The Vikings in History [Paperback]

F. Donald Logan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 1992 | ISBN-10: 0415083966 | ISBN-13: 978-0415083966 | Edition: 2

The second edition of this lively and comprehensive book provides a forceful reassessment of the role of the Vikings in history. Drawing on archaeological, literary, as well as historical evidence, the author describes the Viking expeditions overseas, and their transformation from terrifying raiders to assimilated settlers whose rich culture played an influential role in European civilization.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`[This] wide-ranging account offers the best general synthesis of current knowledge about these fascinating adventurers. The author is fully abreast of the latest archaeological, artistic, demographic, linguistic, numismatic and textual scholarship, and he has spiced his exploration with a wealth of clearly organized significant detail. - Choice

`The originality of this book lies in shifts of emphasis ... in a commonsense approach, and in the breadth of the picture it offers. - Times Literary Supplement

‘A good vigorous account of the great Scandinavian explosion...’ Times Education Supplement

About the Author

F. Donald Logan is Professor of History at Emmanuel College, Boston.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (February 13, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415083966
• ISBN-13: 978-0415083966
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,956,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book on Scandinavian expansion/influence, August 29, 2003

By 

Lois Huneycutt (Columbia, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Vikings in History (Paperback)

I have used this book in medieval history courses and courses on the Vikings with a great deal of success. It's well-written, engaging, told in a logical sequence, and it covers areas that other, similar books do not. It tends, however, to be a little over-corrective in its approach and minimizes the devastation of Viking violence on some more settled societies. He calls the raiding parties "exuberant, at times destructive," making them sound more like Labrador Retriever puppies than sometimes murderous bands. Overall, though, it's a very good survey.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing, April 9, 2000

By 

"astyanax" (Columbia, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vikings in History (Paperback)

F. Donald Logan's The Vikings in History seeks to establish that the overall picture we have of the vikings is distorted to the point that we do not consider their contributions to the development of Europe in the Middle Ages and early Renaissance periods. Logan wishes to move away from the traditional "Franco-centric" viewpoint which holds that it was the Carolingians who brought about the great changes to western civilization. For Logan, the Vikings instituted a great many of these changes, which resulted in the establishment of political, social and economic institutions which prevailed in western civilization for a fairly long time.

Logan divides his book into several sections which deal with the vikings from a geographical perspective, treating groups separately, e.g. the Vikings in Ireland or the Vikings in England. This isolationist approach gives better perspectives on the individual movements of various Viking tribes and their accomplishments in the respective area.

The book is not boring and is not bogged down with historical jargon or long explanations of historical methods and it reads extremely well. Some of Logan's discussions such as those on the value of the Vinland map work well for students of history as they would for people gathered at the dinner table. At the end of every chapter there is a short list of other works which the curious reader may wish to pursue.

Some of Logan's conclusions may be questioned, especially when his ideas tear down traditional assumptions dealing with persons who have been revered for their accomplishments, such as King Alfred the Great.

This book is a good read for any beginner student of the vikings. It is an easy read and it is informative. Students will appreciate Logan's employment of both archaeological and literary evidence for his supports.