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Book on Norse Mythology?

OverlordOverlord Registered User regular
edited June 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
I've been looking into reading about norse mythology but I don't know what books to look into. Anyone have any recommendations?

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Posts

  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    There is a time to ask Penny-Arcade, and there is a time to ask Amazon...

    http://www.amazon.com/Norse-Mythology-Heroes-Rituals-Beliefs/dp/0195153820/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245563714&sr=8-1

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  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    If you ever feel like reading a fiction book that has that as a pretty big theme, can't go wrong with American Gods.

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  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Edith Hamilton's "Mythology", while focusing mostly on Greek has a Norse part to it.

    Interesting stuff.

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  • FantasmaFantasma Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Hi,

    The following links could give you something to read while you wait for a book:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigurd

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnarok

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenrir

    Fantasma on
    Hear my warnings, unbelievers. We have raised altars in this land so that we may sacrifice you to our gods. There is no hope in opposing the inevitable. Put down your arms, unbelievers, and bow before the forces of Chaos!
  • Zombie NirvanaZombie Nirvana Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Lord of the Rings?

    Zombie Nirvana on
  • OverlordOverlord Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Thanks for the suggestions. Those wiki pages were pretty cool and that American Gods book sounds neat.

    Overlord on
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  • PennyfreqsPennyfreqs Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Iceman.USAF wrote: »
    Edith Hamilton's "Mythology", while focusing mostly on Greek has a Norse part to it.

    Interesting stuff.

    This. I remember back in Junior High reading that book, it's a great starter book for all those polytheistic religions.

    Pennyfreqs on
    You don't have to be wrong for me to be right.
  • Inquisitor77Inquisitor77 2 x Penny Arcade Fight Club Champion A fixed point in space and timeRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I loved this book as a kid:

    http://www.amazon.com/DAulaires-Norse-Myths-Ingri-DAulaire/dp/159017125X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245607235&sr=1-1


    I rented it out of the library constantly.

    Inquisitor77 on
  • muninnmuninn Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Ok, I have to disagree with a lot of posters here. norse mythology is something of a hobby of mine, so I tend to treat it as "serious business". If you are looking for something based on "fact" I would stay away from wikipedia entries, as they contain a surprisingly large amount of bullshit. The problem with norse mythology is that there is only a handful of secondary sources, dealing with the subject, while the popularity of the subject is on the rise. This leads to people extrapolating their wildest fantasies out of the bit of knowledge we have, or using inaccurate info as gospel. and then there is all that crap the Germans came up with during WW2 as a propaganda machine, that you would be surprised to find still floating around as "facts".
    Another problem is censorship, where a lot of books dealing with the juicy subjects are distorted or omitted, so that any fragile young minds reading it wouldnt be scarred for life by the image of a goddess fucking 3 ugly ass dwarves for a shiny trinket. The series of mythology books published by Dover is a huge culprit in this.

    Anyhoo, enough of this diatribe. My recommendation would be "The Norse Myths" by Kevin Crossley-Holland. It is a fantastic book. You could also read both Eddas if you feel adventurous. American Gods is a fun book as well, but you might enjoy it more knowing a little bit more about norse, african and eastern european mythologies - although that is not required to enjoy the book.

    muninn on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The Sagas Of Icelanders maybe?

    Esh on
  • muninnmuninn Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Esh wrote: »
    The Sagas Of Icelanders maybe?

    Icelandic mythology, while derived from norse myths, differ from them quite a bit. Also, Sagas of the Islanders dont really deal with the subject.... o_O

    muninn on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    muninn wrote: »
    Esh wrote: »
    The Sagas Of Icelanders maybe?

    Icelandic mythology, while derived from norse myths, differ from them quite a bit. Also, Sagas of the Islanders dont really deal with the subject.... o_O

    He just said he was looking into reading about Norse mythology. How is recommending sagas that are a major offshoot of just that a bad idea? :P

    Esh on
  • muninnmuninn Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Well, when he said myths, I imagine he wanted stories about the deities of the region, not the genealogical trees of the Icelanders :)

    muninn on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    muninn wrote: »
    Well, when he said myths, I imagine he wanted stories about the deities of the region, not the genealogical trees of the Icelanders :)

    Yes, because understanding the people is a terrible idea when trying to find out about their gods... o_O

    Beyond the fact that they're a very entertaining read.

    Esh on
  • muninnmuninn Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Esh wrote: »
    muninn wrote: »
    Well, when he said myths, I imagine he wanted stories about the deities of the region, not the genealogical trees of the Icelanders :)

    Yes, because understanding the people is a terrible idea when trying to find out about their gods... o_O

    Beyond the fact that they're a very entertaining read.

    If he is not well versed in the subject already, I would suggest he reads a book dealing with the gods, not the people who worshipped them. If I wanted to learn more about Philadelphia Eagles NFL franchise, I doubt that anyone would recommend me an 800 page book on the history of the city.

    While interesting in its own right, Saga of the Icelanders is a very long and dry book about something that only tangentially deals with the subject matter he is interested in.

    muninn on
  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    muninn wrote: »
    Esh wrote: »
    muninn wrote: »
    Well, when he said myths, I imagine he wanted stories about the deities of the region, not the genealogical trees of the Icelanders :)

    Yes, because understanding the people is a terrible idea when trying to find out about their gods... o_O

    Beyond the fact that they're a very entertaining read.

    If he is not well versed in the subject already, I would suggest he reads a book dealing with the gods, not the people who worshipped them. If I wanted to learn more about Philadelphia Eagles NFL franchise, I doubt that anyone would recommend me an 800 page book on the history of the city.

    While interesting in its own right, Saga of the Icelanders is a very long and dry book about something that only tangentially deals with the subject matter he is interested in.

    Your example is completely off base. I'd hardly call the Sagas dry, but hey, that's just me.

    Esh on
  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator, Administrator admin
    edited June 2009
    The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson! It's one of the most classic books in Swedish literature. I loved it as a kid - and that was the last time I read the books, which I really should rectify.
    The book is set in the late 10th century and follows the adventures of Orm ("serpent"), called "Red" for his hair (and his temper), a native of Scania. The story portrays the political situation of Europe in the later Viking Age, Andalusia under Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir, Denmark under Harold Bluetooth, followed by the struggle between Eric the Victorious and Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark, Ireland under Brian Boru, England under Ethelred the Unready, the Battle of Maldon, all before the backdrop of the gradual Christianisation of Scandinavia, contrasting the pragmatic Norse pagan outlook with Islam and Christianity.

    Echo on
  • Inquisitor77Inquisitor77 2 x Penny Arcade Fight Club Champion A fixed point in space and timeRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    God, you guys suck so much.

    Inquisitor77 on
  • FantasmaFantasma Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    muninn wrote: »
    Another problem is censorship, where a lot of books dealing with the juicy subjects are distorted or omitted, so that any fragile young minds reading it wouldnt be scarred for life by the image of a goddess fucking 3 ugly ass dwarves for a shiny trinket.

    Would you mind to share your vast knowledge on this subject?, sounds interesting.

    Another question, are you saying that the Völsunga Saga is bullshit?

    Fantasma on
    Hear my warnings, unbelievers. We have raised altars in this land so that we may sacrifice you to our gods. There is no hope in opposing the inevitable. Put down your arms, unbelievers, and bow before the forces of Chaos!
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