Scandinavia since 1500: Second Edition

by Byron J. Nordstrom

An updated edition of the definitive history of Scandinavia over the past five centuries Despite certain distinctions and differences, the lands of Scandinavia, or Norden—Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, and the Faroe Islands—are united by bonds of culture, language, and geography, and by a shared history that comes richly to life in this landmark work. Now in an expanded, updated edition, this authoritative chronicle of five centuries of Scandinavian history incorporates the geopolitical developments and momentous events that have marked the Nordic world in recent decades.   Scandinavia since 1500 situates the region’s political history within the traditional European chronology—in which the long “modern” period is subdivided into the Renaissance, early modern, modern, and contemporary. Within this framework, Byron J. Nordstrom traces the various ways in which economic, social, and cultural ideas and practices have come to Scandinavia from abroad, only to be modified and recast in a uniquely Nordic character. Long-unquestioned national mythologies come under Nordstrom's scrutiny, along with historical blind spots and erasures, as he ranges from canonical figures like Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and Christian IV of Denmark to the constitutions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the resistance movements in World War II, and the Scandinavian welfare states, literary culture, and modern design. Expanded to include the nature and realities of the increasingly postindustrial economies of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries—including environmental concerns, integration with Europe, globalization, and immigration— Scandinavia since 1500 offers a comprehensive yet nuanced portrait of this unique region in all its political, diplomatic, social, economic, and cultural complexity.     Cover alt Bold white title and author name across breathtaking snowy landscape of sun-touched cliffs beside a waterway and scattering of homes.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Scandinavian Literature, Historical, Politics

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Byron Nordstrom is professor emeritus of Scandinavian studies at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota. He received his B.A. from Lawrence University in 1965, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1968 and 1971 respectively. Nordstrom's research focuses on neighborhood development and the role of organizations in creating and maintaining identities in Swedish America and on Scandinavia in the 1920s and 1930s.

Reviews

[John Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I never took a class from Byron Nordstrom when I was a student at Gustavus Adolphus College in the late 1970s and he was teaching in the Scandinavian Studies and History departments, but I do remember him well. This book, at first, seemed too broad both spatially and time-wise for me. It is written in a top-down fashion with emphasis on governing bodies, and since Sweden and Denmark were the main rulers of all of Scandinavia until the 1800s, there is little on the remaining three countries in those early chapters, but the book becomes stronger and more detailed as each becomes independent entities. It is very detailed but gives a very strong history and overview of the connections between these countries and their individual paths to where they are now. In the end, I appreciated his regional approach to telling their histories and liked the depth of his own research into so many aspects of Scandinavian life.

[Dominique Lamssies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is best for someone who knows the time period and area covered and needs a refresher. If you don't know much, there's just too much info to process and it's largely presented as a list of facts. More room to let the topics breath would have been better. The author also had an unfortunate penchant of addressing every point of disagreement about the period and playing devil's advocate, so the book seems like he's more interested in arguing than illustrating. I also found the maps lacking and very confusing at times.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable summary of modern scandinavian history

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty high level - hard to appreciate the history of the various kingdoms.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Thorough for my research purposes.

[Timothy Fewless · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Text book

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to see a side by side history of the different Scandanavian countries, comparing and contrasting their development over the years.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nordstrom does a fantastic job consolidating half a millennium of Norden's history into about 300 pages. The first two-thirds of the book, especially pre-Enlightenment, can seem like biographies of feckless and bumbling rulers interrupted briefly by extraordinary ones. With such emphasis on dates and forgetful names, the reading can feel meaningless.

Fortunately, over time, Nordstrom shows how the importance of these characters changes, giving rise to noble ruling classes, then to diversified ruling classes, and soon revolutions.

It is said that much attention is given to Denmark and Sweden. This is true. While Nordstrom touches on aspects of Iceland, Norway, Faroe Islands, and Åland Islands, I felt they were brushed over. The sections of nationalism and the rise of identity, along with discussion about the forming of standardized languages, added depth to the people of these places. Notwithstanding, I finished feeling shorted.

For those interested in understanding why Scandinavia is the way it is--socially, culturally, politically, economically--begin here. It will give necessary historical context to many of the recent modern advancements. I would love to see an updated version with a chapter added on effects of the twenty-first century on Norden.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an extremely thorough, but still very readable history of Norden from about 1500 onwards to whenever it was published. He talks about Sweden and Denmark the most for a good portion of the book, but really that's fair given they were the most powerful countries in the region for many years.
He also sheds some light on the sometimes murky happenings in Scandinavia during WWII, though I'm sure a whole book could be written on the topic, he does a pretty good job outlining events.
A good book for anyone interested in a general overview of Nordic history and how things evolved to be the way they are today in Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and a little bit about the Faeroe Islands and Greenland.

Don't worry about getting confused by names, he puts in charts, asides, and maps to help keep people and places straight.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book, very good to read, smooth, extremely well planned out and detailed. Only downside is that it sometimes gets bogged down by statistics and too many names.

[Cedoleban · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonably good textbook on modern Scandinavian history.

[Phillip]

Nice clear balanced portrait of 5 Scandinavian Nations. Easy to follow with explanatory maps and tables where appropriate. very objective.