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carolinastrong1994's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Immensely enjoyable and informative.
bearprof's review
3.0
Some of it was very interesting, but some of the metaphors, analogies, and speculations were too much for me.
pecsenye's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.0
I really really want to like this book, but it doesn't live up to its promise to analyze the history and present of the Scandinavian character. It's just a long, tedious recitation of facts from 2000 years. His writing style is laborious and kind of backwards, so even his telling of the story of Knute Rockne is difficult to plow through. And there's no analysis.
kjcarl123's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
I made it about 1/3 of the way thru, and then I got tired of all the wars. But I'll be back.
I came back to the book a year later. This time I listened to it, but went to the library to read the end.
This has to be my favorite read of 23 and 24. It's early in the year, so you never know. It was dry in parts, and drifted onto other tangents, but the book gave me so arguments as to why Scandinavians have excelled in so many ways. Hard work, a sense of community and the freedom to be you.
We are all in this together.
My favorite quote:
Happiness is the struggle towards a summit and, when it is attained, it is happiness to glimpse new summits on the other side.
Fridtjof Nansen
I came back to the book a year later. This time I listened to it, but went to the library to read the end.
This has to be my favorite read of 23 and 24. It's early in the year, so you never know. It was dry in parts, and drifted onto other tangents, but the book gave me so arguments as to why Scandinavians have excelled in so many ways. Hard work, a sense of community and the freedom to be you.
We are all in this together.
My favorite quote:
Happiness is the struggle towards a summit and, when it is attained, it is happiness to glimpse new summits on the other side.
Fridtjof Nansen
jdintr's review
1.0
This is a deep dive into Scandinavian history by an American historian who traces his own ancestry to the region.
It was broader than I expected. About half of the book is about the era that readers will traditionally associate with the Vikings. Herman shows how climactic shifts triggered migrations from Scandinavia into Northern Europe at the dawn of history, and throughout Europe and North Africa in the Dark Ages. Along with sympathetic assessments of the Viking (the word was more of a job title, aka "raider" or "pirate") incursions into England and Ireland, Herman highlights technological, legal and social developments connected to the Norsemen and women.
The last third of the book, follows the Scandinavian migrations to America during its first 150 years. Drawing on experiences of his own immigrant ancestors, Herman shows how Scandinavians settled the upper midwestern United States, fought for the Union in the Civil War, and contributed to the effort in World War II. He also features Scandinavian-American heroes like Knute Rockne, Charles Lindburgh.
Even though I, myself, have Scandinavian heritage, I found the book to be tedious, too detailed. I think a better editor would have made this more Viking-focused and less about Scandinavia and then Scandinavian-Americans. Still, I would recommend this as a gift for those who have friends and relatives of Scandinavian descent. It is not for those with merely a casual interest, however.
Special thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the galley in return for this honest review.
It was broader than I expected. About half of the book is about the era that readers will traditionally associate with the Vikings. Herman shows how climactic shifts triggered migrations from Scandinavia into Northern Europe at the dawn of history, and throughout Europe and North Africa in the Dark Ages. Along with sympathetic assessments of the Viking (the word was more of a job title, aka "raider" or "pirate") incursions into England and Ireland, Herman highlights technological, legal and social developments connected to the Norsemen and women.
The last third of the book, follows the Scandinavian migrations to America during its first 150 years. Drawing on experiences of his own immigrant ancestors, Herman shows how Scandinavians settled the upper midwestern United States, fought for the Union in the Civil War, and contributed to the effort in World War II. He also features Scandinavian-American heroes like Knute Rockne, Charles Lindburgh.
Even though I, myself, have Scandinavian heritage, I found the book to be tedious, too detailed. I think a better editor would have made this more Viking-focused and less about Scandinavia and then Scandinavian-Americans. Still, I would recommend this as a gift for those who have friends and relatives of Scandinavian descent. It is not for those with merely a casual interest, however.
Special thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the galley in return for this honest review.
modernviking's review
3.0
Essentially a Greatest Hits of Scandinavia, from Gorm the Old to Fridtjof Nansen. First part is a typical norse history, but then expands into all the derivative empires (Normans, Rus, etc.) ending with a heavy emphasis on Scandinavian emigrants to the US.
rogerjpatterson's review
1.0
Only read the first 60 pages of this book that was given to me as a gift. The Preface was full of promise of exploring the factors that affected Nordic culture and the impact of that culture on the world. But the Preface was pretty much it. The next two chapters were just extended apologies (and not very good ones) of the violence of the Norse in different settings, and I didn't see much promise for the rest of it. Perhaps I will pick it up again when I don't have other compelling books demanding my attention (like that will ever happen).
sleepyboi2988's review
3.0
I received a copy for free in exchange for an honest review; my thanks to NetGalley and the author!
A well-written and exciting theorem on how the Vikings and the Norse peoples have influenced world affairs since bursting onto the scene post-Western Roman Empire.
The author goes to great lengths, sometimes a bit too great for my tastes, to prove his ideas, some of which I question. Hard to fault this book though, it is incredibly readable and digestible as a history.
A well-written and exciting theorem on how the Vikings and the Norse peoples have influenced world affairs since bursting onto the scene post-Western Roman Empire.
The author goes to great lengths, sometimes a bit too great for my tastes, to prove his ideas, some of which I question. Hard to fault this book though, it is incredibly readable and digestible as a history.