The Viking Heart: How Scandinavians Conquered the World
Aug 2021 · Sold by HarperCollins
4.3star
3 reviews
Ebook
512
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About this ebook
“An absorbing and humane account . . . Mr. Herman is at pains to remind us that the Viking world was never just a stage for mayhem. It was, he says, ‘about daring to reach for more than the universe had gifted you, no matter the odds and the obstacles.’ In short: We might all take our own life’s cue from the Viking heart.”—The Wall Street Journal
From a New York Times best-selling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist, a sweeping epic of how the Vikings and their descendants have shaped history and America
Scandinavia has always been a world apart. For millennia Norwegians, Danes, Finns, and Swedes lived a remote and rugged existence among the fjords and peaks of the land of the midnight sun. But when they finally left their homeland in search of opportunity, these wanderers—including the most famous, the Vikings—would reshape Europe and beyond. Their ingenuity, daring, resiliency, and loyalty to family and community would propel them to the gates of Rome, the steppes of Russia, the courts of Constantinople, and the castles of England and Ireland. But nowhere would they leave a deeper mark than across the Atlantic, where the Vikings’ legacy would become the American Dream.
From a New York Times best-selling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist, a sweeping epic of how the Vikings and their descendants have shaped history and America
Scandinavia has always been a world apart. For millennia Norwegians, Danes, Finns, and Swedes lived a remote and rugged existence among the fjords and peaks of the land of the midnight sun. But when they finally left their homeland in search of opportunity, these wanderers—including the most famous, the Vikings—would reshape Europe and beyond. Their ingenuity, daring, resiliency, and loyalty to family and community would propel them to the gates of Rome, the steppes of Russia, the courts of Constantinople, and the castles of England and Ireland. But nowhere would they leave a deeper mark than across the Atlantic, where the Vikings’ legacy would become the American Dream.
In The Viking Heart, Arthur Herman melds a compelling historical narrative with cutting-edge archaeological and DNA research to trace the epic story of this remarkable and diverse people. He shows how the Scandinavian experience has universal meaning, and how we can still be inspired by their indomitable spirit.
Ratings and reviews
4.3
3 reviews
Janice Tangen
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May 11, 2021
Norse, European-history, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, history-trivia, cultural-exploration, cultural-heritage***** Who is the most influential author of all time (besides God or Allah)? Snorri Sturluson! Without his Eddas there would be no Lord of the Rings, Ragnar, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter (and a whole lot more). And he was only one of the influencers detailed in this comfortable and well-researched read about the Norse influences from BCE to the present. This is history in fairly chronological order with in text references to stuff we know today but without being stuffy or pedantic. There are pictures and quotes as well. I am writing this review before finishing this book but after I have pre-ordered print copies for two of my sons (one of whom graduated UMnDuluth with history honors) and an ebook for myself. I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via NetGalley. Thank you!
About the author
ARTHUR HERMAN is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the author of nine books, including the New York Times bestseller How the Scots Invented the Modern World and Gandhi and Churchill, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He lives in Washington, DC.
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