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Oct. 29th, 2018
Book 78 - Julian D. Richards "Vikings"
Oct. 29th, 2018 04:18 pmJulian D. Richards "Vikings: A Very Short Introduction" (Oxford University Press)
The Viking reputation is of bloodthirsty seafaring warriors, repeatedly plundering the British Isles and the North Atlantic throughout the early Middle Ages. Yet Vikings were also traders, settlers, and farmers, with a complex artistic and linguistic culture, whose expansion overseas led them to cross the Atlantic for the first time in European history. Highlighting the latest archaeological evidence, Julian Richards reveals the whole Viking world: their history, society and culture, and their expansion overseas for trade, colonization, and plunder. We also look at the Viking identity, through their artistic expression, rune stones, their ships, and their religion. The Viking story is also brought up to date, by examining their legacy from the medieval Icelandic sagas to 19th Century nationalism, Wagner, and the Nazis.
It was actually a lot more readable than I expected. I expected it to be much drier, but he was quite refreshing to read with even a few very subtle humorous references.
The Viking reputation is of bloodthirsty seafaring warriors, repeatedly plundering the British Isles and the North Atlantic throughout the early Middle Ages. Yet Vikings were also traders, settlers, and farmers, with a complex artistic and linguistic culture, whose expansion overseas led them to cross the Atlantic for the first time in European history. Highlighting the latest archaeological evidence, Julian Richards reveals the whole Viking world: their history, society and culture, and their expansion overseas for trade, colonization, and plunder. We also look at the Viking identity, through their artistic expression, rune stones, their ships, and their religion. The Viking story is also brought up to date, by examining their legacy from the medieval Icelandic sagas to 19th Century nationalism, Wagner, and the Nazis.
It was actually a lot more readable than I expected. I expected it to be much drier, but he was quite refreshing to read with even a few very subtle humorous references.
Monday Musings
Oct. 29th, 2018 11:55 pmI was glad I did not go anywhere on Sunday. Rained on and iff most of the day .plys it was extremely windy with a very cold northerly wind. The only other wind I experienced was posteriorly annoying aftershocks of eating porridge for breakfast. Well, they do say roughage is good for you!
Well, I think I should say in a nonchalant way that I am still awaiting some money from a source that is always seemingly on the slow side. So, as I wait for some pension release, I am at home watching catch up on certain programmes, and doing some reading and having to release some jobs because well .. enough of that.
So we shall see what happens tomorrow and in fact may need a further trip to Past Sentence for more unloading of books. You could call it a bibliophilic bulimic problem that needs redressing. That is a joke!
Well, I think I should say in a nonchalant way that I am still awaiting some money from a source that is always seemingly on the slow side. So, as I wait for some pension release, I am at home watching catch up on certain programmes, and doing some reading and having to release some jobs because well .. enough of that.
So we shall see what happens tomorrow and in fact may need a further trip to Past Sentence for more unloading of books. You could call it a bibliophilic bulimic problem that needs redressing. That is a joke!
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