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The Seafarers
The Vikings
This volume in The Seafarers series discusses the history, customs, lifestyle and discoveries of the Vikings.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 26, 2020
4.5 stars.
December 23, 2016
Perhaps more is known now about Vikings and the exploration of new lands via northern routes, than generally allowed to be assumed publicly, especially in US - children are still taught about discovery of the continent by Columbus as the first person to do so, which is incorrect not only due to the presence of humans on the continent - (which Columbus did not in fact step on, being at one of the islands of Caribbean, and returning therefrom after making his sailors swear they had in fact discovered India, which is the root of the US still referring to indigenous as Indian, knowing fully well that such name is a lie - those people had nothing to do with India) - but also because in fact Nordic Europeans, specifically ones referred to as Vikings, had in fact known about the lands across the ocean, and even had not only stepped on the mainland but lived there for many centuries before dying or giving up and returning, due to the lack then of mass migration.
As one person pointed out (wish one could recall precisely who and where, for reference), the fishing fleets of northern Europe were always venturing further out in the Arctic latitudes in search of more fish, and kept knowledge of lands across ocean to themselves for reasons of keeping their fishing waters from competition and overcrowding.
But the word was bound to be whispered about within the community, and so some were bound to land across ocean in the various new lands - Iceland, Greenland, and the main continent, which acquired its present name after the sailor Amerigo Vespucci only post a voyage after Columbus. The Vikings in fact ventured as far south as Watertown, MA, and traded from posts on the Charles river, as told via the Vikings tower at Waltham on the Charles river.
Wernick goes succinctly but quite thoroughly into history of Vikings as known, describing their society, their ventures into Europe and raids across various nations, conquests and establishing societies in various parts from Ireland, UK, Normandy and Rhineland to southern regions of the Baltic and more, before he describes their ventures across the ocean, which he does not as an amorphous group but with specific names of the people - collected from Vikings' own sagas.
Even apart from the information factor, this work makes for a delightful reading, due to various details of lives of Vikings and also of the new lands, or for that matter the European ones they ventured into. That it wasn't only lack of migration then, which there was little reason for not happening, but the more insurmountable difficulty of a Little Ice Age making the Viking colonies in Greenland difficult to sustain, what with the deep cold making agriculture impossible, and survival difficult.
Also mentioned is another factor - Eskimo migration from regions of Pacific coast across northern Canada to Greenland, and their being far more acclimatised to the cold and better at surviving in the land. Thus the Vikings were pushed out of Greenland completely, but survived in Iceland, albeit with numbers of Scottish and Irish migrants they had taken there as slaves but got integrated instead with, gradually, into a society that merged into one without slavery.
A lesser known fact - lesser for those not professionally historians is about Danelaw; and an amusing one is about how Vikings were defeated in Ireland despite victories in wars!
......................................................................................................
WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2016
......................................................................................................
As one person pointed out (wish one could recall precisely who and where, for reference), the fishing fleets of northern Europe were always venturing further out in the Arctic latitudes in search of more fish, and kept knowledge of lands across ocean to themselves for reasons of keeping their fishing waters from competition and overcrowding.
But the word was bound to be whispered about within the community, and so some were bound to land across ocean in the various new lands - Iceland, Greenland, and the main continent, which acquired its present name after the sailor Amerigo Vespucci only post a voyage after Columbus. The Vikings in fact ventured as far south as Watertown, MA, and traded from posts on the Charles river, as told via the Vikings tower at Waltham on the Charles river.
Wernick goes succinctly but quite thoroughly into history of Vikings as known, describing their society, their ventures into Europe and raids across various nations, conquests and establishing societies in various parts from Ireland, UK, Normandy and Rhineland to southern regions of the Baltic and more, before he describes their ventures across the ocean, which he does not as an amorphous group but with specific names of the people - collected from Vikings' own sagas.
Even apart from the information factor, this work makes for a delightful reading, due to various details of lives of Vikings and also of the new lands, or for that matter the European ones they ventured into. That it wasn't only lack of migration then, which there was little reason for not happening, but the more insurmountable difficulty of a Little Ice Age making the Viking colonies in Greenland difficult to sustain, what with the deep cold making agriculture impossible, and survival difficult.
Also mentioned is another factor - Eskimo migration from regions of Pacific coast across northern Canada to Greenland, and their being far more acclimatised to the cold and better at surviving in the land. Thus the Vikings were pushed out of Greenland completely, but survived in Iceland, albeit with numbers of Scottish and Irish migrants they had taken there as slaves but got integrated instead with, gradually, into a society that merged into one without slavery.
A lesser known fact - lesser for those not professionally historians is about Danelaw; and an amusing one is about how Vikings were defeated in Ireland despite victories in wars!
......................................................................................................
WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2016
......................................................................................................
March 2, 2011
I came away from this book loving the viking era. There was a lot of bad from the vikings, but there was also a lot of good that came from some of the things they did, and there's some nuggets in this book that were intriguing. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Scandinavia and/or vikings!
March 8, 2020
Fascinating, personal look at the Vikings
I enjoyed the personal description of individual Viking exploits, plus the enthralling description of Viking culture. I read some passages with a map beside me, to better identify the location of various battles and conquests. Easy, fun read about a people who clearly shaped our modern world, but definitely received short shift in my high school history classes!
I enjoyed the personal description of individual Viking exploits, plus the enthralling description of Viking culture. I read some passages with a map beside me, to better identify the location of various battles and conquests. Easy, fun read about a people who clearly shaped our modern world, but definitely received short shift in my high school history classes!
June 16, 2020
Good read
It opened up a part of history I was only vaguely aware of.In school at the Netherlands we were told that our ancesters were terrorised by the Vikings
This book was an eye opener to me and I enjoyed it very much.sweis brouwer
R
It opened up a part of history I was only vaguely aware of.In school at the Netherlands we were told that our ancesters were terrorised by the Vikings
This book was an eye opener to me and I enjoyed it very much.sweis brouwer
R
September 21, 2017
The Vikings
A very interesting telling of Viking history. Vivid descriptions of life and strife in the early times of west European history. Worth reading twice.
A very interesting telling of Viking history. Vivid descriptions of life and strife in the early times of west European history. Worth reading twice.
March 20, 2018
This is the perfect book for someone to get on overview on the history and culture of the Vikings. It is well written and covers almost every aspect of the Viking age.
April 12, 2018
Good introduction to the explorations and accomplishments of the Norse.
March 1, 2019
Lighter reading but factual about the explorations o the Vikings, their temperament. violent raids and the impact and influence they brought to medieval Europe and the UK.
March 25, 2019
Entertaining and educational.
The writing is almost conversational. The sources are called out and likely exaggerations noted. All in all a gratifying read.
The writing is almost conversational. The sources are called out and likely exaggerations noted. All in all a gratifying read.
January 14, 2017
Easy to read, very varied, good illustration.
December 30, 2020
I learned from this book that I did not know much about the Vikings.
June 21, 2019
Vikings often mention sometime little understood.
An interesting read on a little understood people who had a great impact with small numbers especially in explorations and settling western lands.
An interesting read on a little understood people who had a great impact with small numbers especially in explorations and settling western lands.
March 20, 2022
Didn’t become interested in the Vikings until I saw the TV series “Vikings”. It peaked my interest and I felt the need to know more. I wasn’t disappointed by this book.
January 25, 2016
This book is about the history of vikings their cultures, explorations and wars. While is is an older book it still gives you a good look at the viking lifestyles. It also explores their leaders. Who they were, and where they explored. Everyone remembers how vikings attacked towns and killed people took hostages and robbed the countryside but little is discussed about the governments that they set up and the "legal"system that set up punishments consistant with the crime committed. This is an interesting read.
November 29, 2014
This is light popular history, a quick and informative read. The first few pages were a little over the top in selling the subject, but on the whole the book was filled with interesting tales from the sagas and bits of history (like the settlement of Iceland and Greenland) that I knew very little about. To my surprise, the chapter on Viking ships was interesting even to someone like me, who usually finds this type of technical information deadly dull.
January 26, 2014
I highly recommend this book. It is history made as exciting and as entertaining as possible. As a Norman descendant, I have studied Viking history in some depth, and found this book to be an excellent and accurate summary. The writing and editing is superb. If there is even one editing error, I failed to notice it.
July 15, 2015
It was a quick overview of Viking history. I'm interested since I'm 1/4 Danish Viking. My paternal grandfather was Danish. I'm now reading another Viking book. Part of my interest is because of genealogy. My grandfather's last name was Boyer which isn't a typical Danish name so trying to get an idea where else we came from.
May 5, 2016
Author's journalism background pays off
Although we don't learn much about him here, Werniick's journalism background pays off in this well-written, well-organized treatment on The Vikings. The author has a website which introduced me to the word sciolist, as well as his other works.
Although we don't learn much about him here, Werniick's journalism background pays off in this well-written, well-organized treatment on The Vikings. The author has a website which introduced me to the word sciolist, as well as his other works.
January 26, 2014
Holds your attention as well as a good novel
I learned a great deal which having studied English lit and European history, I should have learned in college. Absorbing read. Only wish there had been more documentation.
I learned a great deal which having studied English lit and European history, I should have learned in college. Absorbing read. Only wish there had been more documentation.
March 19, 2014
I'm giving it 4 stars because the Vikings are part of my lineage and I wanted to learn more about it. I know more now and, beyond the savagery of this time in the history of our planet, it had excellent factual and contextual information.
May 5, 2014
Not a bad read
Generally this was a well-written piece, not a fan of the r tone it was written in. Felt very much like I was reading something meant for an 8th or 9th grader throughout.
Generally this was a well-written piece, not a fan of the r tone it was written in. Felt very much like I was reading something meant for an 8th or 9th grader throughout.
July 23, 2014
An interesting overview of the Vikings. This book was a quick read and seemed to incorporate up to date information regarding Viking exploration, colonization, conquest, trade, navigation, and ship building. I would recommend it to anyone looking into this ere and culture.
August 13, 2014
Good overview of Viking history, mostly contained stuff I had run across in other sources. It's well-written and fairly engaging, and is probably about as thorough as you can be regarding a period of history during which very little was written down.
April 20, 2015
This book is purely being rated by it's ability to keep me interested. While I found parts interesting, I always fell asleep within 15 minutes. If you need a sleeping aid, this book is it. I admit I didn't finish it, but I need a book that I can actually read!
January 25, 2011
Good book for a broad overview of the Norse.
Read
May 26, 2013Recommend this to anyone interested in the Vikings
February 7, 2015
Very hard to read through, more a textbook than a readable nonfiction. Lots of good information but it just couldn't keep me reading. A book to use as a reference, or a quick lookup.
September 18, 2013
An overview of the Vikings reign, influence and exploration. Moves quickly through history with general depth and detail.
March 28, 2015
A decent read. Learned a bit about how wide spread their influence really was.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews