The Shortest History of Scandinavia

Shortest History

by Mart Kuldkepp

From the Stone Age to 'Scandimania – an illuminating journey through 14,000 years of Nordic history
Outsiders have long viewed Scandinavia as special, from the ancient Greek myth of a place 'where the Sun goes to rest' to the admiration held today for the region's universal welfare, equality and peacefulness. But the story of Scandinavia is also one of expansion and religious strife, of war and occupation, of famine and plague.
From the first peoples who followed the ice sheet north at the end of the last Ice Age to Viking expeditions, from Cold War bridge-building to ranking as the happiest nations in the world, Mart Kuldkepp masterfully charts the story of the wider Nordic region as he ranges from Finland in the east to Iceland and Greenland in the west.
As formerly neutral Finland and Sweden join NATO in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, this timely history untangles myth
from reality, exploring the region's geopolitics and asking whether life in Scandinavia is quite as hygge as it might seem.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[George Nave · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shortest History series is great because it makes for very digestible introductions to a ton of different historical topics, and I was stoked that they had something for the Nordic region that I could read prior to our trip to Norway. This is a pretty good and succinct exploration of Scandinavia and I found it really interesting just how intertwined the history of these countries are. Really looking forward to digging into more specific historical and cultural topics for Norway and its neighbors.

[Stewart Monckton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent short history - although the central sections of the books is so very dense with the names of kings etc that I found it hard to keep track of who was who. Some form of graphical representation of this period would have been good in my opinion.

Scandinavia is not all good news - even in its modern form, so I liked this book as it felt balanced.

SM

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the idea of the shortest history series, even if the rigorous compression sometimes squeezes some of the colour out of the narrative. Mart Kuldkepp's account of Scandinavian history is admirably clear and taught me a bit about a subject I knew very little about.

It begins with the prehistory of Scandinavia, which surprisingly stretches up to around 800 CE. The region was slightly backward: although runes were around from the second century, they were not used for longer texts, which were instead committed to memory. The Viking Age put Scandinavia on the map - or rather put the Vikings all over the map, as far as the Middle East and North America. Out of this period emerged the three old Scandinavian kingdoms: Norway, Sweden and Denmark (the nation of Finland is a more modern creation). Scandinavia's transition to the Middle Ages was fairly peaceful, smoothed by the wealth amassed in Viking voyages and a relatively painless conversion to Christianity. A complicated process of political consolidation led to the formation of the Kalmar Union, a conglomerate state of all three Scandinavian kingdoms, which lasted from 1397 to 1523. The demise of the Kalmar Union was heralded by the notorious “Stockholm Bloodbath”, where Christian II invited members of Swedish noble families to a feast only to have them all murdered. A series of wars and conflicts, sometimes involving Poland and Russia, led to both Sweden and Denmark becoming “second-rate powers” by the early 18th century.

About half the book deals with the last 200 years or so, and here the story becomes more familiar, because many developments mirror broader European ones - industrialisation, the diminishing power of the monarchy, nationalism, liberalism, socialism and women's rights. It is interesting to read about the Scandinavian variants on these themes. One particularly notable feature is the electoral dominance of social democratic parties, sometimes governing alone, sometimes in coalition. This contributed to the Nordic countries' tendency towards neutrality and pacifism as well as their generous welfare systems. During the Cold War, the so-called "Nordic balance" meant that tensions in the region remained low, but Russia's recent aggression in Ukraine has prompted both Sweden and Finland to join NATO. Kuldkepp rounds off the book with a summary of "Scandinavian successes and failures", pointing to the high standards of living and the popularity of Scandinavian cultural exports ("Scandimania") but also acknowledging darker themes such as Sweden's dabbling in eugenics and the region's increasing anxiety about immigration.

[Marie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive and effective starting point for any curious of Scandinavian culture and history. The prose was easy to follow as well as the historical explanations.

I particularly enjoyed the sections on the Kalmar Union, the birth of the “Scandinavian exceptionalist”welfare state and the Nordic European integration. The part about Norway’s independence from Sweden in 1914, known as the only bloodless successful independence movement is quite fascinating actually (I didn’t know it had happened this way). The book was filled with many fun facts ranging from musicians, artists, scientists but also some about the royal families of Scandinavia (particularly the Bernadotte dynasty in Sweden).

All in all, lovely book to learn more about the region, I’d really recommend!

[Kaupo Lepasepp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skandinaavia ajaloo ülevaade kompaktses ja ülevaatlikus vormis, fookuses erinevate riikide võrdlev ja seostatud areng samadel perioodidel. Sobib nii algajale teemasse sisenemiseks kui ka teadjale muidu killustuma kippuva teadmise raamistamiseks. Ladusalt kirjutatud, ja tekkib veel palju teemasid, mida tahaks edasi uurida-lugeda.

[Hamid · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief work that boldly attempts to take a serious look at an interwoven Scandanavian history from beginning to now.

I found this very readable, fast-paced but naturally thin. I kept finding myself looking back at interesting events or characters that were breezily discussed, for example, Johann Struensee. Tantalising stuff. I also feel that the book was too inward-looking. There's hints at Scandinavia's impact on the world, in mentions of various authors, Alfred Nobel or a very late mention of ABBA. But most of Scandinavia is told firmly in European terms. So you end up with little to nothing about the Rus or various baltic settlements, the service to the Byzantines, interactions with Arabs and Muslims etc.

Saying that, the book has served its purpose as an introduction. Various topics of interest have been noted. Sadly, the suggested bibliography at the end of the book isn't comprehensive (though it does note some interesting works). It's a good first step for a reading of the region.

[Yamini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little sunshine and I am back to digging into stories of mythology. Norse mythology is one of my favourite subgenres, so when I got the chance to read about the actual history behind it, I immediately picked this one up.

Norse mythology formed the bedrock of religious belief during the Viking Age, influencing everything from daily life and customs to warfare and governance. The book traces the transition from those early foundations through the formation of states, major conflicts, and the political shifts that shaped the region over the centuries.

Personally, I enjoyed the first half of the book more. The sections on the landscape, geography, runes, and kings were particularly fascinating and felt closest to the aspects of Nordic history that interest me most. The latter half gradually shifts towards the modern era, exploring the Nordic way of life and its growing global appeal.

P.S. Did you know that Nordic runes are still used by some people as symbolic tools for manifestation and personal reflection?

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book, including the writing style with its clarity and conversational tone. Considering the time span and subject matter, there is an astonishing depth of information in what is actually a relatively concise book. The book was very even-handed with each era and country treated equally with no undue emphasis on one or another. The book is mostly well-paced but at times I felt it was too detailed, yet, it was still difficult to put down. This is a great introductory book for anyone interested in the history of Scandinavia. Thank you to Netgalley and The Experiment for the advance reader copy.

[Megan Craddock · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Like the other shortest history books, Kuldkepp gets right to the point, highlighting aspects of Scandinavian history. As the title alludes to this is meant to be an easy read introducing and giving a basic overview of the history of Scandinavia, if you are looking for in-depth this is not for you. For me this was the perfect amount. Just enough to answer basic questions and to give me an idea of other aspects I might want to read more about later. The pace is easy to follow which keeps the reader engaged and interested. I highly recommend this book!

[Leon Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best of the 'Shortest' books (for me Sheila Fitpatrick's history of the Soviet Union ticks that box), but nevertheless extremely accessible as a high quality primer for someone with just a little knowledge.

The author expertly outlines how Scandinavia has become a group of highly developed, progressive and, most importantly, happy countries that could clearly not have arrived at that point without their fair share of failures (regional imperialism) and the (dis)advantages of geography.

As ever the Shortest series is an excellent place to go to build knowledge.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parte da premissa que existe uma unidade linguística e cultural de uma história partilhada e nem sempre pacífica, permeada por períodos de concórdia e discórdia entre 5 países que formam a Escandinávia: Dinamarca, Suécia, Noruega, Finlândia e Islândia. É estimulante comparar Portugal com estes países, que são alfabetizados há 500 anos, têm matérias-primas e fontes de energia e proximidade aos grandes centros comerciais e políticos europeus, e que conseguiram criar consensos para a implementação de políticas públicas bem-sucedidas, mesmo que cada vez mais postas em causa.

[Patrick Tullis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in the “Shortest History” (the others being Japan, Italy, and France), and the Shortest History of Scandinavian is the least interesting of the four. There are some interesting chapters, yet my main critique is that the book comes off more as a list of events that happened. There are times the author explains or adds commentary on certain events. Those are the best parts of the book. Overall it’s a mixed bag. Check it out if you are interested in a short read about this area of the world.

[Malvina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know the 'Shortest History Of...' series even existed until I stumbled across this one in my local library. Scandinavia (or the Nordic region) includes the five nation states of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland. Also three territories of these: the Faroe Islands and Greenland (belonging to Denmark), and the Aland Islands (belonging to Finland). Do avail yourself of this history, it's very readable and informative; I wish I'd read it before I went to Scandinavia. A good history with an excellent overview.

[Shiny Ruins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mart Kuldkepp's Shortest History of Scandinavia is a robust introductory primer on the history of the region. Informative and well-mapped out, it is an excellent starting point if one wishes to learn the history of the region. It balances the need for brevity (which is a feat unto itself) with explaining important events/figures without feeling rushed.

All in all, as someone who knew very little history of the region, I found this very helpful.

[Jarrett Connolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

I mean what you see is literally what you get. A spark notes version of the entire history of the Scandinavian people and civilizations. It does a really good job of it too and doesn’t eliminate too many details to keep in line with its gimmick. I think this would be a great first read to someone getting into the history of Scandinavia.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent research and clear explanations of political, cultural and world events impacting Scandinavia. Enveloping 5 countries into one book was hard for me to follow at times (was it Norway or Sweden who signed what agreement, which led to ... , etc?) and I only skim read a lot of it.

For readers more focussed than me, this would be an excellent resource.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the breadth of your understanding of Scandinavia is largely from their history of neutrality during European conflicts and viking stories, then this book is a good way to get a basic understanding of values, culture, and differences that make up the 'Nordic' ethos.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather dry

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Broad-reaching and insightful, but a little dry and there are a couple of mistakes. Overall, a good introduction to Nordic history.

[Allan Aksiim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lühike ja ülevaatlik, samas paratamatult pinnapealne. Eestikeelses tõlkes mitu häirivat kirjaviga.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books I’ve ever read. Not suitable for any non-Scandinavian to get an understanding of the region.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the broad history of the Nordic region.

[Jim Curtin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good starting point, but the mini articles embedded in interrupted the flow, and the lack of end or footnotes makes it difficult to pursue more detailed information on the topics presented

[Maughn Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished listening walking the streets of Höganäs, Sweden.