The Viking Heart

How Scandinavians Conquered the World

By: Arthur Herman

Narrated by: Kiff Vandenheuvel

“An absorbing and humane account . . . Mr. Herman is at pains to remind us that the Viking world was never just a stage for mayhem. It was, he says, ‘about daring to reach for more than the universe had gifted you, no matter the odds and the obstacles.’ In short: We might all take our own life’s cue from the Viking heart.”—The Wall Street Journal

From a New York Times best-selling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist, a sweeping epic of how the Vikings and their descendants have shaped history and America

Scandinavia has always been a world apart. For millennia Norwegians, Danes, Finns, and Swedes lived a remote and rugged existence among the fjords and peaks of the land of the midnight sun. But when they finally left their homeland in search of opportunity, these wanderers—including the most famous, the Vikings—would reshape Europe and beyond. Their ingenuity, daring, resiliency, and loyalty to family and community would propel them to the gates of Rome, the steppes of Russia, the courts of Constantinople, and the castles of England and Ireland. But nowhere would they leave a deeper mark than across the Atlantic, where the Vikings’ legacy would become the American Dream.

In The Viking Heart, Arthur Herman melds a compelling historical narrative with cutting-edge archaeological and DNA research to trace the epic story of this remarkable and diverse people. He shows how the Scandinavian experience has universal meaning, and how we can still be inspired by their indomitable spirit.

Review

Good narration. Good history of Vikings. It was worth listening to although a bit drawn out towards the end.

Well researched history of Scandinavian accomplishments

Engaging and illuminating read (or listen, in this case) and the author has included a helpful PDF .

Great read

Enjoyed this summary of the Scandinavian peoples. Will definitely listen to it again. Great performance, reader did not put me to sleep the way so many readers do.

Narrator makes this almost unlistenable

They need to find a narrator who can pronounce the words in various foreign languages. Also, he shouldn’t do different voices when quoting historical figures.

Viking Heart

Lots a good history and great stories.
A little disjointed in parts, but overall a very good read and/or listen.