50 Things You Should Know About the Vikings

50 Things You Should Know About

by Philip Parker, Shane McLoed (Consultant Editor)

This book begins by exploring who these peoples were – and who they were not. For while there's no doubt that some Vikings launched bloodthirsty attacks in this period, pillaging communities and plundering treasure, many more were peaceful traders and settlers. The middle chapters deal with the Viking invasions and conquests of Anglo-Saxon lands that took place in the eighth and ninth centuries, as well as the great voyages of exploration that took these horned warriors out across the Atlantic Ocean to what are now Greenland and Canada. These chapters also go beyond the battles and adventures to look at the everyday life of the people, to examine how and what they traded, what Viking village life was like and how they made and sailed their famous long ships. The book concludes by summing up the Viking legacy through an examination of their art, culture, literature and enduring influence on the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

Paperback

Published June 28, 2017

Reviews

[Suzanne Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative in bite sized amounts, great for children. We read a page a day :)

[Weasel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fairly good - but also frustrating. It includes some things, slightly slants others, not quire accurate on others and skips some things. Some of the skipping is frustrating, and the order doesn't quite work (it eventually mentions that it's only using a very small number of christian accounts for the most part, and touches briefly on bias, then quickly moves on...)

It always weird when there's a bit on women, including their clothing, and not the men.

It is a little repeatitive at times.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information is interesting, but the format is not my favorite. I prefer narrative nonfiction or at least a little bit of white space on the page. This is a great reference book if you're looking for little facts and figures, but it was too much information and an inconsistent timeline (that jumped all over the place) that made holding onto the information difficult for me.

[Camilla Roper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just returned from a trip to Scandinavia and a Viking museum, I loved this book! The illustrations and visual representations are just strikingly beautiful. It is one of those children's books that really cuts to the quick and gives facts about the Vikings that will stick with you.

[Chrysti Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read that covers various topics regarding the Vikings. Some new facts that those familiar with the topic will find interesting. Book includes photos of artifacts.

[Jayanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have rated this MUCH higher had there been any bibliography, suggested readings, or even a detailed biography of the author. Photos were credited, but that was it. I liked the format, photos, maps, and timelines. I thought the content was both interesting and accessible BUT lacked authoritative sources.