The Norse Myths That Shape the Way We Think

'A marvellous book, erudite and well-written, proving once more how relevant Norse myth remains to the modern reader' - Joanne Harris, author of 'The Gospel of Loki' and 'Chocolat' 'We've all heard of the Norse myths, but here Carolyne Larrington takes us deeper to explore their influence on myths of our own - the stories and stereotypes that have built up around the people arguably known as the Vikings. Urgently corrective, occasionally controversial, but always insightful and entertaining, one could not hope for a better guide' - Professor Neil Price, author of 'The Children of Ash and Elm' 'A compelling examination of the power and influence of these ancient legends and the continuing effect they have on contemporary society and culture. Touching on a surprisingly wide array of topics, Larrington manages to present her arguments in an intelligent yet accessible manner' - All About History 'Colourful and wonderfully made ... A solid primer for the extant sources of these myths, drawing on the author's clear expertise and revealing interesting new configurations. Touching on everything from Wagner's Goetterdammerung to Noggin the Nog, this is an ambitious book that shows how Norse pagan culture continues to be reforged in compelling ways' - Telegraph 'The paradox of this world, as Carolyne Larrington explores, is that though it is weird, cruel and violent, its protagonists are a lot closer to us than those elegant Olympians. And Norse mythology as it has come to us is inextricably mixed up with the lives of real men and women' - The Times 'Thor Blimey! ... Larrington is an expert guide to the origins of the stories and an opinionated interpreter of their modern descendants. Like its predecessors in the series ... this book shows how stories help us to understand who we are and the times we live in' - Guardian 'Larrington has been our best interpreter of the medieval Icelandic sources of Norse mythology. In this new and very readable volume, she shows how those stories and characters have stayed alive ... how the enduring appeal of the originals comes from the way in which the myths can be employed to engage with the big questions of our own time' - BBC History