Early Kings of Norway

The Early Kings of Norway
by Thomas Carlyle
Published in 1871
82 Pages
Thibault’s Score: 3/5


This narrative history covers the period from the Unification of Norway under Harald Fairhair through the conversion of Christianity until the reign of Haakon IV. The narrative is very well crafted and sourced, especially for one written during the 19th century.


I had a lot of trouble following along because all of the names and places were completely new to me. I frequently found myself completely lost, and as a result, didn’t appreciate this book as much as I normally could have.


The writing style itself is clear and direct, and I imagine that if I had been better versed in the history of the region, would have been interesting to follow along. I finished this book without gaining a lot of knowledge directly, but it prompted me to read many Wikipedia articles.