Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion

The Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion
By Daniel McCoy
Published in 2016
317 Pages
Thibault’s Score: 3/5

After spending several months studying the vikings, I’ve been puzzled. I’ve been completely unable to get into their minds. This book was a breakthrough in my understanding - and it allowed me to get into the heads of the vikings.

The main warning that I would like to give to readers is that this book is hard to understand unless you already have a good deal of understanding about who the vikings were. It was exactly the book that I needed to solidify my shaky understanding of the people when I otherwise already had a pretty good idea of the timeline.

The book is split into two halves. The first half gives you significant historical context, analysis, and explanations. The second half is a collection of actual myths. This was a good choice. If the second half had been first, I would have been completely lost and bored. Instead, I appreciated it.

The vikings were a savage and primitive people. They had a completely nihilistic and hedonistic mindset. Their values appear very alien and difficult to understand - they have no sense of morality except as decreed by society; no sexual morality; no prohibition against violence; no demand to support the poor and needy; and no need for honesty that exists outside of social norms. It's a completely psychopathic mindset. Their Gods and religion reflects this. The best modern analog that I have seen for the vikings is the firsthand impression I’ve had of American black ghetto culture.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone specifically studying the vikings and who already has some good general sense for the period. I would not recommend this book to a more general audience.

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