Divided into two broad chapters, showing how to use runes, and outlining the full runic alphabet as well as a section on standing runestones, Runes Illustrated provides a compact, accessible guide to this ancient reading system. Discover the basic three rune layout, and how it can help bring clarity when seeking guidance; learn how to arrange the runes in a five rune cast, which offers a more complex reading; discover Uruz, U, which means a wild ox in Elder Futhark, the oldest runic alphabet; and see how runic inscriptions were combined on standing stones to mark burial sites and the deeds of great warriors. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding and with 120 illustrations and photographs of runes, rune readings and runestones, this book will fascinate anyone interested in this ancient writing form and its uses today.Table of ContentsContents to include:Introduction The exact development of the early runic alphabet remains unclear but the script ultimately stems from the Phoenician alphabet. Early runes may have developed from the Raetic, Venetic, Etruscan, or Old Latin as candidates. At the time, all of these scripts had the same angular letter shapes suited for epigraphy, which would become characteristic of the runes and related scripts in the region.1: How to Use Runes Runes are an ancient form of oracle used by those seeking advice. The runes can be used to help guide someone through problems or issues and indicate what is likely to happen. They’re not a form of fortune-telling and don’t offer exact answers or give you advice - rather they offer different variables and suggest how you could behave if the event does occur. Runes are known for hinting towards answers, but leaving you to work out the details using your intuition. Casting the Runes: When you cast the runes, it’s not fortune-telling. The idea behind the way that runes work is that, as you ask a question or think about an issue, your conscious and unconscious minds are focused. When the runes are cast in front of you, they’re not totally random, but are choices that have been made by your subconscious. The Three Rune Layout: With this cast, you should randomly select three runes from your rune bag and place them on the table in front of you. The Five Rune Layout: With the five rune cast, or five rune layout, the aim is to select five runes, one at a time, and lay them down on the cloth in specific places. The Nine Rune Cast: In Norse mythology, nine is a magical number. This cast is best used if you’re trying to determine where you are in your spiritual path and what the next stages or opportunities could be and it’s a cast where you can really put your intuition to good use.2: The Runic Alphabet There are various different types of runic alphabets used on runes, with one of the oldest ones being the old Germanic runic alphabet known as ‘Elder Futhark’. The Elder Futhark contains 24 runes, the first six of which spell out the word ‘futhark’. The Elder Futhark (named after the initial phoneme of the first six rune names: F, U, Þ, A, R and K) has 24 runes, often arranged in three groups of eight runes. Over time this was adapted and in order to use it to write in Anglo-Saxon or Old English, a number of other runes were added to the alphabet, bringing it up to 33. This is known as the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc.Another adaptation is the Younger, or Scandinavian, Futhark, which is believed to have been used in Scandinavia until the 17th century. All of these variations highlight changes that were made as people moved and emigrated to different countries.3: Ancient Runestones There are about 3,000 runestones among the about 6,000 runic inscriptions. The tradition began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, but most of the runestones date from the late Viking Age. Most runestones are located in Scandinavia, but there are also scattered runestones in locations that were visited by Norsemen during the Viking Age. Runestones were often memorials to great men. Includes the Lingsberg Runestone, Möjbro Runestone, Kylver Stone, Stenkvista runestoneAppendices: Materials Runes can be made of various materials, but are most commonly made of stone, and feature a symbol from the runic alphabet on them. Drawstring pouch: Runes are often stored in a little drawstring pouch, to keep them clean and together. Fabric: A rune cloth is a piece of fabric that is used to put the runes on when reading them. Ideally, it should be a small white cloth.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this robust new account of the Vikings, Tom Shippey explores their mindset, and in particular their fascination with scenes of heroic death. The book recounts many of the great bravura scenes of Old Norse literature, including the Fall of the House of the Skjoldungs, the clash between the two great longships Ironbeard and Long Serpent and the death of Thormod the skald. The most exciting book on Vikings for a generation, Laughing Shall I Die presents them for what they were: not peaceful explorers and traders, but bloodthirsty warriors and marauders.Trade Review"A lively retelling of some great stories."--Judith Jesch "Times Literary Supplement" "As tough and uncompromising as the Viking heroes whose lives and deaths it recounts, Shippey's book also shares their dark sense of humor. . . . Shippey upsets entrenched positions, dissects legend from history, and reveals how the Vikings were able to dominate in the North for more than three centuries."--Carolyne Larrington, University of Oxford "author of The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes" "Fascinating . . . Spirited, engaging, and frequently very funny, this book is as memorable and enjoyable as the medieval stories it explores--an unmissable read for anyone interested in the Vikings."--Jennifer Bort Yacovissi "BBC History Magazine" "Here are two take-aways from Shippey's latest book: One, 'Viking' was a job description, not a racial or ethnic designation; and two, a quality demanded of those Vikings was a finely honed, mordant sense of humor that perhaps we modern nine-to-five cubicle-dwellers would find difficult to understand. That sense of humor includes composing, on the spot, even as the composer is being bitten to death by a pit-full of adders, a beautiful song that will be handed down through the ages. The song concludes with the line, 'Laughing shall I die, ' primarily because the dying Viking knows his sons are coming to wreak vengeance on the king who put him in the pit and will subject said king to a longer, slower, far grislier demise. It's pretty funny, apparently, if you're a Viking."--Jennifer Bort Yacovissi "Washington Independent Review of Books" "Magnificent. . . . Lively, friendly and occasionally barbed. . . . Shippey's magnum opus provides not only an exhilarating, mind-expanding appraisal and retelling of Viking history but also an invitation to discover the cold-iron poetry and prose of the medieval North. Take up that invitation."--Michael Dirda "Washington Post" "Shippey sails gallantly between the skerries of faculty-room 'comfort zones, ' defiantly portraying the Vikings 'in their own terms.' . . . He shows us that both literary and archaeological evidence can help to bring us closer to the Old Norse mindset, providing fascinating proof of the Vikings' own intellectual examination of their place in the world."--Karin Altenberg "Wall Street Journal" "Shippey's account of the mindset and motives of Vikings offers a judicious challenge to scholarly orthodoxies, while reaching out to a much broader readership. The horned helmets may have been banished, but the tough-minded and rapacious marauder now reappears in ways that deserve serious attention. . . . A tour de force. Its author has done Viking studies a memorable service."--Andrew Wawn, University of Leeds "author of "Viking Age Iceland" and "Viking Language: Learn Old Norse"" "This new book will become a classic. For me it was a must-read, and a very pleasant one at that. Shippey takes the reader deep into the world and thought of the Vikings. Along with exploring their violence, travels, and technology, he asks: 'what gave them their edge?, ' and 'how did they get away with it for so long?' His answers often focus on the strange (if I may say) amusements of Old Norse heroes. . . . A fine read written by someone who understands Old Norse sagas, myths, and legends."--Jesse Byock, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA "author of "Viking Age Iceland" and "Viking Language: Learn Old Norse"" "With his usual erudition and insight, Shippey has shed some light on an always interesting question: how different from us can a strange people (the Vikings) be and still be considered human? Put another way: what does the difference between how those people see themselves and how we see them say about our capacity for sympathy and understanding? In Shippey's hands the Vikings are a challenging subject, but an illuminating one."--Stephen R. Donaldson, author of "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" "author of "Viking Age Iceland" and "Viking Language: Learn Old Norse"" "Today, much of the popular discourse on the Vikings tends to be directed towards the rehabilitation of medieval Europe's northerly inhabitants as respectable people. In Laughing Shall I Die, Shippey blows this longship out of the water with a thought-provoking and entertaining exploration of the Viking mind-set, which he describes variously as 'psychopathic' and a 'death cult'. . . . Throughout, Shippey's distinctive voice comes across loud and clear: conversational, intelligent, irreverent, darkly comic--not unlike the Old Norse sagas and poems he explores. Psychopathic death cult or otherwise, I suspect the Vikings themselves would have approved of both the tone and the content."--Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough "Literary Review" "Shippey's irresistible new book Laughing Shall I Die is a densely-detailed excavation of the lives, battles, and deaths of the towering figures from the Norse sagas and poems. . . . Flinty, argumentative, bristling with energy--Laughing Shall I Die is not only entertaining and challenging . . . it's also the most Viking Viking book we'll likely see all year."--Steve Donoghue "Open Letters Review" "As a sprawling guide to Viking history, Laughing Shall I Die makes compelling reading. Shippey's wide-ranging survey of the literature is lucid and engaging, presenting his view in a way that's revealing even for readers already familiar with the subject material, and accessible for those who aren't . . . The author's voice is memorable and idiosyncratic, making this an easy and enjoyable read despite its scholarship. Laughing Shall I Die is an informative and entertaining read for anyone interested in the Viking age."--Jennifer Bort Yacovissi "Fortean Times"Table of ContentsMaps Preface Introduction Part I: Dying Hard 1 The Viking Mindset: Three Case Studies 2 Hygelac and Hrolf: False Dawn for the Vikings 3 Volsungs and Nibelungs: Avenging Female Furies 4 Ragnar and the Ragnarssons: Snakebite and Success 5 Egil the Ugly and King Blood-axe: Poetry and the Psychopath Part II: Moving to the Bigger Picture 6 Weaving the Web of War: The Road to Clontarf 7 Two Big Winners: The Road to Normandy 8 Furs and Slaves, Wealth and Death: The Road to Miklagard Part III: The Tale in the North 9 The Jarls and the Jomsvikings: A Study in Drengskapr 10 A Tale of Two Olafs; or, The Tales People Tell 11 A Tale of Two Haralds: Viking Endgame 12 Viking Aftermath: The Nine Grins of Skarphedin Njalsson Appendix A: On Poetry: Types, Texts, Translations Appendix B: On Sagas: Types, Texts, Translations Appendix C: Snorri Sturluson References Bibliography Acknowledgements Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume offers an interdisciplinary and geographically wide-ranging approach to understanding the emergence of towns and commerce in Viking-age Scandinavia and their eventual demise by the end of the period. It tracks the diverging characteristics of urban communities against the background of traditional social structures in the Viking world.Trade Review'In world archaeology, the Baltic Sea in the Viking Age is blessed by 150 years of exceptional excavations and study. This compelling book maps the rise and importance of towns and trade, drawing on this research. It uniquely describes how special economic zones serviced the Viking homelands, intersecting with the sea kings in the West and the Caliphate in the East. More, Kalmring skilfully shows this was part of a larger European history, in which archaeological evidence brings to life the essential background to Viking piracy and colonisation. It is a tour de force worthy of the rich archaeology of the Baltic.' Richard Hodges, OBE, FSE, author of Dark Age Economics: A New Audit (2012)Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. The Viking-age town: Context and academic debate; 3. The Viking world; 4. Cult, jurisdiction and markets: Things and regional fairs at traditional centres of power; 5. Local society and Viking-age towns; 6. An urbanisation based on harbours; 7. Jurisdiction and taxes; 8. Free trade within narrow boundaries; 9. Special economic zones of their time; 10. Development after the inception phase; 11. Discussion: Hedeby's abandonment and the foundation of Slesvig; 12. Summary and conclusions.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisBuild your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right levelBrother Aelred has remarkably smelly feet. To spare the other monks'' noses, he is given the job of tending to the pigs. However, when Viking raiders arrive to attack, loot and pillage the Brothers'' monastery, it is Brother Aelred, the humblest, gentlest monk, who saves the day.Emerald/Band 15 books provide a widening range of genres including science fiction and biography, prompting more ways to respond to texts.Text type A humorous story.An illustrated character web on pages 38 and 39 helps readers to describe Aelred's character.Curriculum links History: Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past? A Viking case study; PE: Invasion games; RE: What do signs and symbols mean in religion?This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume offers an interdisciplinary and geographically wide-ranging approach to understanding the emergence of towns and commerce in Viking-age Scandinavia and their eventual demise by the end of the period. It tracks the diverging characteristics of urban communities against the background of traditional social structures in the Viking world.Trade Review'In world archaeology, the Baltic Sea in the Viking Age is blessed by 150 years of exceptional excavations and study. This compelling book maps the rise and importance of towns and trade, drawing on this research. It uniquely describes how special economic zones serviced the Viking homelands, intersecting with the sea kings in the West and the Caliphate in the East. More, Kalmring skilfully shows this was part of a larger European history, in which archaeological evidence brings to life the essential background to Viking piracy and colonisation. It is a tour de force worthy of the rich archaeology of the Baltic.' Richard Hodges, OBE, FSE, author of Dark Age Economics: A New Audit (2012)Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. The Viking-age town: Context and academic debate; 3. The Viking world; 4. Cult, jurisdiction and markets: Things and regional fairs at traditional centres of power; 5. Local society and Viking-age towns; 6. An urbanisation based on harbours; 7. Jurisdiction and taxes; 8. Free trade within narrow boundaries; 9. Special economic zones of their time; 10. Development after the inception phase; 11. Discussion: Hedeby's abandonment and the foundation of Slesvig; 12. Summary and conclusions.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores the conflict zone of the borderland of South Yorkshire that existed between the kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. An accessible read that will interest anyone who wants to know more about South Yorkshire in this pivotal era.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHalf-brother to Harald Hardrada, Olaf was himself a Viking of some repute.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A superb timeslip novel that stands shoulder to shoulder with some of Barbara Erskine and Diana Gabaldon''s finest works'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review''This epic romance is sure to sweep you off your feet!'' TAKE A BREAK Brimming with romance, adventure and vivid historical detail, Christina Courtenay does for the Vikings what Diana Gabaldon''s Outlander and Clanlans does for Scottish history............................................................................Separated by time. Brought together by fate. Indulging her fascination for the Viking language and losing herself in an archaeological dig is just what Linnea Berger needs after her recent trauma. Uncovering an exquisite brooch, she blacks out reading the runic inscription, only to come to, surrounded by men in Viking costume, who seem to take re-enactment very seriously.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRaider. Conqueror. King. Saint. This is the story of Olav Haraldsson, the greatest Viking who ever lived. A ruthless Viking warrior who named his most prized battle weapon after the Norse goddess of death, Olav Haraldsson and his mercenaries wrought terror and destruction from the Baltic to Galicia in the early eleventh century. Thousands were put to the sword, enslaved or ransomed. In England, Canterbury was sacked, its archbishop murdered and London Bridge pulled down. The loot amassed from years of plunder helped Olav win the throne of Norway, and a century after his death he was proclaimed ‘Eternal King’ and has been a national hero there ever since. Despite his bloodthirsty beginnings, Olav converted to Christianity and, in a personal vendetta against the old Norse gods, made Norway Christian too, thereby changing irrevocably the Viking world he was born into. Told with reference to Norse sagas, early chronicles and the work of modern scholars, Desmond Seward paints an intensely vivid and colourful portrait of the life and times of arguably the greatest Viking of them all.Trade Review'All books about historical subjects should be as good as this one: but very few actually are' * Undiscovered Scotland *'Paints an intensely vivid and colourful portrait of the life and times of arguably the greatest Viking of them all' -- Michael Alexander * Dundee Courier *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of Aelfred the Great, his war against the Vikings and the foundations of modern Britain. In AD 865, a 'great host' of battle-hardened Norse warriors landed on England's eastern coast, overwhelmed East Anglia with terrifying swiftness and laid the North to waste. Ghosting along estuaries and inshore waters, in 871 they penetrated deep into the southern kingdom of Wessex, ruled over by a new and untested king, Ælfred son of Æðelwulf. It seemed as though the End of Days was come. Max Adams tells the story of the heroic efforts of Ælfred, his successors and fellow-kings of Britain, to adapt and survive in the face of an apocalyptic threat; and in so doing, to lay the foundations of the nations of modern Britain in all their regional diversity.Trade ReviewThis engrossing history of the British people between the first Viking raids in 865 and the expulsion of the Vikings from York in 954 is notable for being a more nuanced portrait of that era... Lands other than Wessex come into fascinating new focus' * The Bookseller *An evocative look at a period that continues to grab the popular imagination * History Revealed *This is much more than a book about the Vikings versus King Alfred... [Adams'] great achievement is to cover events throughout the whole of Britain with some excursions into Ireland and Europe as well' * TLS *A beautifully crafted and impeccably compiled book, and one that is certainly a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in the events and figures that moulded Britain during the reign of the Vikings * All About History *Essential reading for all those interested in late Anglo-Saxon Britain * Historical Novel Society *Adams very usefully drops from the macro-narratives to detailed examples of what all this meant to people at ground level, using the evidence of coins and charters and, especially, archaeology – much of which exposes the written chronicles and histories as propaganda... A great virtue of his book – in following the archaeologists and the geographers, the reconstructors and the genealogists, Adams never forgets to ask what it looked like to the people on the ground' * London Review of Books *Brilliantly combining history and archaeological research with an eye for the terrain [Aelfred's Britain is] a compelling read that is as knowledgeable on warfare in the Middle Ages as it is on civic life in Saxon London and Viking York * The Lady *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHistory is cool and everything, but it alwaysseems to focus on the adults... and adultsare boring. If you have ever wanted to know whatlife would be like for a kid like you in the Viking times, then this is the book for you. It turnsout that history is not always kind to kids. If youdo not like gross, icky or silly history then DONOT OPEN THIS BOOK!

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less