The Vikings cover

The Vikings

by Else Roesdahl

Far from being just "wild, barbaric, ax-wielding pirates," the Vikings created complex social institutions, oversaw the coming of Christianity to Scandinavia, and made a major impact on European history through trade, travel, and far-flung colonization. This encyclopedic study brings together wide-ranging research on Viking art, burial customs, class divisions, jewelry, kingship, poetry, and family life, and, in this revised edition, recent discoveries. The result is a rich and compelling picture of an extraordinary civilization that flourished for three hundred years, well into the eleventh century.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?