In school around the age of 10, when asked to make a project, I always chose to look at the Vikings, I was particularly interested in the explorers, Erik the Red, Leif Ericsson and Bjarni Herjólfsson, who discovered Greenland and America.
Totally agree. I read so many names of people and cities from ancient history that are unpronounceable tongue twisters :p Great video! My Mesoamerican reading didn't pan out, but I'm looking forward to the map making and sea exploration book for Q2 of Historathon :)
I once heard someone say that one should never make fun of a person who mispronounces a word, because they learned that word through reading. If there were a Booktubers’ handbook that quote should definitely be in there. I hope the reading gets better for you!
Awesome video! I'm becoming more interested in Viking history now, these books all look great and I've enjoyed your commentary. I just started Children of Ash and Elm - it's an audiobook and I'm actually enjoying it in this format.
The Last Viking sounds like it exists in a zone I wish were more populated. I appreciate aims like presenting the fullest account of evidence and the most incisive summary of and response to others’ interpretations. (I’m reading Chris Wickham at the moment, I’d better like that. :)) But I also like going for the coolest, most dramatic take that’s reasonably consistent with the record. Must look that up at the library…and yup, in the queue it goes.
That’s awesome! I’ve had several people read the book on my recommendation and they’ve all enjoyed it. Thank you so much for writing such a fun and engaging history book.
That’s tough to answer as there is a wide variety of them. If you want action mixed with poetry, I think Egil’s Saga is perhaps a good place to start. From the sagas I’ve read it’s pretty well-rounded. If you want something short just to get your feet wet, the Vinland Sagas are quite interesting and come with very little time commitment. If you buy the Penguin editions be sure to read the introductory essays for proper context.
I just bought The Wolf Age. Have you read it? I have to read Children of Ash & Elm. You are going to have to display all the swords in your office once you have it set up!!
The swords are going up in the dining room once we finish pulling down the wallpaper and repainting 😩 I have The Wolf Age written down on my list of books to read for next year’s event.
@@donhollway1129 I read the whole book...it was a fascinating read, I particularly liked the story of Harald and the Varangians fighting alongside the Byzantines...
What happens in Constantinople and Harald's time working for the Byzantine Empire is like something out of Game of Thrones with all the Eunuchs and court politics and Empress Zoe having her hair cut off by her ungrateful nephew and Harald and the Varangians operating a bit like the Wagner Group of today...
In school around the age of 10, when asked to make a project, I always chose to look at the Vikings, I was particularly interested in the explorers, Erik the Red, Leif Ericsson and Bjarni Herjólfsson, who discovered Greenland and America.
Such a great topic!
Totally agree. I read so many names of people and cities from ancient history that are unpronounceable tongue twisters :p Great video! My Mesoamerican reading didn't pan out, but I'm looking forward to the map making and sea exploration book for Q2 of Historathon :)
I once heard someone say that one should never make fun of a person who mispronounces a word, because they learned that word through reading. If there were a Booktubers’ handbook that quote should definitely be in there. I hope the reading gets better for you!
Awesome video! I'm becoming more interested in Viking history now, these books all look great and I've enjoyed your commentary. I just started Children of Ash and Elm - it's an audiobook and I'm actually enjoying it in this format.
Thank you! I’ll be eagerly awaiting your thoughts!
I thought my April reads were good, but then you showed these off and...well...I need/want to read all of these now! Excellent discussion as always!
Thanks, David! I look forward to talking Anglo-Saxons with you next month.
That sounds like a good collection. I intended to read some books for historathon but then the 18th century called again.
That’s perfect for Quarter 3!
The Last Viking sounds like it exists in a zone I wish were more populated. I appreciate aims like presenting the fullest account of evidence and the most incisive summary of and response to others’ interpretations. (I’m reading Chris Wickham at the moment, I’d better like that. :)) But I also like going for the coolest, most dramatic take that’s reasonably consistent with the record. Must look that up at the library…and yup, in the queue it goes.
I agree and I hope you enjoy it!
I have just downloaded the Last Viking... not sure when I'll get to it...
You totally “got” what I was trying to do with the book. Any time I get compared to Robert E. Howard and Conan is a plus.
That’s awesome! I’ve had several people read the book on my recommendation and they’ve all enjoyed it. Thank you so much for writing such a fun and engaging history book.
What saga would you recommend to a person who has never read one? You are piquing my interest!
That’s tough to answer as there is a wide variety of them. If you want action mixed with poetry, I think Egil’s Saga is perhaps a good place to start. From the sagas I’ve read it’s pretty well-rounded. If you want something short just to get your feet wet, the Vinland Sagas are quite interesting and come with very little time commitment. If you buy the Penguin editions be sure to read the introductory essays for proper context.
Thanks! It's the Vinland Sagas I've heard of, and I'll try to get that Penguin edition. It sounds good!
@@suzannes8017 (Thanks for your question. I've never read any of them either, but it does interest me!)
I just bought The Wolf Age. Have you read it? I have to read Children of Ash & Elm. You are going to have to display all the swords in your office once you have it set up!!
The swords are going up in the dining room once we finish pulling down the wallpaper and repainting 😩 I have The Wolf Age written down on my list of books to read for next year’s event.
If you put a bunch of Viking books together like that, do they get together to raid the books on England, or Byzantium?
Now that you mention it, my books on early church history have been looking a little nervous.
"History is a fog, a fog of uncertainty. The deeper one peers into it, the murkier and more uncertain the fog becomes."
Hey, you read my book! (Or at least the introduction!) Thanks!
@@donhollway1129 I read the whole book...it was a fascinating read, I particularly liked the story of Harald and the Varangians fighting alongside the Byzantines...
@@donhollway1129 I reviewed the book on my channel.
What happens in Constantinople and Harald's time working for the Byzantine Empire is like something out of Game of Thrones with all the Eunuchs and court politics and Empress Zoe having her hair cut off by her ungrateful nephew and Harald and the Varangians operating a bit like the Wagner Group of today...
It reminded me a great deal of Conan the Cimmerian traveling to warm exotic lands of decadence.
@@revenantreads I haven't read Conan. But I'm enjoying the Last Viking thanks for the recommendation.
Harald was kind of a jerk... 1066 and all that... :)
Pretty much 😂
@@revenantreads I downloaded The Last Viking... and have started reading about Snorri...