'Compelling . . . shows us how our understanding of the Vikings is incomplete without a consideration of the violence of their culture, but remains sympathetic to the poetry of their doomed world . . . Ferguson adds another layer to our perception of our origins' Independent on Sunday, Books of the Year From the first bloody attack on the Lindisfarne monastery in 793 to the settlement of Iceland and Greenland and the discovery of North America, the Vikings dominated Europe for over 300 years. What caused their outburst of violence and restless creativity, what sustained it, and what finally brought it to an end? Robert Ferguson's new history sheds light on some of the most characteristic aspects of the Vikings' culture, including their Heathen religion, their skill as shipbuilders and architects, and an extraordinary literary and poetic culture that celebrated the deeds of such enigmatically named leaders as Harald Bluetooth and Ivar the Boneless. This is the clearest and most compelling modern portrait of the Viking world yet. 'Christianity will loom the larger in the Viking story from now on, thanks to Robert Ferguson's fascinating The Hammer and the Cross' Scotsman, Books of the Year 'Ferguson restores Viking violence to centre stage . . . a lively and gripping account' Literary Review 'A brave, engaging book' The Tablet
'Compelling . . . shows us how our understanding of the Vikings is incomplete without a consideration of the violence of their culture, but remains sympathetic to the poetry of their doomed world . . . Ferguson adds another layer to our perception of our origins' Independent on Sunday, Books of the Year From the first bloody attack on the Lindisfarne monastery in 793 to the settlement of Iceland and Greenland and the discovery of North America, the Vikings dominated Europe for over 300 years. What caused their outburst of violence and restless creativity, what sustained it, and what finally brought it to an end? Robert Ferguson's new history sheds light on some of the most characteristic aspects of the Vikings' culture, including their Heathen religion, their skill as shipbuilders and architects, and an extraordinary literary and poetic culture that celebrated the deeds of such enigmatically named leaders as Harald Bluetooth and Ivar the Boneless. This is the clearest and most compelling modern portrait of the Viking world yet. 'Christianity will loom the larger in the Viking story from now on, thanks to Robert Ferguson's fascinating The Hammer and the Cross' Scotsman, Books of the Year 'Ferguson restores Viking violence to centre stage . . . a lively and gripping account' Literary Review 'A brave, engaging book' The Tablet
Robert Ferguson is one of the world's leading scholars in Scandinavian studies. After studying in London under Peter Foote, co-author of the classic Viking Achievement, he emigrated to Norway in 1984. At the invitation of the Norwegian Government he has lectured on aspects of Norwegian and Scandinavian history and culture at embassies, universities and other cultural venues in St Petersburg, New Delhi, Mumbai, Oslo, Bergen, Prague, Warsaw, Riga, Edinburgh, Vasa, New York and at the Library of Congress in Washington. His previous books include biographies of Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun.
Ferguson adds another layer to our perception of our origins in
this compelling and often poignant account of a pagan warrior
society faced with Christianity on the march
*Independent*
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