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Song of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths
Much like Greek and Roman mythology, Norse myths are still with us. Famous storytellers from JRR Tolkien to Neil Gaiman have drawn their inspiration from the long-haired, mead-drinking, marauding and pillaging Vikings. Their creator is a thirteenth-century Icelandic chieftain by the name of Snorri Sturluson. Like Homer, Snorri was a bard, writing down and embellishing the folklore and pagan legends of medieval Scandinavia. Unlike Homer, Snorri was a man of the world--a wily political power player, one of the richest men in Iceland who came close to ruling it, and even closer to betraying it... In "Song of the Vikings," award-winning author Nancy Marie Brown brings Snorri Sturluson's story to life in a richly textured narrative that draws on newly available sources.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 30, 2012
86 people are currently reading
1386 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Marie Brown
23 books217 followersMy books combine extremes: Science and sagas. Science and faith. History and fantasy. They ask, What have we overlooked? Whose story must not be forgotten? For 20 years, I worked as a science writer at Penn State University. Now I write from a farm in Vermont, where the days are quiet and cool. Icelandic horses graze outside my windows, and every summer I travel to Iceland in search of adventure--and inspiration.
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May 23, 2021This might be the only book in English specifically about Snorri Sturluson. If so, it provides a long-overdue examination of one of the most important writers of the Middle Ages, the man to whom we owe most of what we know about one of the world's greatest mythological traditions.
From the names of the days of the week, to their influence on Wagnerian opera and contemporary fantasy literature, the gods and heroes of the Vikings are embedded in our language and culture. Yet they might have been lost to history but for Snorri's efforts to preserve them. We owe him a collective debt of gratitude for that. We owe additional thanks to Nancy Marie Brown for celebrating Snorri's achievements in this book.
That said, I can't recommend it without qualification. It has a loose, somewhat sloppy structure, so that at times it reads more like a late draft than a quite-finished product. Her chapters on the medieval Icelandic scene include a barrage of strange and intimidating names that most readers won’t remember, or need to. Her summaries of the Norse myths themselves, while enjoyable, will probably already be familiar to just about anyone who picks up this book, raising the question as to why they were included to begin with. Overall, Song of the Vikings impresses me as padded and lacking in focus.
There’s a great book to be written about the life and legacy of Snorri Sturluson. Here we must settle for a merely adequate one.
From the names of the days of the week, to their influence on Wagnerian opera and contemporary fantasy literature, the gods and heroes of the Vikings are embedded in our language and culture. Yet they might have been lost to history but for Snorri's efforts to preserve them. We owe him a collective debt of gratitude for that. We owe additional thanks to Nancy Marie Brown for celebrating Snorri's achievements in this book.
That said, I can't recommend it without qualification. It has a loose, somewhat sloppy structure, so that at times it reads more like a late draft than a quite-finished product. Her chapters on the medieval Icelandic scene include a barrage of strange and intimidating names that most readers won’t remember, or need to. Her summaries of the Norse myths themselves, while enjoyable, will probably already be familiar to just about anyone who picks up this book, raising the question as to why they were included to begin with. Overall, Song of the Vikings impresses me as padded and lacking in focus.
There’s a great book to be written about the life and legacy of Snorri Sturluson. Here we must settle for a merely adequate one.
May 1, 2013
Less myth and more Snorri than I was expecting based on the author's essays on Tor.com.
I found that in parts it devolved into lists of names who were related to other lists of names who... were really dull.
Also, the weasel words are really heavy in this book. There's a whole lot of "Snorri may have..." or "Snorri could have..." Given that the book was plugged as taking us behind the curtain of the Edda, that the evidence pretty much boils down to the author's opinion was a bit of a let down.
In terms of ebook pickiness, I also hated the ways notes were handled here. There were no references in the chapters to the end notes, so for most of the book, I thought the author had simply failed to back up any of her claims. Instead, about 40% of the book was end notes that one would have to flip back to the chapter in question to look up.
All in all, I wasn't that impressed with the book. It didn't follow through on the promise of going deeply into the Norse myths. It was an interesting book on medieval Icelandic society, and on Snorri Sturlason, but I felt like I was drawn in with a promise that was left unfulfilled.
I found that in parts it devolved into lists of names who were related to other lists of names who... were really dull.
Also, the weasel words are really heavy in this book. There's a whole lot of "Snorri may have..." or "Snorri could have..." Given that the book was plugged as taking us behind the curtain of the Edda, that the evidence pretty much boils down to the author's opinion was a bit of a let down.
In terms of ebook pickiness, I also hated the ways notes were handled here. There were no references in the chapters to the end notes, so for most of the book, I thought the author had simply failed to back up any of her claims. Instead, about 40% of the book was end notes that one would have to flip back to the chapter in question to look up.
All in all, I wasn't that impressed with the book. It didn't follow through on the promise of going deeply into the Norse myths. It was an interesting book on medieval Icelandic society, and on Snorri Sturlason, but I felt like I was drawn in with a promise that was left unfulfilled.
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December 14, 2014This is an odd mixture, a biography of Snorri along with synopses of Norse mythology.
I'm not sure who Brown thinks the audience for this book is -- anyone who knows enough to want to read it wouldn't need the retellings of the stories. I enjoyed reading it, I gained some information, especially about the context of the writing of the Edda, I boggled at the fact that Snorri lived at the same time as St Francis (or even on the same planet...) and it left me with a strong desire to visit Iceland. But it also left me unsatisfied -- and I did feel that she either shouldn't have covered modern post-Tolkien fantasy at all or done it more thoroughly. When I read something cursorily skimming over a subject I know about, it makes me dubious about the sections I didn't know anything about and wonder if they were just as superficial.
I'm not sure who Brown thinks the audience for this book is -- anyone who knows enough to want to read it wouldn't need the retellings of the stories. I enjoyed reading it, I gained some information, especially about the context of the writing of the Edda, I boggled at the fact that Snorri lived at the same time as St Francis (or even on the same planet...) and it left me with a strong desire to visit Iceland. But it also left me unsatisfied -- and I did feel that she either shouldn't have covered modern post-Tolkien fantasy at all or done it more thoroughly. When I read something cursorily skimming over a subject I know about, it makes me dubious about the sections I didn't know anything about and wonder if they were just as superficial.
November 22, 2015
Norse mythology and the viking sagas are the basis for almost all modern fantasy, starting with Tolkien and up through Game of Thrones. And almost everything we know about Norse mythology comes down to us in the 800-year-old writings of one man: Snorri Sturluson. This book is his biography.
Snorri was not primarily a skald (aka bard or poet), or a writer. Storytelling was a hobby; his day job was amassing power through politics and war, eventually leading to him becoming the lawspeaker at the Althing and the most powerful chieftain in Iceland. He also built lavish homes for himself, fathered many children, participated in the debates about how Christianity fit into Icelandic life, and politicked on Iceland's relationship to the growing empire of Denmark over the sea to the east. Snorri's enemies eventually caught up with him and assassinated him.
This book will be best enjoyed by someone who is already familiar with (and fascinated by) Norse mythology: Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki, Ragnarok, valkyries, frost giants, Fenrir, the Midgard serpent, and so on.
One reason why Snorri's life matters so much in understanding Norse mythology is because he brought his own influences to the stories. For example, he depicts Thor as a bumbling oaf; but Thor must have been well-respected by Scandinavians of the time, given the number of male children named Thor. Snorri writes the stories to put Odin in the most favorable light. Odin achieves his ends through being clever, resourceful, knowledgeable, and sometimes manipulative. (This is in fact how Snorri built his power: he wasn't a great warrior, but instead he knew how to influence people and organize them to his benefit.)
So since Snorri's writings are almost the only written record of the Norse sagas, it's clear that we don't have anywhere near a complete picture of what Scandinavians from this era really believed, let alone what those from the peak of the Viking age (which around 500 years before Snorri's time) believed.
Wonderful book which I enjoyed very much.
Snorri was not primarily a skald (aka bard or poet), or a writer. Storytelling was a hobby; his day job was amassing power through politics and war, eventually leading to him becoming the lawspeaker at the Althing and the most powerful chieftain in Iceland. He also built lavish homes for himself, fathered many children, participated in the debates about how Christianity fit into Icelandic life, and politicked on Iceland's relationship to the growing empire of Denmark over the sea to the east. Snorri's enemies eventually caught up with him and assassinated him.
This book will be best enjoyed by someone who is already familiar with (and fascinated by) Norse mythology: Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki, Ragnarok, valkyries, frost giants, Fenrir, the Midgard serpent, and so on.
One reason why Snorri's life matters so much in understanding Norse mythology is because he brought his own influences to the stories. For example, he depicts Thor as a bumbling oaf; but Thor must have been well-respected by Scandinavians of the time, given the number of male children named Thor. Snorri writes the stories to put Odin in the most favorable light. Odin achieves his ends through being clever, resourceful, knowledgeable, and sometimes manipulative. (This is in fact how Snorri built his power: he wasn't a great warrior, but instead he knew how to influence people and organize them to his benefit.)
So since Snorri's writings are almost the only written record of the Norse sagas, it's clear that we don't have anywhere near a complete picture of what Scandinavians from this era really believed, let alone what those from the peak of the Viking age (which around 500 years before Snorri's time) believed.
Wonderful book which I enjoyed very much.
November 11, 2014
This biography about the 13th century Icelandic Chieftain, Snorri Sturluson, who was murdered in his cellar when he angered King Haakon IV of Norway, is engrossing and slow at times. Full of great literary facts, sometimes the pacing got bogged down with all the different relatives vying for power. Perhaps if I had written the names down as I was reading, I wouldn't have gotten tripped up at times. I read 40 minutes everyday and perhaps one sitting would have helped me keep everyone straight. Nancy Marie Brown has a straight-forward narrative that is easy to read and engaging. She does a terrific job bringing to life the customs and lifestyle of the Icelandic people.
Snorri's famous books, "Heimskringla" and "Edda," were written on the history of Norwegian kings and Norse mythology and they had an enormous impact on literature, influencing the rise of the gothic novel in the 1700s, inspiring J.R.R. Tolkien, and leaving a footprint that can be seen in the immensely popular modern day Marvel comic movies and Game of Thrones television series. Snorri married a rich heiress and became a chieftain later acquiring more chiefdoms. An accomplished lawyer, he was chosen three times as lawspeaker for the Althing which is like being president of parliament. He got into trouble with King Haakon in his late 50s when he disobeyed the King's order to stay in Norway and returned to Iceland. The King sought consequences for Snorri's disobedience and Snorri's main rival that wanted to usurp him was quite willing to carry out the death sentence.
Snorri was a brilliant storyteller and brought to life the Norse gods of old making them "peculiarly human." The gods had limitations and were not particularly smart. They liked to play games on each other, joke, and be cruel. They also knew that the end of the world was coming but they didn't know how to stop it or save the world. Snorri adds humor and entertainment and while the poems are difficult to understand because of their complex style, they had a resurgence in the 1700s. Brown ties mythology with national history and shows how it evolves to some extent. She doesn't delve deeply into it but I found the few links she does make tantalizing. I'd like to explore this topic more.
Brown's writing didn't feel as cohesive as her other book I read, "The Far-Traveler." The narrative felt scattered at times and while I know some of that is due to the long genealogies, I also felt the main focus got lost at times as she points out Snorri's skills as lawyer, historian, and poet. The section on kennings and how complex the poems are was really fascinating and I wished it had been closer to the beginning. I kept wondering why she wasn't quoting his poems. As she gives an example then I realized that it would read like nonsense to the modern day reader. What a difficult topic to write about and I admire her effort even if it falls short at times. In "The Far-Traveler," Brown frames the story with archeology and for me it was the glue that held it all together. I needed something more to hold all the pieces together.
The information in this book is valuable and heavily researched. I read about Snorri on Wikipedia after reading Brown's book and there are some conflicts between it and what she has written. They are small things but it would be a way to show students how the Internet is not always a reliable source. Snorri loved power and in the end it was his downfall. This is loaded with great facts and extensive footnotes. If you are interested in the Icelandic sagas and history of Norse mythology then I highly recommend it.
Snorri's famous books, "Heimskringla" and "Edda," were written on the history of Norwegian kings and Norse mythology and they had an enormous impact on literature, influencing the rise of the gothic novel in the 1700s, inspiring J.R.R. Tolkien, and leaving a footprint that can be seen in the immensely popular modern day Marvel comic movies and Game of Thrones television series. Snorri married a rich heiress and became a chieftain later acquiring more chiefdoms. An accomplished lawyer, he was chosen three times as lawspeaker for the Althing which is like being president of parliament. He got into trouble with King Haakon in his late 50s when he disobeyed the King's order to stay in Norway and returned to Iceland. The King sought consequences for Snorri's disobedience and Snorri's main rival that wanted to usurp him was quite willing to carry out the death sentence.
Snorri was a brilliant storyteller and brought to life the Norse gods of old making them "peculiarly human." The gods had limitations and were not particularly smart. They liked to play games on each other, joke, and be cruel. They also knew that the end of the world was coming but they didn't know how to stop it or save the world. Snorri adds humor and entertainment and while the poems are difficult to understand because of their complex style, they had a resurgence in the 1700s. Brown ties mythology with national history and shows how it evolves to some extent. She doesn't delve deeply into it but I found the few links she does make tantalizing. I'd like to explore this topic more.
Brown's writing didn't feel as cohesive as her other book I read, "The Far-Traveler." The narrative felt scattered at times and while I know some of that is due to the long genealogies, I also felt the main focus got lost at times as she points out Snorri's skills as lawyer, historian, and poet. The section on kennings and how complex the poems are was really fascinating and I wished it had been closer to the beginning. I kept wondering why she wasn't quoting his poems. As she gives an example then I realized that it would read like nonsense to the modern day reader. What a difficult topic to write about and I admire her effort even if it falls short at times. In "The Far-Traveler," Brown frames the story with archeology and for me it was the glue that held it all together. I needed something more to hold all the pieces together.
The information in this book is valuable and heavily researched. I read about Snorri on Wikipedia after reading Brown's book and there are some conflicts between it and what she has written. They are small things but it would be a way to show students how the Internet is not always a reliable source. Snorri loved power and in the end it was his downfall. This is loaded with great facts and extensive footnotes. If you are interested in the Icelandic sagas and history of Norse mythology then I highly recommend it.
April 21, 2014
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. FTC guidelines: check!
This book was very different from anything else that I've read. I have a background education in Greek and Roman mythology, but knew very little of the Norse legends and mythology. The snippets of myth that Brown included in this book were excellent. I wish that she had put more of that in there.
The historical person of Snorri was fascinating in that I had no idea what Icelanders were up to in the 1100s. It was less interesting when it delved into the lists of names, quarrels, chieftainships, marriages, divorces, and endless political scheming of Snorri and his family which surprised me because usually I enjoy reading about that kind of history. Brown's delivery was dry in places and somehow the material that could have been so engaging, just wasn't.
I liked that she listed the names of authors and books that have been heavily influenced by the Eddas (more to add to my to-read list!). Also, this is the first book that explained to me in detail about Tolkien's fascination with Snorri's materials and how he introduced them to his fellow Inklings and students. Fans of the Lord of the Rings should read pages 195-204!
I enjoyed Brown's descriptions of skaldic poetry and the use of kennings. They built riddles and puzzles within their epic poetry and part of the enjoyment of their works was figuring out what on earth they were talking about in the first place. Modern English doesn't really have an equivalent to that in my opinion.
Read this book if you're interested in Snorri's Iceland and authors who have been influenced by his works. Do not read this if you're looking for a fast-paced historical saga.
Also, if you're interested in Norse mythology, I'd recommend Joanna Harris' Runemarks, which is her own take on the Eddas. Runemarks was written for juveniles, but I believe she's going to write another set of books with the same theme for adults.
This book was very different from anything else that I've read. I have a background education in Greek and Roman mythology, but knew very little of the Norse legends and mythology. The snippets of myth that Brown included in this book were excellent. I wish that she had put more of that in there.
The historical person of Snorri was fascinating in that I had no idea what Icelanders were up to in the 1100s. It was less interesting when it delved into the lists of names, quarrels, chieftainships, marriages, divorces, and endless political scheming of Snorri and his family which surprised me because usually I enjoy reading about that kind of history. Brown's delivery was dry in places and somehow the material that could have been so engaging, just wasn't.
I liked that she listed the names of authors and books that have been heavily influenced by the Eddas (more to add to my to-read list!). Also, this is the first book that explained to me in detail about Tolkien's fascination with Snorri's materials and how he introduced them to his fellow Inklings and students. Fans of the Lord of the Rings should read pages 195-204!
I enjoyed Brown's descriptions of skaldic poetry and the use of kennings. They built riddles and puzzles within their epic poetry and part of the enjoyment of their works was figuring out what on earth they were talking about in the first place. Modern English doesn't really have an equivalent to that in my opinion.
Read this book if you're interested in Snorri's Iceland and authors who have been influenced by his works. Do not read this if you're looking for a fast-paced historical saga.
Also, if you're interested in Norse mythology, I'd recommend Joanna Harris' Runemarks, which is her own take on the Eddas. Runemarks was written for juveniles, but I believe she's going to write another set of books with the same theme for adults.
July 3, 2017
I found this book interesting and I feel like I learned a lot, but I also think the information could have been arranged/presented more effectively. I would have liked to get a simple outline of Snorri's biography and something similar to describe the material in the writing attributed to Snorri. The book spans Snorri's life, but there are a lot of other people involved, and their names can be kind of confusing, and I feel like it would have been easier for me to take everything in if I started out with a simple framework. (For example, there are a lot of feuds. But then people seem to get over it pretty quickly, because they have new enemies that they have to burn down and torture.) Meanwhile, I haven't actually read any of this historical literature that's being described, so I was at a bit of a disadvantage there as well. But, I really enjoyed the connections between these ancient texts and really popular media today (ex/the Lord of the Rings). Brown even discusses how Viking lore has been appropriated by the Nazis and again by neo-Nazi white pride types.
February 14, 2024
This book was right up my alley in terms of content, and I love her writing style. It is very well-researched and paints a vivid picture of life in Iceland in the 1200s. She tells a great story with humour in the right places.
This book tells the story of Snorri Sturluson, the Icelandic poet and chieftain who wrote many of the sagas that have given us our knowledge of Norse Mythology. Brown weaves together history and myth to tell a compelling story of the life, writing, political intrigue, and eventual downfall of the poet who tried to become the uncrowned king of Iceland.
I never found the book boring or overloaded with names and genealogies, which can happen sometimes with this type of history. Instead, she was able to keep me turning the pages and had me invested in the fate of the characters. I highly recommend!
This book tells the story of Snorri Sturluson, the Icelandic poet and chieftain who wrote many of the sagas that have given us our knowledge of Norse Mythology. Brown weaves together history and myth to tell a compelling story of the life, writing, political intrigue, and eventual downfall of the poet who tried to become the uncrowned king of Iceland.
I never found the book boring or overloaded with names and genealogies, which can happen sometimes with this type of history. Instead, she was able to keep me turning the pages and had me invested in the fate of the characters. I highly recommend!
November 26, 2017
Outstanding! I recommend this read for anyone interested in Norse mythology. It is very interesting to note that so much of what we know or think we know about what the Vikings actually believed comes from one writer who had an agenda named Snorri, an Icelander and a Christian. This is a must read for Icelandic history, Norse mythology, and a detailed biography of what is known about Snorri.
July 16, 2017
Finally, finished this slog of a book. It was a meandering mess, and while the brief interludes of the fascinating means of governance, the day-to-day life of Iceland, and the intricacies of skaldic verse were fascinating, it didn't make up for the schizophrenic mess of the rest of the book. I can't recommend this. Also, I didn't need retellings of Norse myths, as who, having chose to read a book on the life of Snorri Sturluson without already being intimately familiar with the Prose Edda and the Helmskringla? I'm not sure who she thought the audience of this book would be. Do not recommend.
March 5, 2013
Much of what we know of the Norse Gods and legends apparently were preserved and embellished upon by an Icelander of the 12th and 13th centuries, Snoori Snurluson. Most of the chapters start with a story of one of the Gods or legends and then the author skillfully weaves elements of Icelandic/Norse history and Sturulson's biography therein to make an easily read narrative. The last chapter also starts with a Norse legend, some Sturluson biography and Icelandic/Norse history but the preponderance covers the 'history' of Snurluson's manuscripts and their use in later 'culture.' Some of the manuscripts were damaged or lost but those that survived influenced later writers and composers. J.R.R. Tolkien is perhaps the one best known in recent times. However, many of Wagner's Operas are based on Snurluson's work.
Religion played a part in Icelandic society and, interestingly, different classes favored different Gods, Thor was favored by farmers and sailors while Odin was an aristocrat's God. Christianity came to Iceland in 1000 and that was when Icelandic book culture started. Snoori subtly gives some of the myths a Christian coloring 'bringing out the correspondence between Norse paganism and Christian teaching.' Unfortunately, some of the Sagas have been used to foster groups and societies that have been detrimental to world peace.
Religion played a part in Icelandic society and, interestingly, different classes favored different Gods, Thor was favored by farmers and sailors while Odin was an aristocrat's God. Christianity came to Iceland in 1000 and that was when Icelandic book culture started. Snoori subtly gives some of the myths a Christian coloring 'bringing out the correspondence between Norse paganism and Christian teaching.' Unfortunately, some of the Sagas have been used to foster groups and societies that have been detrimental to world peace.
January 13, 2013
It bills itself as a revolutionary approach to the work and life of Snorri Sturluson, the accepted author of the "Prose Edda", and the compiler of important kennings and metrics for would-be skaldic poets. Unfortunately, it reads more like a junior high level blog entry about the cool things the author has read.
While the passages about Sturluson are "interesting" in the sense that some would see them as fun to read, the so-called "new information" the author uses to support her points are rarely cited, so it's impossible to separate the author's opinions from her research. Case in point, the author in one instance claims that "many scholars" indicate Sturluson is the author of the "Poetic Edda" but fails to cite any of those “many authors” on that page.
Additionally, the book appears to be rife with errors. In those rare moments where works are cited, the author cherry picks information in order to paint Sturluson as the progenitor of all Norse Mythology.
I’m still working through this book, but I can't recommend this for anything more than its "Additional Readings" section at the end.
While the passages about Sturluson are "interesting" in the sense that some would see them as fun to read, the so-called "new information" the author uses to support her points are rarely cited, so it's impossible to separate the author's opinions from her research. Case in point, the author in one instance claims that "many scholars" indicate Sturluson is the author of the "Poetic Edda" but fails to cite any of those “many authors” on that page.
Additionally, the book appears to be rife with errors. In those rare moments where works are cited, the author cherry picks information in order to paint Sturluson as the progenitor of all Norse Mythology.
I’m still working through this book, but I can't recommend this for anything more than its "Additional Readings" section at the end.
May 13, 2013
While it's easy to get bogged now in the all the characters who play a role in Snorri's life, the story is fascinating. What a violent lot those Icelanders were! Especially interesting was how important Snorri was in setting down some of the ancient stories of the gods and how influential those stories were on later authors and writers. The book made me want to see Iceland for myself!
June 1, 2020
İki ders arasındaki boş vakti kütüphanede geçirdiğim günlerden birinde, Alman Edebiyatı raflarında gezinirken bu kırmızı ciltli kitap dikkatimi çekti. Belli ki yanlış rafa konmuş, ne yazarın ne de içeriğin Alman edebiyatıyla uzaktan yakından alakası var. Ama ne iyi olmuş, ben yanlışlıkla denk gelmişim bu kitaba, ödünç almışım, okumuşum.
http://1000kitap.com/gonderi/45703901 Buradaki incelememde söylediğim gibi İskandinav Mitolojisi ve Vikingler benim yeni yeni giriş yaptığım bir hobiydi. Ardı ardına yukarıdaki linkteki kitabı, https://1000kitap.com/kitap/dokuz-diy... ve https://1000kitap.com/kitap/iskandina... kitabını okudum.
Bu kitaplarda sık sık bahsedilen ve anlatılan neredeyse her şeye kaynak olarak gösterilen bir isim vardı: Snorri Sturluson. Snorri, İzlandalı bir tarihçi olarak geçirdiği hayatında, şiir olarak söylenen ama yazılı edebiyata geçirilmemiş hikayeleri, genelde Vikinglerle ilgili, elbette kendinden de bir şeyler katarak derleyen bir yazardır, kısacası bu mitolojinin Homeros'udur.
Snorri'yle tanışmam bu şekildeydi, bir hevesle Nesir Edda'sını da okudum. (http://1000kitap.com/gonderi/47294868) Hala bir şeylerin eksik olduğunu hissederken karşıma bu kitabın çıkması, şanslı olduğumun göstergesi sanırım.
2012 yılının kitabı seçilen bu kitapta Snorri'nin hayatı, siyaset ve politikayla ilgisi, nerede ve ne zaman, neler yazdıkları, başına gelenler ve mitolojinin oluşumu detaylı bir şekilde anlatılmış. Hatta diyebiliriz ki, kitap, alt başlıktan belli olduğu üzere, sadece Snorri'nin hayatına ve Nesir Edda'yı yazışına odaklanmış.
Yazarımız, aslında bir Tolkien hayranı ve aynı zamanda üniversitesinde mitoloji dersi alan biriyken, Gandalf ismine, Nesir Edda'da denk gelmesi üzerine araştırmaya dalıp böyle bir kitap çıkarmıştır ortaya. Bilinmesi gereken ne varsa eklemiş, üstüne bir de Tolkien'in mitolojisiyle Nordiklerin karşılaştırmasını bile yapmış. Aradaki benzerlik dikkat çekici, hakikaten.
Kitapta, Snorri'nin yaşadığı yıllarda (12-13.yy) İzlanda'nın politik durumu ve İngiltere'nin 1940 yılında İzlanda'yı işgali dahi anlatılmış ve kitap boyunca, bunların yanında, Snorri'nin hayatına dair görsel buluntular da eklenmiş. Dilin akıcı olmasına ek olarak, görseller ve sayfa sayfa kanıtlarla desteklenen bilgiler, kitabı okunur kılıyor.
İçerik olarak tamamen mitoloji odaklı olmadığı için herkesi çekmeyebilir. Yani, demek istediğim, kitabı okurken "birkaç mitolojik hikaye öğreneyim" beklentisinde olmamanız gerektiği. Elbette mitolojik hikayelere yer verilmiş, ama bu hikayelerin Snorri'nin hayatıyla ilgisi olup olmadığı incelenmiş, Snorri'nin o hikayeyi uydurmuş olabileceği tartışılmış ve bu tür görüşlere kanıtlar sunulmuş. Dolayısıyla, mitoloji neydi, ne halde geldi, nasıl geldi, bunları öğrenmek istiyorsanız kitap sizin için biçilmiş kaftan.
Bu bilgilendirici incelememi de burada bitiriyorum. Sonsöz olarak, bence incelemelerin amacı bu olmalı. Edebi incelemeler tabii ki de muhteşem, ama gerçekten okumayı düşündüğüm bir kitap varsa ve kitap hakkında sadece birkaç özlü söz okuyabiliyorsam, bu bana yetmez. Vakit ayırıp bilgilendirici inceleme yazanlara da teşekkürler, çok işe yarıyorsunuz.
Keyifli okumalar
http://1000kitap.com/gonderi/45703901 Buradaki incelememde söylediğim gibi İskandinav Mitolojisi ve Vikingler benim yeni yeni giriş yaptığım bir hobiydi. Ardı ardına yukarıdaki linkteki kitabı, https://1000kitap.com/kitap/dokuz-diy... ve https://1000kitap.com/kitap/iskandina... kitabını okudum.
Bu kitaplarda sık sık bahsedilen ve anlatılan neredeyse her şeye kaynak olarak gösterilen bir isim vardı: Snorri Sturluson. Snorri, İzlandalı bir tarihçi olarak geçirdiği hayatında, şiir olarak söylenen ama yazılı edebiyata geçirilmemiş hikayeleri, genelde Vikinglerle ilgili, elbette kendinden de bir şeyler katarak derleyen bir yazardır, kısacası bu mitolojinin Homeros'udur.
Snorri'yle tanışmam bu şekildeydi, bir hevesle Nesir Edda'sını da okudum. (http://1000kitap.com/gonderi/47294868) Hala bir şeylerin eksik olduğunu hissederken karşıma bu kitabın çıkması, şanslı olduğumun göstergesi sanırım.
2012 yılının kitabı seçilen bu kitapta Snorri'nin hayatı, siyaset ve politikayla ilgisi, nerede ve ne zaman, neler yazdıkları, başına gelenler ve mitolojinin oluşumu detaylı bir şekilde anlatılmış. Hatta diyebiliriz ki, kitap, alt başlıktan belli olduğu üzere, sadece Snorri'nin hayatına ve Nesir Edda'yı yazışına odaklanmış.
Yazarımız, aslında bir Tolkien hayranı ve aynı zamanda üniversitesinde mitoloji dersi alan biriyken, Gandalf ismine, Nesir Edda'da denk gelmesi üzerine araştırmaya dalıp böyle bir kitap çıkarmıştır ortaya. Bilinmesi gereken ne varsa eklemiş, üstüne bir de Tolkien'in mitolojisiyle Nordiklerin karşılaştırmasını bile yapmış. Aradaki benzerlik dikkat çekici, hakikaten.
Kitapta, Snorri'nin yaşadığı yıllarda (12-13.yy) İzlanda'nın politik durumu ve İngiltere'nin 1940 yılında İzlanda'yı işgali dahi anlatılmış ve kitap boyunca, bunların yanında, Snorri'nin hayatına dair görsel buluntular da eklenmiş. Dilin akıcı olmasına ek olarak, görseller ve sayfa sayfa kanıtlarla desteklenen bilgiler, kitabı okunur kılıyor.
İçerik olarak tamamen mitoloji odaklı olmadığı için herkesi çekmeyebilir. Yani, demek istediğim, kitabı okurken "birkaç mitolojik hikaye öğreneyim" beklentisinde olmamanız gerektiği. Elbette mitolojik hikayelere yer verilmiş, ama bu hikayelerin Snorri'nin hayatıyla ilgisi olup olmadığı incelenmiş, Snorri'nin o hikayeyi uydurmuş olabileceği tartışılmış ve bu tür görüşlere kanıtlar sunulmuş. Dolayısıyla, mitoloji neydi, ne halde geldi, nasıl geldi, bunları öğrenmek istiyorsanız kitap sizin için biçilmiş kaftan.
Bu bilgilendirici incelememi de burada bitiriyorum. Sonsöz olarak, bence incelemelerin amacı bu olmalı. Edebi incelemeler tabii ki de muhteşem, ama gerçekten okumayı düşündüğüm bir kitap varsa ve kitap hakkında sadece birkaç özlü söz okuyabiliyorsam, bu bana yetmez. Vakit ayırıp bilgilendirici inceleme yazanlara da teşekkürler, çok işe yarıyorsunuz.
Keyifli okumalar
November 28, 2020
Overall, I thought it was a well executed and well researched book. Going into it, I knew it was more about medieval Iceland and the larger than life figure of Snorri Sturluson, so there were no surprises there. The semi-egalitarianism and love of manuscripts in medieval Iceland definitely surprised me though and I enjoyed the time dedicated to talking about the various manuscripts, poems, and sagas that the Icelanders put to page. Snorri's life was also interesting and his role in the downfall of Iceland's independence was more than I expected, even if there are many unknowns. Parts of the book were very dry and left my attention wandering. The ending also was a little off-kilter for me. The resurgence of popularity for Snorri's works is important to the overall theme, but how those works became twisted into Germanic folklore and Wagner and Grimm's philology and then all of the Tolkien's works didn't really sit with the rest of the book. So I liked it, but had some weak spots. Definitely a book with lots of notes.
October 12, 2019
I thoroughly appreciated this book. It’s not as dry as reading commentaries on the sagas and not as dumbed down as some books on mythology that seem to be aimed at an adolescent audience. I love how Brown weaved the biography of Snorri Sturluson into the myths he compiled and created. I was expecting more myth and less biography. But, I think I prefer the approach that she took with the book.
She wades into the waters of how Tolkien and Gaiman have built onto the mythology. I think she was less successful in this endeavor than in incorporating the Sturluson biography, but it is still an interesting approach to the myths.
She wades into the waters of how Tolkien and Gaiman have built onto the mythology. I think she was less successful in this endeavor than in incorporating the Sturluson biography, but it is still an interesting approach to the myths.
February 24, 2024
Brown writes in a novelistic style yet the book is still a good academic work. This is a biography of Snorri Sturluson. Most of us know him as a great recorder of Icelandic and Scandinavian history and lore. He also was an ambitious greedy power hungry ruler of several chiefdoms in Iceland. The book covers the culture, feuds, power struggles and also the courageous and intelligent acts of Icelanders. Also she covers Snorri’s effects on European and American culture. Did you enjoy reading or watching Lord of the Rings? Did you ever play D&D or see a movie based on it? Thank Tolkien who was inspired by the tales of the North.
April 7, 2023
Norse History truly Icelandic!!
this is such a wonderful book - well written, well constructed, fact based with excellent research. And telling tales! Becoming even more relevant with Tolkein, Gaimen. The difference in American and english literature was very apparent too. Great introduction to myth, northern as opposed to Greek. Fascinating tales, good illustrations, by someone who has traipsed through the myths both literally and figuratively. I was constantly intrigued and enjoyed the depth of knowledge.
this is such a wonderful book - well written, well constructed, fact based with excellent research. And telling tales! Becoming even more relevant with Tolkein, Gaimen. The difference in American and english literature was very apparent too. Great introduction to myth, northern as opposed to Greek. Fascinating tales, good illustrations, by someone who has traipsed through the myths both literally and figuratively. I was constantly intrigued and enjoyed the depth of knowledge.
September 8, 2023
Not only does Nancy Marie Brown tell the riveting tale of what is known and suspected of the nearly sole origin of a literary thread leading eventually through Tolkien and Gaiman, but she crafts in this work handy reference tables of her research. I don't often buy a book after reading the library copy but in this case I did. Her story telling and its index promise a way of finding context as I stumble across newly meaningful Nordic and Germanic tidbits in the future.
Thank you Nancy Marie Brown!
Thank you Nancy Marie Brown!
June 19, 2017
The beginning was super interesting- and then it quickly tapered off to be a series of hard to keep track of Norwegian and Icelandic names. Not a great introductory book for someone who is not history-focused. This book is geared toward readers who would like to know the minute details of Snorri, not the interesting facts of how Tolkien/Lewis/etc. adapted the stories to become the fantasy genre we know now.
September 10, 2017
Part historical context for the Sagas, part biography of Snorri Sturluson, part description of Norse (Icelandic) literature's influence on Tolkien through Gaiman, this book seeks to place the sagas and Snorri in the context of his time and how his work was both shaped by that time and how it has since shaped literature today.
April 21, 2018
Overall I enjoyed this biography. I found it to be well written and informative. However some of the retellings of the myths seemed a bit unnecessary to me. I do think I learned a good deal about Snorri however, and seeing how Norse Mythology has shifted over the years and been reimagined was also interesting.
September 7, 2018
I can't speak for its historical accuracy, but Song of the Vikings does a fantastic job of fleshing out the period and characters that shaped what we know of Norse Mythology. Far from being a grim and cold epic, this is a pleasant, readable bit of popular history that I'd recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in the topic.
June 1, 2021
Scholarly and dense, but with a good sense of the fun contained within the stories and poems of this Icelandic power player of the 14th century. The smart parting thought at the end was satisfying and summarized what can sometimes feel overwhelming in its guesstimates of the chronology of one man. Recommended for sure.
July 31, 2022
Interesting in places, but boring in others. The parts about Snorri’s creation of the sagas was interesting, as was the last chapter about the influence on later authors. It got a bit bogged down in the middle with the internal Icelandic politics of the time, and it led to a lot of stuff happening between names I didn’t know and had a hard time keeping track of.
March 15, 2023
A great overview of Snorri Snurlson, a foundational figure in mythmaking in the Western world. Brown covers the chaos and eye for an eye of 13th century Iceland, and places Snorri fully as a man of his time, complicated, flawed, and victim of a doom of his own making. But as someone who reimagined the Norse gods, Snorri's gifts keep giving, some 600 years later.
Read
July 11, 2024Smooth and easy read, but could have benefited (in my opinion) from cutting the Edda re-tellings. They didn't really add anything; I came for Snorri's biography, not the umpteenth version of Norse myths. The part on Snorri's influence on modern writers could have been interesting, but wasn't really fleshed out and fell a bit flat because of it. I really enjoyed reading about Snorri though, never a dull moment in that man's life! Didn't mind all the might-haves and maybes; it's a popular science book, not a dissertation. A writer's allowed to interpret.
August 28, 2025
Really cool stuff when explaining the breakdown of the origin of Snorri’s writings and what may or may not be from oral tradition.
The telling of some of the history is a bit confusing due to Icelandic naming conventions, but Snorri’s political scheming and attempts to take over Iceland is still interesting.
The telling of some of the history is a bit confusing due to Icelandic naming conventions, but Snorri’s political scheming and attempts to take over Iceland is still interesting.
November 3, 2025
I too would have liked more about Snorri in this book, but I suspect the author did the best she could with what is available. It's still a good read, with insight into Icelandic culture. Among other things, it helped me understand what created the sense of irony and dark humor that runs through Norse myths.
October 10, 2025
Mostly OK but I had to skim sections about who fought who and why of Snorri’s kin. Most interesting is that we get all of our Norse myths from a man who lived in 1200s Iceland which influenced Tolkien and others.
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