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The Myths That Shape the Way We Think
The Norse Myths That Shape the Way We Think
A fresh look at the stories at the heart of Norse mythology, exploring their cultural impact up to the present day.
This brilliantly original and accessible guide explores how Valhalla and its Valkyries have inspired our cultural landscape, from Wagner to the Marvel Universe. Carolyne Larrington’s elegantly written retellings capture the beauty of the original myths, while also delving deeper into the history of their meanings, offering the reader an intelligent and up-to-date take on these powerful stories.
A ruggedly handsome blond man swings his huge hammer. Gaunt-faced figures with icicle crowns and frost-rimmed cheekbones march from the north through an endless winter. These strange supernatural figures might sound familiar―and also like creatures of myth and legend. Yet they haven’t stepped straight off the vellum of ancient manuscripts. Rather, these compelling characters are contemporary reimaginings of mythic figures from Old Norse mythology. All speak to our contemporary hopes and fears, bridging the gap between a vanished medieval past and a vibrant, living present. Larrington guides us on an enchanting journey through centuries of heroism, cruelty, and magic, while also exploring how these stories speak to the enduring human condition. This book is for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of Norse mythology and its cultural resonances through the centuries. 14 color and 85 black-and-white illustrations
This brilliantly original and accessible guide explores how Valhalla and its Valkyries have inspired our cultural landscape, from Wagner to the Marvel Universe. Carolyne Larrington’s elegantly written retellings capture the beauty of the original myths, while also delving deeper into the history of their meanings, offering the reader an intelligent and up-to-date take on these powerful stories.
A ruggedly handsome blond man swings his huge hammer. Gaunt-faced figures with icicle crowns and frost-rimmed cheekbones march from the north through an endless winter. These strange supernatural figures might sound familiar―and also like creatures of myth and legend. Yet they haven’t stepped straight off the vellum of ancient manuscripts. Rather, these compelling characters are contemporary reimaginings of mythic figures from Old Norse mythology. All speak to our contemporary hopes and fears, bridging the gap between a vanished medieval past and a vibrant, living present. Larrington guides us on an enchanting journey through centuries of heroism, cruelty, and magic, while also exploring how these stories speak to the enduring human condition. This book is for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of Norse mythology and its cultural resonances through the centuries. 14 color and 85 black-and-white illustrations
305 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2023
About the author
Carolyne Larrington
52 books115 followersCarolyne Larrington is a Tutorial Fellow in English at St. John's College, Oxford.
Dr. Carolyne Larrington teaches medieval English literature in the college, ranging from the earliest Old English to the beginning of the Renaissance period.
Dr Larrington's research interests are in Old Icelandic literature, medieval women's writing, European Arthurian literature, and, most recently, medieval emotion. She has published on Old English and Old Icelandic wisdom poetry, compiled Women and Writing in Medieval Europe: A Sourcebook and edited two collections of essays on the Old Norse Poetic Edda. Her revised and expanded translation of the Poetic Edda, just published, is the standard. Her most recent monograph is King Arthur's Enchantresses: Morgan and Her Sisters in Arthurian Tradition which appeared from IB Tauris in June 2006. Her book on sibling relations in European medieval literature, and a new popular book on British folklore, The Land of the Green Man will be published in 2015; a BBC Radio 4 series based on the folklore book has also been commissioned. She is currently editing a collection of essays on emotion in Arthurian literature, and a Handbook to Eddic Poetry. She has been until recently editor-in-chief of the journal Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, and the President of the Viking Society for Northern Research, the British scholarly society for Old Norse study.
(from https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/945-714/Dr-C...)
Dr. Carolyne Larrington teaches medieval English literature in the college, ranging from the earliest Old English to the beginning of the Renaissance period.
Dr Larrington's research interests are in Old Icelandic literature, medieval women's writing, European Arthurian literature, and, most recently, medieval emotion. She has published on Old English and Old Icelandic wisdom poetry, compiled Women and Writing in Medieval Europe: A Sourcebook and edited two collections of essays on the Old Norse Poetic Edda. Her revised and expanded translation of the Poetic Edda, just published, is the standard. Her most recent monograph is King Arthur's Enchantresses: Morgan and Her Sisters in Arthurian Tradition which appeared from IB Tauris in June 2006. Her book on sibling relations in European medieval literature, and a new popular book on British folklore, The Land of the Green Man will be published in 2015; a BBC Radio 4 series based on the folklore book has also been commissioned. She is currently editing a collection of essays on emotion in Arthurian literature, and a Handbook to Eddic Poetry. She has been until recently editor-in-chief of the journal Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, and the President of the Viking Society for Northern Research, the British scholarly society for Old Norse study.
(from https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/945-714/Dr-C...)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Did Not Finish
April 17, 2025This was fine and interesting, just not what I expected narratively when I picked it up on vacation.
July 14, 2023
Really solid exploration into the evolutions of the way we use and view the norse myths. I would have like more depth in some areas but also recognise she's trying to cover a huge amount therefore it's giving more of an overview and ideas of where to start when looking into them further. Lots and lots of books gone on to my tbr from this, both for scholarship and fiction. Exploring the ways different novels use the Norse Myths has inevitably led to spoilers tho 😅 (especially American Gods). Also, it is a good indication of what not to read and the negative/harmful ways the Norse Myths have been adopted by certain groups. The wealth of illustrations and images from different periods of history in this book is amazing. Very well stocked with pictures to reference both in the plate pages and throughout the chapters. Even pulled out the odd point that I can use in my research.
July 8, 2023
This is a brilliantly researched and written book about the Norse myths and the effect they have on modern stories and even events.
Each chapter is set out with a brief summary of the myth at the beginning, and then go on to tell the story of how those myths have been used in different texts and sources as wide ranging as Wagner operas and the marvel movies. The illustrations in this book are very clear and useful and allow the author to talk about the impact the myths have had on the visual arts as well. I was pleased to see the inclusion of modern writers such as Joanne Harris and Genevieve Gornichec bringin the text right up to date.
I really enjoyed this book and I certainly learned a lot about a subject I felt I knew a fair amount about already.
It is written by Carolyne Larrington who also wrote The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes. Which would make a brilliant accompanying text to this book.
Thank you to the publisher for a readers copy of this book.
Each chapter is set out with a brief summary of the myth at the beginning, and then go on to tell the story of how those myths have been used in different texts and sources as wide ranging as Wagner operas and the marvel movies. The illustrations in this book are very clear and useful and allow the author to talk about the impact the myths have had on the visual arts as well. I was pleased to see the inclusion of modern writers such as Joanne Harris and Genevieve Gornichec bringin the text right up to date.
I really enjoyed this book and I certainly learned a lot about a subject I felt I knew a fair amount about already.
It is written by Carolyne Larrington who also wrote The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes. Which would make a brilliant accompanying text to this book.
Thank you to the publisher for a readers copy of this book.
October 6, 2026
This is the first time a book makes me want to write a review where I explain (rather terribly) the reasons why I didn't like it.
It's simply not what I was expecting. The title of the book is misleading.
The most interesting parts of this book are when the myths are presented. Afterwards, we get a tiny amount of actual sociological interpretations of Norse myths; this is what the book lacks the most and what the title explicitly presented as its main focus. Unfortunately, most of this book is just retelling of Norse myths in popular culture through pretty boring examples.
I was also very disappointed by the obvious idealization of ruzzian history that promotes its propaganda.
It's simply not what I was expecting. The title of the book is misleading.
The most interesting parts of this book are when the myths are presented. Afterwards, we get a tiny amount of actual sociological interpretations of Norse myths; this is what the book lacks the most and what the title explicitly presented as its main focus. Unfortunately, most of this book is just retelling of Norse myths in popular culture through pretty boring examples.
I was also very disappointed by the obvious idealization of ruzzian history that promotes its propaganda.
August 17, 2023
The Norse Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Carolyne Larrington is a fantastic book that discusses how Norse mythology has changed our culture and how it continues to influence it today. This is not a book teaching the old myths but is quite fascinating for anyone familiar with that lore. As an author of Nordic-inspired fantasy, I highly recommend it for anyone passionate about this subject.
May 4, 2025
more like The Way We Think That Shapes The Norse Myths
mannnn, modern interpretations are so lame i cringed every time the author dived into gaiman (imo the author grants him waaayyy too much attention), or marvel, or etc
but i still appreciate insight into some lesser known legends/sagas that were nee to me
mannnn, modern interpretations are so lame i cringed every time the author dived into gaiman (imo the author grants him waaayyy too much attention), or marvel, or etc
but i still appreciate insight into some lesser known legends/sagas that were nee to me
March 19, 2026
I was hoping for something more broadly sociological, but the main focus of the book is representation of Norse myth in popular culture, with way too much about the rapist Neil Gaiman and vapid Marvel movies. There are interesting tidbits about the history behind the myths and some supporting archaeology, but this is mostly uninteresting and irrelevant pop culture references.
Read
May 7, 2023Rating and more in-depth review to come later, maybe. I'm mulling over the postscript and not in the best way. It was enjoyable in the first half, not gonna lie! I picked the book up after watching the Dr. Larrington speak on Dr. Jackson Crawford's channel on YouTube.
August 6, 2023
this book took me forever i’ll tell you that. lovely lovely writing and use of words. i highlighted a lot of passages just because i liked the way they were written. really interesring and informative but i got a little bored at times. overall recommend
November 25, 2023
Interesting, insightful and easily accessible about Norse mythology in our time, especially how it is portrayed in popular culture. For anyone who has read Gaiman, Tolkien or Martin to name a few, or watched Game of Thrones or The Vikings, there is something to be gained here.
June 26, 2025
no fault of the author but i was just incredibly confused the whole time. probably because everything was so hard to pronounce it took up all my brain cells. other than that, this was actually pretty interesting!! thanks father for the recommendation 🙏
January 18, 2024
Norse Myths part = interesting
Shaping the way we think part = sort of lacking
Shaping the way we think part = sort of lacking
November 29, 2024
非常有意思的知识补充。
June 1, 2025
An engaging analysis of Norse myths and motifs.
September 2, 2024
This is a decent reference book for those interested in the storytelling tropes in Norse mythology. Each chapter reviews a common myth or character and traces its literary lineage from the Eddas to modern-day adaptations. The writing is very approachable for novice readers and acts as a very approachable introduction for those who are new to Norse mythology.
December 16, 2023
This book is truly the best thing to read if you want to learn about Norse mythology. She somehow fits everything important and the small little details that aren’t into this.
June 15, 2026
This was a thought-provoking exploration of Norse mythology. Through comparisons of major publications against each other and to "orginal" texts, Larrington recounts our modern understanding of Norse stories and historical figures.
Larrington establishes early on that the reader must approach without the expectation of fact. Though less than satisfying, that is the nature of an honest and faithful approach to studying cultures that had few written records: there is no true way to know what people were like or what they believed.
Much of the time, this book dictates summaries of book and movie tellings of Norse myth and makes light comparisons and contrasts, leaving the reader/me with boat-loads of spoilers, many many names to remember, and broad impressions of the ways Norse stories have been retold. But what makes this book worthwhile is how Larrington unifies each chapter in sum, and ties elements together as the reader's/my understanding compounds. With patience, and flipping around a bit for reminders (the index is useful!), this book is a truly thoughtful and highly relevant exploration of how these rich, complex stories of old—the unshakable bravery of Vikings, corruptions of the highest powers, consequences of both sly and faithful actions, and the omnipresent portending of the end of the world—are so relevant and attractive to modern audiences.
The passages I found most compelling were ones that illustrated the similarities between the Norse religion and modern Christianity, and detailed historical records of times when those cultures merged. I did not know much about Norse myths nor how religions gave way to others, and this book broadened and added depth to my historical understanding in those areas!
The last thing I will note is that this book was largely impressive in its ability to examine how Norse myths, and the ethos of their culture, affect our world today. These tales of Vikings, heroes, and all-knowing yet humanlike gods have attracted many cultures and radical subgroups. Notably, Wagner's operas were strong homogeneous harbingers to Nazis leading up to WWII, and faulty—as Larrington points out—conceptualizations of Viking masculinity have been adopted by radical right wingers in the USA (see the 'QAnon Shaman'). This fact adds a cautionary lens to readers/watchers of these stories. The Norse sagas and their characters are heart-rending and dynamic and noble at the same time as they are dark and violent and troublesome. They are inspiring legends, but ones that must be approached with the caution of a historian who, as we were warned from the start, cannot look through narrow lenses to adopt interpretations that we cannot faithfully claim.
Larrington establishes early on that the reader must approach without the expectation of fact. Though less than satisfying, that is the nature of an honest and faithful approach to studying cultures that had few written records: there is no true way to know what people were like or what they believed.
Much of the time, this book dictates summaries of book and movie tellings of Norse myth and makes light comparisons and contrasts, leaving the reader/me with boat-loads of spoilers, many many names to remember, and broad impressions of the ways Norse stories have been retold. But what makes this book worthwhile is how Larrington unifies each chapter in sum, and ties elements together as the reader's/my understanding compounds. With patience, and flipping around a bit for reminders (the index is useful!), this book is a truly thoughtful and highly relevant exploration of how these rich, complex stories of old—the unshakable bravery of Vikings, corruptions of the highest powers, consequences of both sly and faithful actions, and the omnipresent portending of the end of the world—are so relevant and attractive to modern audiences.
The passages I found most compelling were ones that illustrated the similarities between the Norse religion and modern Christianity, and detailed historical records of times when those cultures merged. I did not know much about Norse myths nor how religions gave way to others, and this book broadened and added depth to my historical understanding in those areas!
The last thing I will note is that this book was largely impressive in its ability to examine how Norse myths, and the ethos of their culture, affect our world today. These tales of Vikings, heroes, and all-knowing yet humanlike gods have attracted many cultures and radical subgroups. Notably, Wagner's operas were strong homogeneous harbingers to Nazis leading up to WWII, and faulty—as Larrington points out—conceptualizations of Viking masculinity have been adopted by radical right wingers in the USA (see the 'QAnon Shaman'). This fact adds a cautionary lens to readers/watchers of these stories. The Norse sagas and their characters are heart-rending and dynamic and noble at the same time as they are dark and violent and troublesome. They are inspiring legends, but ones that must be approached with the caution of a historian who, as we were warned from the start, cannot look through narrow lenses to adopt interpretations that we cannot faithfully claim.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews