Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This ambitious yet unconvincing history tracks the influence of Nordic culture on the world from the Bronze Age to the rise of Silicon Valley. The "Viking heart," according to historian Herman (How the Scots Invented the World), is "a frame of mind, a way of life" that has been passed down through centuries of the Scandinavian diaspora, and is defined by the "willingness to venture out into the complete unknown... with the confidence that somewhere on the other side of the far horizon, freedom and a new home await." He profiles Nordic leaders including Danish king Canute the Great, who ruled both Denmark and England in the 11th century, and General Motors CEO William Knudsen, who spearheaded FDR's efforts to develop an "arsenal of democracy" in the run-up to WWII. People of Scandinavian descent have played an especially prominent role in American history, according to Herman, who discusses football coach Knute Rockne's innovations at Notre Dame in the 1920s, agronomist Norman Borlaug's Green Revolution in the 1950s and '60s, and the influence of Norse myths on today's geek culture. The vignettes are appealing, but amount to a historical highlight reel, rather than a cohesive and convincing narrative. This sweeping look at the Viking legacy never takes full sail. (Aug.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
In this latest work, award-winning historian Herman (1917: Lenin, Wilson, and the Birth of the New World Disorder) offers both an overview of Viking history and a microcosmic account of some Scandinavian descendants of Vikings, and their contributions to American life. Herman emphasizes that much Viking popular history is actually rooted in myth, and he demonstrates how modern scholarship has corrected those misconceptions. Throughout, Herman returns to traits of what he calls the "Viking heart," which he defines as the core of the culture that has evolved and been passed down generations and across continents. He starts with what we know of Viking chieftains, then discusses their explorer progeny and numerous stories of innovation and triumph. The entire book is interesting and thoroughly researched, but most readers (perhaps especially those of Scandinavian descent) will be particularly interested once Herman's narrative reaches U.S. soil, where familiar historical figures and events begin to factor in. VERDICT As in Herman's previous books, his writing is engaging and accessible and will engage fans of popular history. It doesn't aim to be an in-depth, exhaustive history, but rather offers some highlights and bite-sized narratives that make it an excellent armchair read.--Amanda Ray, Iowa City P.L., IA
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A fresh look at "the Vikings and their Scandinavian offspring," who have always been considered "among the world's most powerful and important journey makers." Hudson Institute senior fellow Herman makes a convincing case that the peoples of Scandinavia have contributed more to today's world than they are given credit for. For more than two centuries after 780 C.E., Vikings wreaked havoc over immense areas of Europe and east Eurasia. Then, writes the author, "their role shifted from marauder to trader to settler." An ex-Norseman ruled much of France and then invaded England in 1066 as William the Conqueror, who won at the Battle of Hastings. Other Normans expelled the Muslims from southern Italy and Sicily, becoming the dominant power on the peninsula and allowing the papacy to vastly expand its influence. Ironically, the lands they left behind became a backwater until the 16th century, when the Reformation returned them to center stage. Unlike persistent resistance in Britain and civil war in France and Germany, the Reformation converted Scandinavia with much less bloodshed. This proved critical when Catholic armies of the Holy Roman Empire were rampaging across Lutheran Germany. Their only opposition were forces led by Sweden's King Gustavus Adolphus (1594-1632), who won spectacular victories that preserved Protestantism in Germany and may have made him Holy Roman Emperor--if he hadn't died in battle. Herman then fast-forwards to the 19th century, when population and poverty grew and immigration to the U.S. became a major force. In the middle third of the book, the author describes Scandinavia's contribution to America, which includes a significant chapter on the Civil War and long biographies of famous Scandinavian Americans, including Charles Lindbergh, Thorstein Veblen, Knut Rockne, and Carl Sandburg. In the 20th century, aided by the decision to stay out of World War I and escaping lightly from World War II, Scandinavian nations prospered into some of the world's wealthiest and most socially progressive. A fine history of a people who deserve more attention. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
