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The Wanderer's Havamal
The Wanderer's Hávamál features Jackson Crawford’s complete, carefully revised English translation of the Old Norse poem Hávamál, newly annotated for this volume, together with facing original Old Norse text sourced directly from the Codex Regius manuscript.
Rounding out the volume are Crawford’s classic Cowboy Hávamál and translations of other related texts central to understanding the character, wisdom, and mysteries of Óðinn (Odin). Portable and reader-friendly, it makes an ideal companion for both lovers of Old Norse mythology and those new to the wisdom of this central Eddic poem wherever they may find themselves.
Rounding out the volume are Crawford’s classic Cowboy Hávamál and translations of other related texts central to understanding the character, wisdom, and mysteries of Óðinn (Odin). Portable and reader-friendly, it makes an ideal companion for both lovers of Old Norse mythology and those new to the wisdom of this central Eddic poem wherever they may find themselves.
216 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
December 2, 2019
I love The Wanderer's Havamal. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the ethics of Vikings. Crawford's translation is crystal clear and his introduction is helpful in providing a foundation for understanding the poem.
It almost reads like a sort of Viking book of scripture, laying out what a man should and shouldn't do. But the reader soon realizes that it never seems to be saying "you need to do this or that because regardless of the consequences to you it's the intrinsically moral action," it's more hard nosed than that. The Havamal told its readers what its author (or authors) thought would be beneficial to them in a very hard headed and practical way. One stanza provides advice on how to attack your enemy so you can take his stuff, another tells you how to milk a friendship for your own benefit when you don't actually trust the friend. Other stanzas include advice that a modern liberal reader can agree with. The mix is interesting. This book was written for people who had a very different culture, but are still recognizable in many ways.
I also enjoyed The Cowboy's Havamal included at the end of the book. This poem puts the ideas of the Havamal into the language of Crawford's cowboy grandfather. It's funny how tweaking the language a bit makes the sometimes alien ideas included in the Old Norse Havamal seem more relatable.
It almost reads like a sort of Viking book of scripture, laying out what a man should and shouldn't do. But the reader soon realizes that it never seems to be saying "you need to do this or that because regardless of the consequences to you it's the intrinsically moral action," it's more hard nosed than that. The Havamal told its readers what its author (or authors) thought would be beneficial to them in a very hard headed and practical way. One stanza provides advice on how to attack your enemy so you can take his stuff, another tells you how to milk a friendship for your own benefit when you don't actually trust the friend. Other stanzas include advice that a modern liberal reader can agree with. The mix is interesting. This book was written for people who had a very different culture, but are still recognizable in many ways.
I also enjoyed The Cowboy's Havamal included at the end of the book. This poem puts the ideas of the Havamal into the language of Crawford's cowboy grandfather. It's funny how tweaking the language a bit makes the sometimes alien ideas included in the Old Norse Havamal seem more relatable.
April 2, 2021
Awesome translation. I really enjoy Crawford’s handling of the text and the way he translates several stanzas that, historically, would get translated in ways that seemed off based on the rest of the sayings.
Crawford’s inclusion of The Cowboy Havamal is both charming and a great way to tease even more from the text. I can definitely see myself coming back to it just as often as his straight translation from the Old Norse.
Crawford’s inclusion of The Cowboy Havamal is both charming and a great way to tease even more from the text. I can definitely see myself coming back to it just as often as his straight translation from the Old Norse.
February 16, 2021
Original on blog: https://c0d5579.blogspot.com/2021/02/...
I am incapable of offering an unbiased review of anything by Jackson Crawford. I first became aware of his work back in 2016 or so, when I first started playing in the SCA and his Old Norse work first came across my Facebook feed. Ironically enough, Crawford's own words played a part in my decision to turn off that same Facebook feed (original text from Crawford's website here):
You will talk yourself into trouble
if you don’t think before you speak:
Hold that tongue, and think a little,
or you’ll find out that it’s a long whip,
and it’s gonna hit you from behind.
That is from his "Cowboy Havamal," a very loose and informal translation of Havamal, which translates either to "sayings of the High One" or "sayings of the Hanged One" or, given that it's meant to be a collection of the wisdom of Odin, probably both and neither all at once. The "Cowboy Havamal" is, of all of the things he has published, by far my favorite, and it is part of the reason I am incapable of giving an unbiased review of Crawford's work.
To understand why it speaks to me, it is important to understand my mindset in 2016. My life was secure enough for the first time in years to start thinking about something other than immediate needs, and I found myself spectacularly rudderless. It was in these circumstances that a series of fortunate events - a friend's planned Vegas wedding, another friend living in Vegas, a new interest in archery, a local fighter practice - all wound up leading to me joining the SCA, and finding a sense of direction and discipline that I'd lacked. Crawford's voice was one of the earliest I picked up in that time, despite, so far as I know, the man having absolutely no association with the SCA beyond a rabid but respectful fandom in the Society.
Because I picked it up from his YouTube channel, and because he has a voice that could make the Monty Python "spam" lunch menu interesting, I hear his work in his voice; this puts him in such company as Neil Gaiman, my wife, and my drill sergeants, in terms of mental influence. Thus, that was the voice I heard as I read first his Poetic Edda and Saga of the Volsungs a year or so ago, and more recently his annotated translation of Havamal.
So much for why Crawford's work matters to me; let us discuss instead why it matters in general.
What separates Crawford's work from other editions and translations is accessibility. He has struggled with being adjunct faculty and feeling like his professional input was irrelevant for years, and as a reaction to this has made a point of his translations being, for lack of a better description, idiot-proof. Anyone can pick up a Crawford translation and get a good sense of what the passage is about unless he, too, is at sea about it (more on that later). The choice of a free-verse translation to capture meaning and sense is a trademark of Crawford's work, as is a fairly deft touch in finding acceptable equivalents (his use of "sissy," for instance). Compare this to, for instance, the previous American standard translations, Lee Hollander's University of Texas Press editions, which clung much more closely to the poetic meter than Crawford's. This is not to say Hollander's translations were bad; they were standards for a reason, but they were much less accessible.
In The Wanderer's Havamal, he takes a very different tack from his Poetic Edda, in that it comes with facing Old Norse and English texts. The introduction explains his translation and orthography conventions, which are the densest part of the text, but also important reading for the actual text. Some time in the past five years, Crawford realized that there was real, non-academic interest in Old Norse as a language, and much of his YouTube channel is devoted to language lessons. In The Wanderer's Havamal, he has attempted to take a fundamental, well-known Old Norse text preserved in the Codex Regius (lit. "The King's Book"), an Icelandic text that preserves much of what we know of Old Norse literature, and turn it into a potential teaching or learning text. This makes up the bulk of the book, with his translator's notes at the end of the translation. I am not certain in this case whether I would prefer endnotes, which he's used here, or footnotes, which would allow reference for each stanza "on the go," but given the extent of the notes, endnotes are probably the more solid choice. After his endnotes come two other pieces of literature - one, various "supporting documents" to explain parallel versions of some of the stories referenced, and one, the "Cowboy Havamal," which I referenced earlier.
There is very little I can say about Crawford's intent that he does not already say, and I suspect I am the wrong linguistic target; I can read passably in modern Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, and German, and Old English is a linguistic stretch but not an impossible read. Thus, I can follow the Old Norse text well enough stanza to stanza to get the gist, and understand his linguistic arguments in the notes. However, if I were to recommend an introductory text for someone interested in Old Norse poetry, I would heartily recommend Crawford's book. The introduction describes each of the major poetic forms, and what constitutes alliteration and what doesn't - I had not realized for instance that in Old Norse all vowels are considered alliterative, so that to the Norse ear, the phrase "Old Alfred, Batman's batman" contains not one but two alliterations despite English not treating "old" and "Alfred" as alliterative. Further, because Crawford explains where in the text each of the forms is used, a reader can instantly flip to those particular stanzas, read them aloud in Old Norse, and get a feel for how that behavior feels rather than a rote recitation of rules. Combined with Crawford's Poetic Edda, which contains a rather nice description of hummingbirds to show how those same rules work in English, it is a fully functional introduction to Norse poetry, using a standard work that is not buried ears-deep in indecipherable kennings, and where there are kennings, they're unpacked in his endnotes in detail - sometimes surprising detail, like his footnotes about Yggdrasil.
I said that I'd mention one time I felt Crawford was at sea on his meaning; there's a description of how the young should not mock the old, the men draped in skins. The one time I ever felt him shrug and go "I dunno" in the endnotes was in trying to make sense of what this reference to skins meant. I believe that the obvious answer is Ivarr Runamagi, Lion of Ansteorra. I of course don't mean that literally, and one could just as easily say Count Simonn of Amber, also Lion of Ansteorra. In both cases, these are men who are, in their circles, larger than life. For all that, if you watch them closely, they were once larger than they were. Their skin hangs loose in places, looking like their skin was draped over them. One ignores them at one's own peril, though - they've been around the block and they've survived to tell the tale, and each of them has come by a reputation for being wise, in an age where wisdom is hard to recognize, in their lifetimes. I believe that this is what Havamal references in its discussion of old men draped in skins.
Given how central a figure his grandfather June Crawford was to Jackson Crawford, I find this particular interpretation apt, and also a little surprising that it never occurred to him - especially when the very last portion of The Wanderer's Havamal is the "Cowboy Havamal," which feels an appropriate place to end this, too.
Travel, see the country,
never miss a chance to get outdoors.
You’ll only get smarter
by knowin’ more people, more places,
more ways to be a man.
Edited for typography.
I am incapable of offering an unbiased review of anything by Jackson Crawford. I first became aware of his work back in 2016 or so, when I first started playing in the SCA and his Old Norse work first came across my Facebook feed. Ironically enough, Crawford's own words played a part in my decision to turn off that same Facebook feed (original text from Crawford's website here):
You will talk yourself into trouble
if you don’t think before you speak:
Hold that tongue, and think a little,
or you’ll find out that it’s a long whip,
and it’s gonna hit you from behind.
That is from his "Cowboy Havamal," a very loose and informal translation of Havamal, which translates either to "sayings of the High One" or "sayings of the Hanged One" or, given that it's meant to be a collection of the wisdom of Odin, probably both and neither all at once. The "Cowboy Havamal" is, of all of the things he has published, by far my favorite, and it is part of the reason I am incapable of giving an unbiased review of Crawford's work.
To understand why it speaks to me, it is important to understand my mindset in 2016. My life was secure enough for the first time in years to start thinking about something other than immediate needs, and I found myself spectacularly rudderless. It was in these circumstances that a series of fortunate events - a friend's planned Vegas wedding, another friend living in Vegas, a new interest in archery, a local fighter practice - all wound up leading to me joining the SCA, and finding a sense of direction and discipline that I'd lacked. Crawford's voice was one of the earliest I picked up in that time, despite, so far as I know, the man having absolutely no association with the SCA beyond a rabid but respectful fandom in the Society.
Because I picked it up from his YouTube channel, and because he has a voice that could make the Monty Python "spam" lunch menu interesting, I hear his work in his voice; this puts him in such company as Neil Gaiman, my wife, and my drill sergeants, in terms of mental influence. Thus, that was the voice I heard as I read first his Poetic Edda and Saga of the Volsungs a year or so ago, and more recently his annotated translation of Havamal.
So much for why Crawford's work matters to me; let us discuss instead why it matters in general.
What separates Crawford's work from other editions and translations is accessibility. He has struggled with being adjunct faculty and feeling like his professional input was irrelevant for years, and as a reaction to this has made a point of his translations being, for lack of a better description, idiot-proof. Anyone can pick up a Crawford translation and get a good sense of what the passage is about unless he, too, is at sea about it (more on that later). The choice of a free-verse translation to capture meaning and sense is a trademark of Crawford's work, as is a fairly deft touch in finding acceptable equivalents (his use of "sissy," for instance). Compare this to, for instance, the previous American standard translations, Lee Hollander's University of Texas Press editions, which clung much more closely to the poetic meter than Crawford's. This is not to say Hollander's translations were bad; they were standards for a reason, but they were much less accessible.
In The Wanderer's Havamal, he takes a very different tack from his Poetic Edda, in that it comes with facing Old Norse and English texts. The introduction explains his translation and orthography conventions, which are the densest part of the text, but also important reading for the actual text. Some time in the past five years, Crawford realized that there was real, non-academic interest in Old Norse as a language, and much of his YouTube channel is devoted to language lessons. In The Wanderer's Havamal, he has attempted to take a fundamental, well-known Old Norse text preserved in the Codex Regius (lit. "The King's Book"), an Icelandic text that preserves much of what we know of Old Norse literature, and turn it into a potential teaching or learning text. This makes up the bulk of the book, with his translator's notes at the end of the translation. I am not certain in this case whether I would prefer endnotes, which he's used here, or footnotes, which would allow reference for each stanza "on the go," but given the extent of the notes, endnotes are probably the more solid choice. After his endnotes come two other pieces of literature - one, various "supporting documents" to explain parallel versions of some of the stories referenced, and one, the "Cowboy Havamal," which I referenced earlier.
There is very little I can say about Crawford's intent that he does not already say, and I suspect I am the wrong linguistic target; I can read passably in modern Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, and German, and Old English is a linguistic stretch but not an impossible read. Thus, I can follow the Old Norse text well enough stanza to stanza to get the gist, and understand his linguistic arguments in the notes. However, if I were to recommend an introductory text for someone interested in Old Norse poetry, I would heartily recommend Crawford's book. The introduction describes each of the major poetic forms, and what constitutes alliteration and what doesn't - I had not realized for instance that in Old Norse all vowels are considered alliterative, so that to the Norse ear, the phrase "Old Alfred, Batman's batman" contains not one but two alliterations despite English not treating "old" and "Alfred" as alliterative. Further, because Crawford explains where in the text each of the forms is used, a reader can instantly flip to those particular stanzas, read them aloud in Old Norse, and get a feel for how that behavior feels rather than a rote recitation of rules. Combined with Crawford's Poetic Edda, which contains a rather nice description of hummingbirds to show how those same rules work in English, it is a fully functional introduction to Norse poetry, using a standard work that is not buried ears-deep in indecipherable kennings, and where there are kennings, they're unpacked in his endnotes in detail - sometimes surprising detail, like his footnotes about Yggdrasil.
I said that I'd mention one time I felt Crawford was at sea on his meaning; there's a description of how the young should not mock the old, the men draped in skins. The one time I ever felt him shrug and go "I dunno" in the endnotes was in trying to make sense of what this reference to skins meant. I believe that the obvious answer is Ivarr Runamagi, Lion of Ansteorra. I of course don't mean that literally, and one could just as easily say Count Simonn of Amber, also Lion of Ansteorra. In both cases, these are men who are, in their circles, larger than life. For all that, if you watch them closely, they were once larger than they were. Their skin hangs loose in places, looking like their skin was draped over them. One ignores them at one's own peril, though - they've been around the block and they've survived to tell the tale, and each of them has come by a reputation for being wise, in an age where wisdom is hard to recognize, in their lifetimes. I believe that this is what Havamal references in its discussion of old men draped in skins.
Given how central a figure his grandfather June Crawford was to Jackson Crawford, I find this particular interpretation apt, and also a little surprising that it never occurred to him - especially when the very last portion of The Wanderer's Havamal is the "Cowboy Havamal," which feels an appropriate place to end this, too.
Travel, see the country,
never miss a chance to get outdoors.
You’ll only get smarter
by knowin’ more people, more places,
more ways to be a man.
Edited for typography.
July 15, 2023
First of all, contrary to what some people suggest, I believe Havamal is not the "code of Vikings." It simply is a collection of advice and warnings. In this context, I think the tone of the Havamal is self-evident. The advice is purely practical and pragmatic. There is no hell, no heaven, no purgatory, and even no Valhalla. There is no eternal punishment or eternal life. There is always and always emphasis on the consequences within our realm. Therefore, it is not a religious book that imposes rules upon people; it simply says, "Behaving this way will help you (or not), and here's why." For instance, drinking and courting in moderation is suggested, not prohibited, throughout the stanzas.
Since I have a very pragmatic perspective on life, I loved Havamal. Considering this and my affection for Norse mythology, I feel like my attitude toward this book might be slightly biased.
Now on Jackson Crawford's work, I think it is needless to say that his translation is amazing. But what I really want to praise is his hard work on the explanatory chapters (i.e., Note on Language and Spelling, Pronunciation, Commentary on the Old Norse Text of Hávamál, etc.). The length he goes through to make everything as less ambiguous as possible to the readers shows that he is not trapped in an ivy tower, and his genuine intention is to reach out to everyone interested.
Lastly, The Cowboy Havamal was an exciting and emotional touch on the original text. It was a pleasure to read it.
"58.
Rise early, if you want
to take another man’s
property, or his life.
A sleeping wolf
seldom gets his meat,
or a sleeping warrior a victory."
"71.
A limping man can ride a horse,
a handless man can herd,
a deaf man can fight and win.
It’s better even to be blind
than fuel for the funeral pyre;
what can a dead man do?
"76.
Cows die,
family die,
you will die the same way.
But a good reputation
never dies
for the one who earns it well."
Since I have a very pragmatic perspective on life, I loved Havamal. Considering this and my affection for Norse mythology, I feel like my attitude toward this book might be slightly biased.
Now on Jackson Crawford's work, I think it is needless to say that his translation is amazing. But what I really want to praise is his hard work on the explanatory chapters (i.e., Note on Language and Spelling, Pronunciation, Commentary on the Old Norse Text of Hávamál, etc.). The length he goes through to make everything as less ambiguous as possible to the readers shows that he is not trapped in an ivy tower, and his genuine intention is to reach out to everyone interested.
Lastly, The Cowboy Havamal was an exciting and emotional touch on the original text. It was a pleasure to read it.
"58.
Rise early, if you want
to take another man’s
property, or his life.
A sleeping wolf
seldom gets his meat,
or a sleeping warrior a victory."
"71.
A limping man can ride a horse,
a handless man can herd,
a deaf man can fight and win.
It’s better even to be blind
than fuel for the funeral pyre;
what can a dead man do?
"76.
Cows die,
family die,
you will die the same way.
But a good reputation
never dies
for the one who earns it well."
May 19, 2022
This book has two clearly different parts:
First, it contains the Hávamál, a poem written in Old Norse and its translation in English.
Then there's the Commentary on several (most) of the stanzas and how they were translated by the author.
I'll write about each part separately.
The Hávamál is a compilation of advice and little stories with lessons written in the form of a poem. It is astounding to me how many of these pieces of advice are still perfectly valid when applied to today. I would never have expected something a thousand years old to be so sensible and logical when compared to today's standards. I really enjoyed how it teaches about wisdom and kindness toward strangers (while always keeping an eye out). I loved this, and the translation is so well done I can't even fathom how many hours were put into it. Comparing the Norse and the English texts was incredibly fun.
The Commentary sheds so much light onto something that may be confusing at first. Even for someone like me, who is a complete beginner in this topic. It was so helpful being able to read the logic and the trail of thought behind each translation, and the context it gives on some stories made it much more noob-friendly.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forwars to reading more from this author once I've dimmed my to-read list a bit.
First, it contains the Hávamál, a poem written in Old Norse and its translation in English.
Then there's the Commentary on several (most) of the stanzas and how they were translated by the author.
I'll write about each part separately.
The Hávamál is a compilation of advice and little stories with lessons written in the form of a poem. It is astounding to me how many of these pieces of advice are still perfectly valid when applied to today. I would never have expected something a thousand years old to be so sensible and logical when compared to today's standards. I really enjoyed how it teaches about wisdom and kindness toward strangers (while always keeping an eye out). I loved this, and the translation is so well done I can't even fathom how many hours were put into it. Comparing the Norse and the English texts was incredibly fun.
The Commentary sheds so much light onto something that may be confusing at first. Even for someone like me, who is a complete beginner in this topic. It was so helpful being able to read the logic and the trail of thought behind each translation, and the context it gives on some stories made it much more noob-friendly.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forwars to reading more from this author once I've dimmed my to-read list a bit.
May 12, 2023
This was billed to me as the “Viking Bible” as an alternative source of pre-Christian, Proto Indo European wisdom. Obviously, that’s a gross oversimplification. The Havamal is more so “someone’s thoughts looking back on life”. There’s not an especially large amounts of sorcery, magic, divinity etc despite the first 100ish stanzas written by Odin himself.
A lot of the themes of the life advice reminds me of the biblical book of Proverbs, albeit with the signature Scandinavian dry wit and a rather bleak outlook on death and dying.
Interestingly, the authors are actually quite against excessive drinking.
Worth a read.
A lot of the themes of the life advice reminds me of the biblical book of Proverbs, albeit with the signature Scandinavian dry wit and a rather bleak outlook on death and dying.
Interestingly, the authors are actually quite against excessive drinking.
Worth a read.
July 1, 2025
Jackson Crawfords translation of this at times cryptic poem gives an interesting window into the thought of the Norse world with an emphasis on refrain from excessive pleasures and even knowledge or the employing by Odin to never be a begger and to have a home so you may be able to provide for wanderers and to never out stay your welcome but the use knowledge to uplift others is prevalent. But some strange sections around the end are cryptic such as a 17 spells that have abilities to break chains or ward of witches. What this section means will be revealed after further rereadings and additional reasons of other Nordic texts.
January 26, 2024
"Swear your hate beneath the moon"
I adored reading the Hávamál. It helped me on the final paper for my project, and I didn't realize I had such a wonderful piece of literature sitting on my shelf for so long. There are so many pieces of hidden wisdom throughout. It's definitely worth picking up, especially if you're interested in the Prose/Poetic Edda or anything related to Old Norse. I'm also now so glad I have a signed copy because isn't that just cool as fuck! My professor thought so!!
I adored reading the Hávamál. It helped me on the final paper for my project, and I didn't realize I had such a wonderful piece of literature sitting on my shelf for so long. There are so many pieces of hidden wisdom throughout. It's definitely worth picking up, especially if you're interested in the Prose/Poetic Edda or anything related to Old Norse. I'm also now so glad I have a signed copy because isn't that just cool as fuck! My professor thought so!!
May 10, 2020
Outstanding. Really helps understand the choices made to translate the text, and enough context to get a feel for the time it was written.
October 13, 2020
I enjoyed the book. It's the 2nd translation I've read of the Havamal.
I mostly enjoyed the two additional poems that were added.
I mostly enjoyed the two additional poems that were added.
Read
January 15, 2021great poems
January 22, 2025
Reading the words of Odin in the original Old Norse and English en face is somehow reassuring in this fraught age
February 16, 2025
Excellent book, very insightful
February 17, 2020
The Wanderer’s Hávamál is a modern translation of the text prepared by Dr. Jackson Crawford, a Youtube celebrity of sorts, who's online channel "features expert information on all aspects of Old Norse language, myth, culture, and sagas, plus related subjects and some other things just for fun." (Jackson Crawford's Old Norse Channel). My own awareness of his expertise and celebrity was inversely obtained: I came across the title online, ordered and read it, before realizing there even was a YouTube channel. While the Dr. Crawford envisioned while reading the book is slightly different than the "character" presented in the videos, both make Norse mythology incredibly accessible to the common joe like your's truly. Not surprisingly, however, that which is communicated verbally is a little more readily understandable than the text. In this case though, the text is insightful and challenging, in a good way, and rewards the reader who engages it either before (as in my case) or after the benefit of Dr. Crawford's very well produced and orated YouTube content.
A number of stanzas throughout (especially beginning right around 97) are also directly tied to Old Norse mythology and culture through the inclusion of specific names or objects. For example, the giant’s daughter, Gunnlođ, appears in stanza 105 to offer drink to the narrator sitting upon a golden chair. Of course, her(?) name is also dropped much earlier in stanza 14 but without an identified relation to the giant. As a result, Gunnlođ's gender remains unclear to me (assuming they’re the same individual). Challenging inconsistencies of this nature only make the overall text more interesting for this reader as it invites one to actively engage in the text by researching the answers to such questions in both the edition's commentary or online.
Like Beowulf, Gilgamesh, or even the Hagakure (Book of the Samurai), Dr, Crawford's The Wanderer’s Hávamál reminds how valuable, and relatable, ancient wisdom remains in a modern context. In edition to recommending The Wanderer’s Hávamál, I would also recommend stopping by his aforementioned YouTube channel which is chock full of additional insight... both vehicles of education complement one another very well, so where you choose to begin is up to you
A number of stanzas throughout (especially beginning right around 97) are also directly tied to Old Norse mythology and culture through the inclusion of specific names or objects. For example, the giant’s daughter, Gunnlođ, appears in stanza 105 to offer drink to the narrator sitting upon a golden chair. Of course, her(?) name is also dropped much earlier in stanza 14 but without an identified relation to the giant. As a result, Gunnlođ's gender remains unclear to me (assuming they’re the same individual). Challenging inconsistencies of this nature only make the overall text more interesting for this reader as it invites one to actively engage in the text by researching the answers to such questions in both the edition's commentary or online.
Like Beowulf, Gilgamesh, or even the Hagakure (Book of the Samurai), Dr, Crawford's The Wanderer’s Hávamál reminds how valuable, and relatable, ancient wisdom remains in a modern context. In edition to recommending The Wanderer’s Hávamál, I would also recommend stopping by his aforementioned YouTube channel which is chock full of additional insight... both vehicles of education complement one another very well, so where you choose to begin is up to you
February 14, 2023
An absolutely stunning translation of the Havamal that makes understanding the underlying messages of the "Wisdoms" a breeze, especially in comparison to many older or purposefully archaic translations.
Jackson Crawford is among the most prolific scholars of old norse language and he absolutely shows that he deserves this recognition here. Not only does he translate the Havamal in a wonderful way, but he also provides a crashcourse into old norse, historical and scholarly context to the text given here and in-depth considerations he made while translating every "verse" of the poem, which truly helps understanding the thought-process behind this translation.
Beyond the translation, the havamal is a wonderful guide to life, offering many a wisdoms that a man ought to live by. While some may seem quite outdated, most still hold value in the modern world and can truly help one lead a better life.
Jackson Crawford is among the most prolific scholars of old norse language and he absolutely shows that he deserves this recognition here. Not only does he translate the Havamal in a wonderful way, but he also provides a crashcourse into old norse, historical and scholarly context to the text given here and in-depth considerations he made while translating every "verse" of the poem, which truly helps understanding the thought-process behind this translation.
Beyond the translation, the havamal is a wonderful guide to life, offering many a wisdoms that a man ought to live by. While some may seem quite outdated, most still hold value in the modern world and can truly help one lead a better life.
December 7, 2019
Loved the commentary and the facing translation. I'll have to go back and study it in more detail.
And "The Cowboy Hávamál" (recasting the translation into his grandfather's distinctive voice) is just wonderful. Sample:
5. You ought to have
a damn sight of learnin',
before you step outside that door.
It's a lot easier to stay at home,
but no one'll listen to you if you stay there.
23. You should lie down to sleep
and not think about tomorrow;
you'll take care of it then.
If you worry at night, you get nothing done,
and you're in worse shape for the day.
38. Keep yer guns close.
I don't care what they say,
there ain't no tellin'
when there'll be call for 'em.
An armed man has a shot.
(pp. 162, 166, 169)
And "The Cowboy Hávamál" (recasting the translation into his grandfather's distinctive voice) is just wonderful. Sample:
5. You ought to have
a damn sight of learnin',
before you step outside that door.
It's a lot easier to stay at home,
but no one'll listen to you if you stay there.
23. You should lie down to sleep
and not think about tomorrow;
you'll take care of it then.
If you worry at night, you get nothing done,
and you're in worse shape for the day.
38. Keep yer guns close.
I don't care what they say,
there ain't no tellin'
when there'll be call for 'em.
An armed man has a shot.
(pp. 162, 166, 169)
January 22, 2024
You can tell that there was a lot of research before and during the translation process. The stanzas in the Cowboy Hávamál pages really hit home and made me think back on some of the things that my Grandpap taught us growing up.
September 5, 2025
"You should never
exchange words
with someone who won't see reason."
exchange words
with someone who won't see reason."
November 20, 2020
This is a translation of a portion of the Norse Poetic Edda wherein Odin gives a sort of guide to living. This translation has not only a copy of the original text but also two translations thereof from the old Norse. There is a large amount of discussion on linguistics and the larger work. Now, rating this was tricky. I’ll be honest, probably over half of the linguistic talk went right over my head. However, I’ve never studied old Norse much and outside my native language and a touch of French and German I am fairly naive when it comes to linguistic matters. So, I think others like me might not get as much out of the long linguistic discussion sections, but I bet linguistic students well love it. Now, as for the actual translations. Obviously I wasn’t reading the original old Norse variant-I don’t have that ability at present. The first translation has a wonderful gritty, cynical feel that as mentioned by others was surprisingly practical coming from a society that supposedly celebrated dying in battle. Some of the advice seemed contradictory, but what advice isn’t? I must say the second translation, modernized with a sort of western tone felt brilliant. I to remember some old departed male family members that gave advice like this. Quick and sometimes crass, definitely rough around the edges, but the older I get the more such advice rings true to the experiences I’ve accumulated. I’d recommend this work for anyone studying Norse culture, linguistic students, as well as readers of a philosophical bend looking for a new old eye to see the world through. I rate per intent and purpose. It deserves its 4 but will not appeal to every reader.
December 9, 2025
Very interesting in regards to insight on the mind and origin of northerners and their mythos. Accessible, quick to the point, with a good mythological atmosphere and highly comprehensible message in each stanza, I was quite fond of Crawford's translation and thought it had a good balance between modern English comprehensibility and poetic atmosphere. Despite being such a quick read, it felt to me like I much better understood northerners as a group by reading through it, and saw that much of what I considered their modern character had actually been in place for at least a millennia, likely more.
For those who are interested in myth, it gives only a modest insight into the mythos of the north itself, but, it gives a much more important look into their mind, values and day to day life. For those who are seeking philosophy, I have mixed opinions about the advice given, and find it a bit surprisingly feminine for having been written by "Odin", but I suppose he is known more for being a trickster than warrior. Overall most of what it says is sound, and you can extrapolate what is applicable today even from its somewhat dated context. On the other hand, for those interested in how Scandinavians think and feel, this is the most succinct insight I could offer, for it describes my experience with them and how they think indirectly extremely well.
Overall I see little reason for those who enjoy the classical world, older philosophies, myth or history to have not read the work with how pleasing, easy on the eyes, short and simple it is to get through, strongly recommend.
For those who are interested in myth, it gives only a modest insight into the mythos of the north itself, but, it gives a much more important look into their mind, values and day to day life. For those who are seeking philosophy, I have mixed opinions about the advice given, and find it a bit surprisingly feminine for having been written by "Odin", but I suppose he is known more for being a trickster than warrior. Overall most of what it says is sound, and you can extrapolate what is applicable today even from its somewhat dated context. On the other hand, for those interested in how Scandinavians think and feel, this is the most succinct insight I could offer, for it describes my experience with them and how they think indirectly extremely well.
Overall I see little reason for those who enjoy the classical world, older philosophies, myth or history to have not read the work with how pleasing, easy on the eyes, short and simple it is to get through, strongly recommend.
March 23, 2025
Can I give it 4.5?
The Wanderer's Hávamál, an Old Norse poem attributted to Odin himself, is an interesting read. I have little experience with Old Norse or its poetry, so I appreciated the notes at the front, particularly the explanation of how, in the original, the poetry part is in the patterns of stress and alliteration, rather than meter and rhyme, like we do in English. And it's compact: English wants more syllables, so he's tried to keep the meaning, while putting it into free verse. I like a translator who tells you how he's dealt with the tough choices translators have to make.
I like the poems themselves, too. Simple language, earthy wisdom. Humor. Violence. Somitimes the difference between their time and ours is barely noticible, other times it slaps the modern sensibilites smartly. Reminds me: our ways are not the only ways; the past is a foreign country.
My favorite part, though, was the 'Cowboy' translation at the end. I'm no scholar, but it seems to me that that suits the era better than the smooth clean standardized English the main book's in.
I've said you should listen,
but don't listen to no -#@! idiots.
And remember: you might be poor,
someone else might be rich,
and neither 'o you has the other to blame.
I'll definitely be back for a reread, and if I ever try to learn Old Norse, this book's side-by-side Old Norse/English format will be a treasure.
The Wanderer's Hávamál, an Old Norse poem attributted to Odin himself, is an interesting read. I have little experience with Old Norse or its poetry, so I appreciated the notes at the front, particularly the explanation of how, in the original, the poetry part is in the patterns of stress and alliteration, rather than meter and rhyme, like we do in English. And it's compact: English wants more syllables, so he's tried to keep the meaning, while putting it into free verse. I like a translator who tells you how he's dealt with the tough choices translators have to make.
I like the poems themselves, too. Simple language, earthy wisdom. Humor. Violence. Somitimes the difference between their time and ours is barely noticible, other times it slaps the modern sensibilites smartly. Reminds me: our ways are not the only ways; the past is a foreign country.
My favorite part, though, was the 'Cowboy' translation at the end. I'm no scholar, but it seems to me that that suits the era better than the smooth clean standardized English the main book's in.
I've said you should listen,
but don't listen to no -#@! idiots.
And remember: you might be poor,
someone else might be rich,
and neither 'o you has the other to blame.
I'll definitely be back for a reread, and if I ever try to learn Old Norse, this book's side-by-side Old Norse/English format will be a treasure.
February 13, 2021
Crawford's orthographic and emotional translation of Hávamál allows us not only a look into the gods of old, but also the opportunity to brandish Old Norse and Scandinavian wisdom and ethics in modern times. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this translation, other than the author's unquestionable mastery of the language, is how accessible he makes this knowledge for readers of all academic backgrounds. He gives credit when it is due, and often refers back to his translation of the Poetic Edda published in 2015, either to justify a change in the text or bring attention to a particular notion that the text is implicitly trying to convey.
I'll end with my favourite piece of advice from the One-Eyed (38):
"Never go
even a single step
without a weapon at your side;
you never know
when you might find yourself
in need of a spear"
I'll end with my favourite piece of advice from the One-Eyed (38):
"Never go
even a single step
without a weapon at your side;
you never know
when you might find yourself
in need of a spear"
March 17, 2024
Jackson Crawford is a certainly a thorough translator and expert in his subject. While I can't personally speak to the accuracy of the translation, he fills the text with notes before and after on why he made the choices he did while leaving the resulting verse clear and thus a fun and fascinating read. Includes plenty of interesting discussion on points of debate within the field and his own speculation.
And of course, concludes with his partial, more personal, from the heart translation which can be heard on his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMepO...
If you have not seen his YouTube videos and you have any interest in Old Norse Language and Mythology, you are missing out.
And of course, concludes with his partial, more personal, from the heart translation which can be heard on his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMepO...
If you have not seen his YouTube videos and you have any interest in Old Norse Language and Mythology, you are missing out.
March 19, 2021
This is practical advice through the ages.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
I am sure I am going to read it again.
To whomever who chose to write it down back in the 12th century, amid a changing world when everything pagan were already dead or dying.
Skål!
Crawford explanation of how to read Hávamál in old Norse, is thoroughly helpful, this will help one read other old Norse texts, albeit not even if one cannot understand the true meaning of the words.
The book includes not only the poem of Hávamál, but also a couple more of other Icelandic and Norwegian Poems from the Viking age.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
I am sure I am going to read it again.
To whomever who chose to write it down back in the 12th century, amid a changing world when everything pagan were already dead or dying.
Skål!
Crawford explanation of how to read Hávamál in old Norse, is thoroughly helpful, this will help one read other old Norse texts, albeit not even if one cannot understand the true meaning of the words.
The book includes not only the poem of Hávamál, but also a couple more of other Icelandic and Norwegian Poems from the Viking age.
January 3, 2022
It’s great. I’ve read it many times, and said all there is to say about it. I’m a dying man, and it’s some comfort to read about life without worrying about what comes after.
This is probably the best translation of the Havamal on the market. There is no sacrifice made to readability, but this means changing the structure of the poem some. For reasons Dr. Crawford outlined in the intro, this does not matter- Old Norse can’t be translated word for word anyway.
Dr. Crawford is great. Period. If he wrote a cookbook, i would read it.
My review is based on the translation and commentary, not the source material!
This is probably the best translation of the Havamal on the market. There is no sacrifice made to readability, but this means changing the structure of the poem some. For reasons Dr. Crawford outlined in the intro, this does not matter- Old Norse can’t be translated word for word anyway.
Dr. Crawford is great. Period. If he wrote a cookbook, i would read it.
My review is based on the translation and commentary, not the source material!
February 7, 2023
Odin's words of wisdom will never fail to resonate with me. There is a comfort in it's down to earth wisdom gained through experience that I cannot comprehend. In a period of great change in my life, this book is valuable for exploring my spirituality and connecting with that older part of myself that I have borrowed from the Earth. Jackson's translation is brilliant and adds to the rich history of this poem. His Cowboy Hávamál is a great addition to, and even though none of my grandparents are American I can hear their voice through Jackson's choice of words. A must read for anyone that wants to understand Nordic wisdom.
April 12, 2020
Dr Crawford makes reading this version easier and nice flowing . I first encounter Havamal in my Tolkien class, a few months prior to taking Dr Crawford's Icelandic Sagas class . Having read another older translation of the Havamal and Saga of Volsungs before his class , I can assure you Dr Crawford writing and translation is ideal to understand the themes and vision of the norse and Icelandic culture . His version reaches a greater audience and he ,himself adds his own interesting features such as the Cowboy's Havamal. Absolutely well done .
May 4, 2020
I love the Havamal and Odins wisdom. being able to read the words of the wanderer in the modern age is a splendid gift. The poems are many and great to read in their English translation with a nifty Norse translation for reference. Having watched many of Jackson Crawford's videos to learn more about the Norsemen having a book I can read as well as watching his videos is great. It's nice to have a book I can study on my own instead of having to rely completely on his videos even if they are great I can't watch them all the time.
March 28, 2020
My opinion of this book is likely influenced by my fascination and obsession with Northern European cultures and history, likely because my ancestry has a firm tie to this region. This book captures your thought and imagination. I kept finding myself daydreaming about sitting in a long house, drinking mead and hearing tales of Norse tales. Great book! I plan to take it backpacking with me this summer and reading it beside a blazing campfire.
May 6, 2020
This book was shorter than I expected, and much more focused on the Norse language than I expected. It’s a scholarly work but it’s very inviting to anyone who might have interest in the Norse language, and would be a good introduction with its direct tone and helpful side-by-side translation. There isn’t much of a story, but if you want to feel like you’re sitting down by the fire with Odin, this is the book for you.
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