Vikings?

[allisona]

Just curious...

What with John and I planning to go to L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland this summer, the confirmed site of a Viking village, I've found myself becoming interested in Viking culture and mythology. I'd like to read up some before going to Newfoundland. I will admit to knowing extremely little about Vikings, except, of course, the

Comments

[allisona]

Thanks for the terrific song recs and that totally perfect website! I'll look forward to reading through it. And I'll learn the stories to understand the songs, 'cause I'd certainly buy any CD by you guys :).

Any chance any of Sassafrass will be at FilKONtario? I heard rumours a few times, but nothing set in stone (fingers crossed).

[starmalachite]

Here's a "real-time 3d reconstruction" of the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows.

The Discovery channel did a show from there about the celebration of the anniversary of the Viking landing a few years ago. Unfortunately, I can't find it on their website or on YouTube. (My local dancemaster rowed on one of the replica Viking ships assembled for the occasion.)

[allisona]

Shoot, that site is "access denied" here at school, but I'll check it at home tonight :).

[hvideo]

Are you looking for something specifically about the New World sites, or just Viking culture in general?

[allisona]

Both or either. I've mostly taken an interest in Viking culture in general, which I figure will also spill over into Viking exploring of the New World.

[shirebound]

Ohhh, I'd love to see that place! What a treat.

[allisona]

It was one of the first places we factored in when we started looking at a trip to Newfoundland.

[aunty_marion]

I absorbed what I know about Vikings (etc) so long ago I'm not sure I'm any use! But for the Norse myths and legends, to give yourself a background of the culture, I still like the Oxford Junior Classics version - Norse Myths and Legends, by Barbara Leonie Picard (ill. Joan Kiddell Monroe). May, of course, be out of print now. Unfortunately (for you!) I then went on to reading (or trying to read!) Mum's copy of the Old Norse sagas, in the original. She did the history of the English Language at university, so I learnt to read bits of Old Norse and Anglo-Saxon in my teens...

As for fiction - there are some books that deal with various aspects of Viking life and are reasonably well researched - people like Rosemary Sutcliff and Henry Treece (yes, I'm afraid most of them are children's/YA books!). For a fun perspective on the 'discovery' of Newfoundland, try also Harry Harrison's The Technicolor™ Time Machine.

All my books are in storage now, or I'd be able to check and give you a few more titles - sorry!

[allisona]

You've been great use! :) Thanks, too, for the fiction recommendations, as I am hoping to find a couple of good historical novels based on Viking life. And I quite like children/YA books :).