Customer Reviews

What Life Was Like When Longships Sailed: Vikings Ad 800-1100

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I've scanned the entire page for this book here at Amazon.com and looked on the inside cover of the book itself when I borrowed it from the library to read. Nowhere can I find an indication that this book is directed at young readers. Therefore I must take issue with other user reviews for this book that criticize it for being inappropriate for teens. It wasn't INTENDED for teens; should it be so surprising that it contains material that some people would consider in appropriate for them?

Yes, the book contains references to the procreative activities of the mythological figure Rig. Yes, it discusses the sacrifice of a young slave girl during a chieftain's funeral (although, as the original account by Ibn Fadhlan states, the girl was not as "unwilling" as another review would indicate: she did, in fact, volunteer for the task and was treated with "great courtesy" before the ceremony).

It discusses these things because they were part of the culture of the so-called Vikings. It discusses them because they are what this book is ABOUT. Should we intentionally omit pertinent information regarding aspects of the culture of the Northmen just because it may offend our modern-day, Christianity-based sensibilities? That seems a narrow-minded, ethnocentric and thoroughly unscientific way of doing things to me.

I can also understand one being "disturbed" by (but not "with") the material in this book, especially if one is not familiar with Viking culture, but to then claim that the material is "opinionated" (or even "opionated") is quite silly. I don't know what basis one would have for making such a claim, since most if not all of the material I encountered in this book I've encountered in other, very well respected books on the subject, not to mention in the existing primary sources.

The book itself is just what it presents itself to be: a relatively short, fairly well written, straightforward overview of both Viking history and Viking society; not too stuffy, scholarly or long-winded; and engaging for the layperson with little knowledge of the subject. I would heartily recommend it to anyone--and that includes teens.

I am happy that Time-Life didn't dumb this book down for squeamish teenagers or prudish suburban housewives. Life for our ancestors was tough. The historical evidence has been presented in a fair and balanced way, warts & all. This book gives a realistic picture of what life was like, not a Hollywood sanitized version. If our teens knew what life was really like for our ancestors, perhaps they would be more appreciative of the privileged life they have now. I have no problem with my own teenage daughters reading it.

I recommend this book, and series, for anyone interested in history, as a basic introduction, based on sound evidence, with a focus on the life experiences of real people.

Sweyn
Author
The Rune Primer: A Down to Earth Guide to the Runes

This book was very interesting to read on what was life like. I would recommend this to anyone.

I own ten WLWL books and most are entertaining but I found this one to be somewhat bizarre. As with all books in this series you will enjoy fine color imagery. There are numerous examples of Viking artifacts - household objects, swords, clothing, longships, intricate wood carvings and the like. The text focuses on daily lives, settlements, and Viking ingenuity. Particular attention is paid to their vicious, warlike nature and the various mythological gods and pagan rituals surrounding them. Here I was struck by some overt and completely gratuitous references. A few examples:"(The god) Rig was greeted by a man in his prime called Father, who was...beside an elegant woman called Mother, who sat admiring her...As was his custom, Rig stayed three nights and slept between the couple in their bed. Nine months later Mother gave birth to a boy..." This scenario is repeated several times; on page 28 Rig impregnates a great-grandmother. All of this comes from myth preserved in the Icelandic poem Rigsthula, but with the vast wealth of Viking lore to choose from, why would the author select this information? Pages 74-76 detail the cremation of a Rus chieftain and an unwilling slave girl. "The slave girl drank herself into a stupor...before being put to death she visited the tents of several men close to the chieftain and had intercourse with them...at the last moment the victim appeared to waver...Two men held her feet and two grasped her hands, while the Angel of Death looped a cord around her neck and gave the crossed ends to the other two men for them to pull. Then the old woman seized a broad-bladed dagger and plunged it repeatedly between the victim's ribs, and the men tightened the cord until she was dead..." That's some harsh stuff inappropriate for younger readers. Too bad, because Time Life has long been a trusted publisher of these type books which are good for all ages. The photos and drawings are great but the text is often boring. Recommended only for mature readers with a very strong interest in this subject.

When I read this book I became obsessed with vikings, everyone who likes mideaval history HAS to read this book.

Hello,
I am very disturbed with this book. I am a mother of two and have written three books. I am disgusted by the information. It is all opionated. I do not recommend that you read this book. Thank you