The Vikings: Classic Histories Series

By Magnus Magnusson

The Vikings hold a particular place in the history of the West, both symbolically and in the significant impact they had on Northern Europe. Magnus Magnusson's indispensable study of this great period presents a rounded and fascinating picture of a people who, in modern eyes, would seem to embody striking contradictions. They were undoubtedly pillagers, raiders and terrifying warriors, but they were also great pioneers, artists and traders - a dynamic people, whose skill and daring in their exploration of the world has left an indelible impression a thousand years on.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Oct 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9780750980777

Magnus Magnusson

Magnus Magnusson was an Icelandic national who spent most of his life in Scotland. He presented many programs on BBC TV, including Chronicle, Mastermind, and a 12-part series Vikings! He has published more than 20 books.

Reviews for The Vikings

[dpappas_25 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For someone like me who had little knowledge of the Vikings (except for common misconceptions) before reading this book, this was a fascinating and informative read. Magnus Magnusson manages to take readers back to the Viking Age and discusses the Viking culture through archeological finds, sagas about famous Vikings, and other aides. I really liked that this book was broken up into chapters that discussed the different areas in which the Vikings were prevalent. It made it easier to read about the countries and their Viking history one at a time as opposed to altogether at once. This book provided me not only with knowledge about the Vikings but also a good list of sagas to read (the book doesn't actually make a list of sagas but I noted all the sagas Magnusson mentioned and plan on reading some if not most of them). If you are curious about Vikings and want to read about the Viking Age and culture than I would definitely recommend this book to you.

[carlym_35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This looks a bit like a coffee-table book, so I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but the exclamation point in the title is justified. Magnusson is enthusiastic about his subject, but also scholarly. He covers the whole Viking Age in Northern Europe, outlining both the history and the archeological basis for that history. I liked that he explained some of the controversies among historians and archaeologists about what different artifacts mean and where they fit into the picture. The book includes quite a few pictures of sites and artifacts. I do wish Magnusson had included a timeline; he organized the book primarily by area (Norway, Denmark, Iceland, etc.), and it would have been nice to have a reference for how events lined up across Europe. I love the Viking names: King Eyrstein Fart, Harald Fine-Hair, Ragnar Hairy-Breeks--how awesome are those? Vikings! indeed.