About this item
Highlights
- The Norsemen of old Scandinavia were a tough and hardy people, best known today for their prowess in bloody combat and storytelling.
- About the Author: Finn D. Moore is a graduate of Ithaca College and has an MA from the New School.
- 256 Pages
- Social Science, Folklore & Mythology
Description
Book Synopsis
The Norsemen of old Scandinavia were a tough and hardy people, best known today for their prowess in bloody combat and storytelling. Because they had no writing, the frightening reputation of warriors survives, but Norse mythology -- all storytelling -- is less known. This book documents the Norse myths that were sources of entertainment, comfort and explanations of the universe -- from animals to the seasons to the afterlife.
Given that there are no surviving texts, the remaining myths have been changed through hundreds of years of oral tradition. Norse Mythology draws on Prose Edda and Poetic Edda, the two earliest and most faithful recordings of Norse myths. The chapters include:
- An introduction to Norse history and culture -- Vikings, long ships, and raiding
- Cyclical time: Runes, the creation of the Cosmos, First Gods
- Yggdrasil and the Nine Realms
- The Aesir Gods (Odin, Thor, Loki, Sif, Baldur, Idun)
- The Vanir Gods (Njord, Freyr, Freyja, The Mighty Thor)
- The Jotnar (Hela, Skadi, Skoll and Hati)
- Monsters and other creatures (Dwarves, light elves Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse, Kraken, trolls)
- Other myths (why is the sea salty?)
- Ragnarok and the Rebirth of the World.
Illustrated in color throughout and accompanied by maps and photos of archaeological treasures, this is a highly entertaining and informative read as the world of entertainment draws more stories from Norse mythology.
Review Quotes
Impressively informative, illustrated throughout with museum quality artwork, enhanced for the reader's benefit with numerous maps and photos of archaeological treasures... An entertaining and fun read from cover to cover... An extraordinary and highly recommended pick for personal, high school, community, and college and university library Mythology and Folklore collections.-- "Midwest Book Review" (9/1/2024 12:00:00 AM)
About the Author
Finn D. Moore is a graduate of Ithaca College and has an MA from the New School. He lives in Linden, New Jersey. He also wrote The Armchair Travel Guide to Ireland.