Product Description
Contents Include: Dedication to King Haakon VII - Editor's Introduction - Translator's Preface - Snorre's Preface - The Ynglinga Saga, Semi-Mythical - Historic Sagas - Halfdan the Black - Harald the Fairhaired - Haakon the Good - Eric's Sons - Earl Haakon - King Olaf Tryguesson - King Olaf the Saint - Magnus the Good - Harald the Stern - Olaf the Quiet - Magnus Barefoot - The Sons of Magnus - Magnus the Blind and Harald Gille - The Sons of Harald - Haakon the Broad-Shouldered - Magnus Erlingson - List of Old Sagas - List of Kings of Sweden, Denmark, Norway - Index of Names and Places ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Norse King histories
This is a great read about the history of Norse Kings, primarily Norwegian Kings. This book has helped me with documentation for a brewing contest I will be enatering in October, 2010. ... Read more

Product Description
Freya, the Norse goddess of beauty and love, was also a skilled warrior. She became the Queen of the Valkyries, the warrior goddess who served Odin.The myth of what happened to the love of Freya's life is retold in this brilliantly illustrated Norse myth. ... Read more

Product Description
With insightful readings of his source material - which includes "Norse" sagas, Eddic literature and church homilies - Arnved Nedkvitne sheds light on the complex and diversified nature of lay belief in medieval Norse society. One of the study's main claims suggests that laypeople had a firm belief in life after death - with all central rituals and beliefs seen as a means to this end. Yet, laypeople also had greater latitude in choosing between a sacred or secular understanding of their everyday lives than is often assumed: while religion was a fundamental source of norms, values and concepts at the time, laypeople also had to relate to state laws, codes of honour upheld by the local community and their own material interests. This book offers a comprehensive treatment of the diffusion of strains related to the subject at hand: from orthodox rituals to remnants of pagan religion, from Christian ethics to secular honour. Combining a powerful and lucid exploration of his material with astute methodological awareness, Arnved Nedkvitne paints a vivid picture of the religious and cultural landscape of medieval Norse society. ... Read more

Product Description
When seeking to understand the function of mythology in the pagan past and in medieval Iceland scholars are confronted with the problem of how sources from the Middle Ages can properly be used. The articles in this volume demonstrate diverse angles from which Old Norse mythological texts can be viewed. Many discuss methodological problems in dealing with the texts and draw on expertise from different fields of study such as history, philology, literary studies, and history of religions. The authors are all established experts in the field, but demonstrate new approaches to the study of ON mythology, and offer insights into possible new directions for research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

f. mowat book
this is a great book.based on years of research.
i found it very informative and well-documented.

invitation to a sword fight
"Westviking" is entertaining and informative as is most of Farley Mowat's work.He has relied extensively on the Icelandic and Vinland sagas to recreate a lost world in which Scandinavian adventurers pushed through to colonize southern Greenland and then on to North America.The sagas are largely correct.Archaeology has revealed Greenland settlements and a settlement at Anse du Meadows in Newfoundland.The Vikings were a truly remarkable people.Although they arguably set back European civilization by their numerous raids and conquests, they became the Varangians of Byzantium; Russia was named for a Viking tribe, the Russ; they provided the first Csars of Kiev; the conquered out and named Normandy; they settled most of the British Isles; they settled the islands of the North, including Iceland, and they pushed all the way to North America.

Interestingly, their conquests are pertinent to present discussions on supposed human induced global warming.When Erik the Red went to southern Greenland, it was a green land.The Scandinavians could raise sheep and cattle on the grassy pastures.These pastures are now covered by ice.It is colder now than one thousand years ago.Al Gore--the man who discovered the internet--just might have it wrong.

Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

Excellent historical account of Norse exploration of America
Westviking is what I beleive to be the Best historical account of Pre Columbian exploration of North America. Farley Mowat takes accounts from ancient Norse, Native American & Inuvut (Eskimo) & brings themtogether for the first time in a creative and suspensful reading.Westviking is a must for fans of history, socialogy, or geneology. I givefive out five stars.

Mowat rethinks the Norse discovery of America
Canadian author Farley Mowat is perhaps the best-equipped person alive today (1998) to take a look at the remote history of the Norse voyages toNorth America. Combining the skills of seamanship, navigation and amateuranthropology with those of the historian and trained scientist (he is abiologist), this unique writer has brought a very fine light to bear inthis 1965 work which is just as relevant today as it was over 30 yearsago.

Amongst the more remarkable attributes of this lengthy examinationof the old Icelandic and Norwegian sagas, is the locating of the probablesites for the major voyages of Eric the Red and Leif Ericsson and thewell-argued contention that neither of them was the first man to make adocumented voyage to the New World. According to Mowat, that honour goes tothe little-known Norwegian trader, Barnji Herjolfsson, who probably gaveEric the Red his sailing directions.

Mowat doesn't take kindly to manyother conceptions about this period of Norse history and spendsconsiderable time debunking what he believes are myths created by scholarswho had no first-hand knowledge of either sailing or the particularcoastlines (Greenland, Newfoundland and Labrador) involved in the sagas.Indeed, his close examination of the available descriptions serves to pointvery much to the real sites as they might have been and show that many ofthe old theories (particularly to do with New England) have no value atall.

Sailing enthusiasts who love to read will come readily aboard thisvessel and perhaps pitch their own knowledge against or alongside Mowat andthe various Newfoundland schooner captains whom he interviewed to find outtheir opinions about prevailing winds and currents. All in all, it's adelightful book, not too difficult to read, even for non-nautical types(Mowat chose to create quite a number of appendixes to hold all the verydetailed information and make the main text easier to read - they work verywell) and anyone even remotely interested in finding out who, as far as weknow, actually did discover America (or thinks they may have had Vikingancestors), should pick this up. As an added bonus, if you enjoy this book,there are several more by Mowat on the same theme, and dozens more by himon a wide range of associated subjects (the Arctic, the environment,sailing, whales etc.). ... Read more

Product Description
The world of the Norsemen -- men of the North -- was rich in poetry, legend and song. Whenever there was a feast to greet guests, or celebrate weddings or the safe return of voyagers, the bards or 'skalds' were called on to tell stories and sing songs. These stories were colourful and dramatic. They told of kings and queens, princes and princesses, duels and battles, and great journeys across the sea. They offered heroes to admire, villains to fear, and made the listeners tremble and gasp with tales of love and daring, power and cunning. Stories, like the ones in this book, were their window on the whole world. These stories of Norse heroes, beautifully retold by the renowned storyteller Isabel Wyatt, are drawn from the collection of tales compiled by Saxo Grammaticus and other early Scandinavian writers. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a retelling of the stories of Norse mythology as recommended for the Steiner-Waldorf curriculum Class 4 (age 9-10). It includes myths on Creation, Odin and Mimir, Thor and Thialfi, Idun, Sif and Loki. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not recommended for students of Norse mythology
This is not a children's level book. It is supposed to be for ages 9-12 as part of the Waldorf school's curriculum, but it is adult or young adult level. While the renditions of the myths and the included sagas look ok, there are so many better translations for this and other age groups that this is a very poor choice. My main objection though is the Christian introduction. The author says that when men could no longer see god, they worshiped the angels as gods. But the "true" god wanted to help the people who couldn't see him, so he allowed the worship of the angels. ???? He claims that the Norse gods are angels, which is incorrect, insulting and just wacky. Another book that they sell is even worse, "Norse Mythology and the Modern Human Being", contains many references to Atlantis and Lemuria and refers to Odin as an archangel. I don't know much about the Waldorf schools, but if they promote this nonsense, I would question other books that they use, particularly in the science area. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1893.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Carnivorous Saint
Subtitled "Gay Poems" and published by Gay Sunshine Press in San Francisco in 1977 at the height of Gay Liberation, you might expect this book would touch on the subject of homosexuality. And how.

In addition to numerous sexually explicit poems (including uncensored translations of Catullus), Carnivorous Saint features a naked picture of Norse on the cover, drawings of naked men, drawings of men having sex, photographs of naked men, drawings of satyrs & other mythological beasts, photographs of ancient statues and other ancient artwork, and surreal cut-up collages and artwork by Norse himself.

But these aren't just gay poems. It's a lot more than that. I think in his follow-up book, The Love Poems, he toned down the gay aspect so as not to pigeonhole himself, and to make it clear that these poems are more universal.

I made the mistake of assuming that The Love Poems was an expanded version of Carnivorous Saint. Not so. Even though The Love Poems includes 50 pages of newer material from 1976-1985, Carnivorous Saint is still 60 pages longer.

From what I can tell, all of these poems are available in his Collected Poems. But if you want a smaller collection of his work, this is a good one to get. It's his longest collection by far at 240 pages, and it includes all of his more daring and sexually explicit poems, some of which I consider his best works.

The poems "Young Mr America," "The Man with the Cut-up Muscles," and "La Drogue/Voyage" are rendered graphically, written in newspaper cut-outs with a collage of various pictures, and typographical variations. By comparison, the versions in Collected Poems are boring.

I was also surprised to notice that his celebrated poem "In the Hub of the Fiery Force" has a dedication - "For Gregory Corso". That's not present in any of his other books I've seen.

All in all, a great book by a great poet, and very much a product of San Francisco in the mid-70s. ... Read more

Product Description
The first complete and systematic presentation of the Norse mythology in the English language, containing all the myths of the Eddas, systematized and interpreted with an introduction, vocabulary and index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Attention Grabbing Art
Norse Myths and Legends
By Cheryl Evans & Anne Millard

Considering that this book is mainly targeted at children from the ages of 7 to their early teens, the information presented here is mythologically accurate and relatively well researched, (if somewhat abbreviated). In fact I'd recommend it for anyone who wants a very quick refresher course on Norse Mythology regardless of their age group.
I think that the artwork is at the very least, colorful and attention grabbing. Humm.... and the attention span of a 7-13 year old is how long? A book targeted toward this age group needs all the help it can get just to keep them interested and off the video games. On a more objective level, I thought that the illustrations were quite good. Granted they were not in the more "traditional" Frank Frezetta, realistic Norse or Conan mode, but they were however, rather haunting. It almost seemed to me that the subjects were otherworldly, elfin or even slightly alien. Well, that doesn't sound like any Norse God I've ever seen! At least the illustrator had the outstanding good sense not to illustrate this work with the half-nude Neo-Greek art style that is used to decorate so many Norse Mythology books in the 19th & 20th century's.

I really liked the "Who's Who" section at the end of the book. It was accurate and concise. The English pronunciations listed after each subject will be a great help for young readers or anyone not familiar with Germanic/Scandinavian inflections. Granted there are a few minor errors in the work but not terrible ones. Having worked on and off in the RPG/War Gaming Industry since the late 1970's I'd give this work a B as a RPG (Role-Playing-Game) aid. A good generic information source for RPG's on the Norse "Who's Who?", but not specific/detailed enough for most rabid Roll-Players.

All and all a good fun read with killer (no pun intended) illustrations. I bought this copy to read to my Grandson's. Now I have to order 4 more copies because all of the Grandchildren want their own copy, (and they can't have mine)! Enjoy!


In Frith,
Spence the Elder

"Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc"
M. Addams



... Read more

Product Description
This unique collection of essays applies significant critical approaches to the mythological poetry of the Poetic Edda, a principal source for Old Norse cosmography and the legends of Odin, Loki, and Thor. The volume also provides very useful introductions that sketch the critical history of the Eddas. By applying new theoretical approaches (feminist, structuralist, post-structuralist) to each of the major poems, this book yields a variety of powerful and convincing readings. Contributors to the collection are both young scholars and senior figures in the discipline, and are of varying nationalities (American, British, Australian, Scandinavian, and Icelandic), thus ensuring a range of interpretations from different corners of the scholarly community. The new translations included here make available for the first time to English speaking students the intriguing methodologies that are currently developing in Scandinavia. An essential collection of scholarship for any Old Norse course, The Poetic Edda will also be of interest to scholars of Indo-European myth, as well as those who study the theory of myth. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the century's most spectacular archaeological finds occurred in 1921, a year before Howard Carter stumbled upon Tutankhamun's tomb, when Poul Norlund recovered dozens of garments from a graveyard in the Norse settlement of Herjolfsnaes, Greenland. Preserved intact for centuries by the permafrost, these mediaeval garments display remarkable similarities to western European costumes of the time. Previously, such costumes were known only from contemporary illustrations, and the Greenland finds provided the world with a close look at how ordinary Europeans dressed in the Middle Ages. Fortunately for Norlund's team, wood has always been extremely scarce in Greenland, and instead of caskets, many of the bodies were found swaddled in multiple layers of cast-off clothing. When he wrote about the excavation later, Norlund also described how occasional thaws had permitted crowberry and dwarf willow to establish themselves in the top layers of soil. Their roots grew through coffins, clothing and corpses alike, binding them together in a vast network of thin fibers - as if, he wrote, the finds had been literally sewn in the earth. Eighty years of technical advances and subsequent excavations have greatly added to our understanding of the Herjolfsnaes discoveries. "Woven into the Earth" recounts the dramatic story of Norlund's excavation in the context of other Norse textile finds in Greenland. It then describes what the finds tell us about the materials and methods used in making the clothes. The weaving and sewing techniques detailed here are surprisingly sophisticated, and one can only admire the talent of the women who employed them, especially considering the harsh conditions they worked under. While "Woven into the Earth" will be invaluable to students of mediaeval archaeology, Norse society and textile history, both lay readers and scholars are sure to find the book's dig narratives and glimpses of life among "the last Vikings" fascinating. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Woven into the Earth
This is a must have for anyone interested in the subject. This book is well worth the price.

Woven into the Earth
This is a fantastic book for academical purposes or for someone who has been re-enacting early middle ages for some time.
By this I mean somebody who is really interested in making medieval garments themselves.
I would not recommend this book just for the pleasure of reading.

Astounding connection between weaving and life
This book is so well written that you can read it even if you aren't particularly interested in weaving, and enjoy it. It is a cultural connection between the craft of weaving and the culture of life. Highly recommended to weavers who are interested in the history of their craft.

Historical textiles from Greenland
This hard-cover book, translated from Danish, is a fascinating look at an obscure treasure. Clothing found in the ancient settlements of Greenland (1000 A.D.) is discussed, color photos and drawings explaining construction details of the garments are included. It is a beautiful book and anyone interested in clothing or textiles of the middle ages will consider it a must-have.

Instant Classic
It is rare that more than a few shreds of fiber survive from an archaeological site.Thanks to the unique climate and soil conditions in Greenland, we have a number of whole garments that have survived from about a 200-year span during the middle of the medieval period. Until now, most of that information was known in detail only to specialists.Ms. Ostergard's book collects the information she and her colleagues have derived from the Greenland finds and presents it clearly and succinctly, with full color photographs and line illustrations describing the weave, cut, pattern and techniques used to sew the items in meticulous detail.This book is a permanent asset to the study of medieval costume, an instant classic and, thanks to its clarity of writing and layout, useful even for the costumer. ... Read more

Product Description

Passionate and Powerful: Twelve Goddesses for Modern WomenYou are a reflection of the Divine Feminine. You shine like Sunna, Norse Goddess of the Sun; take risks like Cessair, Founding Goddess of Ireland; love like Creiddylad, Welsh May Day Goddess. With this guide, you'll discover how to use spellwork and magic to make lasting changes in your life with the aid and guidance of twelve powerful Celtic and Nordic goddesses.

From creating abundance to increasing your psychic abilities to connecting to the land, you'll learn how to attune to a specific goddess and connect with her energy to manifest your dreams and desires. Through ritual, invocation, guided meditations, and magical activities, you'll explore the unique strength of each goddess and discover her gift for your life.

Customer Reviews (5)

Simply Magical Book of Celtic and Norse Goddesses
Goddess Afoot! by Michelle Skye is a wonderfully written, well-organized and delightful book for anyone who practices (or wants to know more about) magic. It is organized into three sections: one for the Welsh goddesses, one for the Irish goddesses, and one for the Norse goddesses. Each section contains four representative goddesses.For each goddess, Skye writes a "biography," the reason why the goddess is important, a "pathworking," a guided meditation, an invocation to the goddess, and then one or more magical activities.Taken together, the three sections provider the woman or man who practices magic with a wide range of suggested spiritual guidance for different situations and different times throughout the wheel of the year.Skye does a beautiful job of combining ancient belief with modern practice, in just the right tone of not-too-serious open-mindedness.

Excellence!
Michelle Skye is the perfect example of what a pagan writer should be.She uses primary source material for her mythic information--can you imagine!?!And better than that, she is very clear in where her writing differs from the primary source, or has no basis in the source.To me this is an outstanding practice that should be adopted by all pagan authors of non-fiction.

I always tell people that there are two ways to know the goddesses--through study and through direct contact and both are totally necessary to get the whole picture.This is the approach that Skye uses in her books.The meditations, rituals and spells arise from and are complimentary to the factual information on each goddess.This being said, she is not a reconstructionist or purist in any sense, which may turn some people off to her work--for example she recommends the use of white sage in the rituals honoring Europeangoddesses, and one ritual even uses runic yoga--but I see no harm in bringing the goddesses into our lives in ways that differ from our ancestors.

I am hard pressed to find fault with this book--but I do have two minor complaints.On page 16 Skye writes that guided meditation is also known as shamanic journeying--but the two practices share very little in common--I would have to say that statement is completely false.My other problem comes when in the chapter on Eriu, she writes about how the goddess's sons are known by the god they worship: "Mac Greine --Sethor, the sun his god" (p148)and doesn't mention that the sun "god" in Ireland is female--I find this misleading.She corrects this later in the book in the Sunna section when she writes "that the Celts and the Norse related the orb of the sun with the Goddess" (p.248), but if you are only interested in the Irish goddesses and only read their sections of the book, you will be sadly misinformed.

But those two complaints aside, I feel that this is an excellent book and I do hope that Llewellyn continues to publish books by Michele Skye and finds other authors of her caliber to publish.

Goddess Afoot
Michelle Skye has done it again with Goddess Afoot. Goddess Alive and the follow-up are both excellent books for learning about Celtic and Norse Goddesses and taking them into your life. The chapters have myth, history, craft, spells, path-working and guided meditations as well as a full ritual. Would recommend them to anyone wanting to welcome the Goddess into their hearts.

Nice book, but I got a promo copy instead of a complete one!
I guess I shouldn't buy used books, because I got a copy of this off Half-com that was supposedly in Very Good condition and they sent me a promo book, without illustrations!I mean, that was half the reason I wanted this book, because I am not familiar with these goddesses and would like to study their pictures to make me more acquainted with them!

Disappointment aside, I like this book.I like the fact she uses goddesses I haven't normally encountered via Welsh myth and some I know a little bit from Norse Mythology.I had a problem with her a/b/c approach to magic, which I guess she got from Silver Ravenwolf, which states how you react to a problem, like if you hear people shouting, do you:Get your bat and run to the door to help, call 911 or do nothing.Well, if you live the city, like I do, people yell out all sorts of crazy things and have the time, even if they are yelling "help", sometimes they are kidding.If I ran out with a bat to defend someone every time I heard people yelling, I would upset a lot of people, become a laughing stock and maybe get myself stabbed.To me, this a/b/c system isn't the best way to tell you what kinds of magick you should do, like if you run outside with a bat at the basic sense of danger, why does that make you able to do all magick, while if you call 911, that makes you only able to do this or that magically?Just because I'm not an idiot walking about with a stick doesn't mean I am a bad witch, it means I am a cautious one and not enough pagans are taught caution.I feel new readers to the craft might get the wrong idea here.Maybe this part could be explained better in the next edition.

But other than that, the book is nice, great illustrations, though in my promo copy there are only two, I really would like to see the rest.The meditations look like they would be good for the beginner or advanced pagan and her writing style is practical, she explains the theory of magic well, even high vs. low, etc.I like the goddesses she has selected and the activities are nice.

I gave this 4 stars because of the a/b/c thing, not because of getting a promo copy.I look forward to trying to buy another copy of this so I can get the full effect, so if you want to buy an used copy, write the seller first and make sure you get a non-promo copy.Practice caution!

Another Fantastic Book from Skye
I love this book! It's a wonderful blend of information and ways of connecting with the Goddesses of the Norse and Celtic pantheons. Skye has a great writing style...knowledgeable, sassy and light.

Love the parts about the Welsh Goddesses!

Bendithion Afallon Michelle! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an A-Z guide to the mythology of the Vikings, with over 400 articles covering myths, gods and goddesses, giants, dwarves, elves and other supernatural creatures. It aims to provide an insight into a folklore tradition which has inspired talents as diverse as Wagner and Tolkien. A general historical introduction provides an overall perspective, and background material on the archaeology and social framework of the Norse world is provided. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Small entries, but unique focus on Anglo-Saxon sources and heroic poems
Focused primarily on Norse sources, Andy Orchard's handbook provides additional information that the other two dictionaries (see links below) lack in areas of Anglo-Saxon sources and the heroic poems and sagas. For example, Barnstokkr only receives an entry in Orchard's dictionary. Orchard also seems to provide the best etymologies (and more of them) than the other two dictionaries, and even includes some very handy name lists towards the end of the work.

On the down side, the entries can be a little short and a little too brief in comparison to the other two dictionaries, and as a result this work is the thinnest of the three.

As I've pointed out above, this is (as of the time of writing this) one of three English language dictionaries covering Germanic mythology and paganism. All are of independent value to those with a serious interest in the subject matter, and I recommend getting a hold of all three. The other two are:

John Lindow's "Dictionary of Norse mythology"
Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs

Rudolf Simek's "Dictionary of Northern Mythology":
Dictionary of Northern Mythology

Superb resource
I took a Norse mythology course last quarter, and this was the only dictionary I could find on the subject at the time in all of the bookstores I visited. But if I could only find one dictionary of Norse mythology, this would be the one to find. The definitions are straightforward yet thorough. It's not an encyclopedia, so don't expect it to provide all the known details about a particular character or term, but it does give you a clear and complete definition that includes the important details and information.

It also has a sturdy cover and thick pages that hold up well to being frequently used and carried around in a bookbag.

a fine work in the field
Note: search under author's name for new paperback edition under a slightly different title.

The Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend by Andy Orchard, published in 1997 by Cassell, ISBN 0 304 34520 2, is also excellent. Despite the title, it also has entries on terms from non-Norse areas of the Germanic world. It is a somewhat larger book in terms of page size, and very nearly gives the impression of being a coffee table book. It is very attractive and is illustrated, howbeit not lavishly, with black and white photos. However, it is only 223 pages in length. It also has bibliographical information after the individual entries, but these are coded and you have to look them up in the back.

Ian Myles Slater on: Other Formats, Alternate Title
This first-rate compiliation is now (2003) available, under the slightly different title of "Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend," as a mass-market paperback (which I have reviewed at length), in addition to the trade paperback and hardcover editions listed under the titles of "Dictionary..." and "Cassell Dictionary...". If all of these are available through Amazon, purchasers will probably want to compare prices, and consider the durability of the various formats. Another factor some will want to consider is that the original hardcover edition (and I believe the trade edition) contained about forty illustrations, which were omitted from the mass-market edition.

Since the mass-market paperback is the edition in print, however, I strongly suggest checking that page before ordering. And if you are already familiar with the volume, and definitely want the larger format, you probably don't need my advice.

Ian Myles Slater on: Excellent Book, Also Under New Title
This first-rate compiliation is now (2003) available, under the slightly different title of "Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend," as a mass-market paperback (which I have reviewed at length), in addition to the trade paperback and hardcover editions listed under the titles of "Dictionary..." and "Cassell Dictionary...". If all of these are available through Amazon, purchasers will probably want to compare prices, and consider the durability of the various formats. Another factor some will want to consider is that the original hardcover edition (and I believe the trade edition) contained about forty illustrations, which were omitted from the mass-market edition.

Since the mass-market paperback is the edition in print, however, I strongly suggest checking that page before ordering. And if you are already familiar with the volume, and definitely want the larger format, you probably don't need my advice. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of stories, primarily about brave warrior gods, told around the fireside on cold winter nights by the people of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. ... Read more

Product Description
In this important and original work Alice Karlsdottir, a leading expert on Norse religion, makes new and dramatic teachings available and applies these methods in a practical way in order that the ancient Norse goddesses can speak directly to those who seek their ageless wisdom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Don't underestimate this book!
This book is excellent.The author leads by example - doing alot of in depth research, but also showing the initiative with experimentation by not being afraid to try new things or improvise where needed.

It contains a ton of useful knowledge about the Norse goddesses, Germanic folklore, and the author also shares some of her personal experiences while doing tranceworkings.It is not intimidating at all - the book is easy to understand and written in a very down to earth manner.Another great thing is that the methods which Alice describes can be used across other traditions. The approach that she developed works great for Norse deities, but it could just as easily work for any other type of entity as well.

There are unfortunately many books on the market that are written about goddesses or paganism, etc that are total garbage aimed at selling to teenagers or very naive adults.Not so here - This is a serious book written for anyone sincerely interested in Norse Goddesses or trancework.

It is of superior value and written by an expert.

Great book, just what I wanted...
I am new to Asatru and wanted a good guide for trancework and meditations with the Norse Goddesses and this book is great.I am happy with it, especially the chapters on Frigg and Freyja. I like how she explains how the two have been closely related. I have studied the Greco-Roman pantheon and I see a lot of Venus in Freyja and Juno in Frigg, but I also see Venus traits in Frigg and Juno ones in Freyja.I also enjoy the author's view on how you should read academic works, but also read colorful books on Norse tales, D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths comes to mind, in order to inspire you visually as well as intellectually.I feel this more emotional side of Asatru can be lost in the academic side.We should remember that even the Eddas are works of the mind, of creativity.

I haven't done any of the exercises yet, but look forward to it.Reading the first few chapters has made me give it five stars, since it is what I was looking for.

A Fresh Approach
Over the years, we Heathen have become increasingly fortunate for the steady growth of availability of those literary materials which remain essential to our learning, understanding, and furtherance of the greater pan-Germanic Heathen dynamic. Certainly, the number of scholarly dissertations, translations, and other texts have never been so readily available to the general reader -Heathen and non-Heathen alike. So too, we have seen a decent growth in the number of more `esoteric' treatments and explorations- the most popular of which lie in the realm where runic studies are concerned ( ranging from good to bad, and various shades in between).
In our objective studies, we can easily remain content in pouring over a hoard of noteworthy texts, such as Bauschatz's The Well and the Tree, Grimm's Teutonic Mythology, Turville-Petre's Myth and Religion of the North, along with many, many others. This is certainly fine enough for a clear (again, objective) comprehension of the historical fact(s) and findings. But it begs to question if this mere `objective' inspection is enough to foster a deeper, more spiritually rooted appreciation of that same material on the more subjective level that is religiosity and the more profound understanding of the religious expression as is contained within the texts that best preserve such holy manifestation, as embodied within mythology. Clearly, it takes more that brick and mortar to establish a home- and the same sentiment could be applied to religious study, in that it takes more than a read through objective sources to garner the gems of a real and inherently religious knowledge in any truly meaningful capacity.
Heathenry is more than a belief or the philosophical approach as we find in passive religions that hinge on such a concept. Rather, ours is a thoroughly dynamic approach- one expressly rooted in action and deed. So, our relationship(s) with the Gods and Goddesses of our Fathers and Mothers is likewise not of the realm of `passivity' but that of dynamism. Beyond mere `trust' or `faith', we enjoy -or seek to enjoy- an active connection and relationship to the High Ones in a very real sense through what personal bonds and intercourse we might nurture between ourselves and them, as well as that which is experienced through the communal exchanges of religious celebration and sacrifice.
Folk of the era in which we live, it is yet still the rare Heathen who was fortunate enough to have been born and raised in the troth of our Forebears, enjoying an unbroken Heathen heritage and connection to that which draws ultimately to the holiness of the Gods and Goddesses themselves. As such, most of our own lines have been severed from those ties through the course of Christianization at some point within our own family trees. While perhaps not so for the Heathen of old, it becomes necessary for us who seek to regain the legacy of our Ancestors to forge anew that which has been rent asunder in the true `dark age' of a Christian Europe. We must re-establish the deep links our Folk once enjoyed with the Gods and Goddesses they served -here, we have seen great strides and successes, particularly in the realm of Heathen community, but are often lacking for such in the individual sphere of the Folk-consciousness. Through my own experiences and interactions with folk across the spectrum of the greater Heathen community / communities, this become especially true when considering the relationships of individuals with the Goddesses of our peoples. Within this context, there is a need for a closer and more intimate searching, a deeper comprehension that is only had through an inherently dynamic exploration. Alice Karlsdóttir's Magic of the Norse Goddesses provides an effective key to achieving these ends.
Well beyond the fluffy, rootless and pointless so-called `goddess magic' of new age gurus, Magic of the Norse Goddesses presents a well-grounded and thorough scope of dynamic exploration through the application of trance and prayer. Unfamiliar with trance working? Have no fear- Karlsdóttir has carefully laid the groundwork for a practical and successful method in an easy-to-follow manner, without unnecessarily employing a dictionary's worth of complicated jargon and pseudo-scientific dissertation. So too, her work is equally void of the off-kilter flights of complete fancy we would undoubtedly find in similar titles from the larger, mass-market-oriented fluff factories that pass for poor excuses for Heathen / Pagan publishing houses (we'll leave them nameless here... I'm sure the inquisitive reader can figure it out easily enough on his or her own!).
Within Magic of the Norse Goddesses, the reader will find a wealth of well-researched information on Goddesses such as Eir, Gna, Saga, Gefjon, Frigg, Syn, Full, Var, and many others besides, as well as an appropriate, corresponding call to each -all providing for the most well-founded and enriching experience possible in one's working. So too, Karlsdóttir has included a fantastic, very intelligent and thought provoking discussion of myths and of their role and importance to our Folk and Folks' ways. Readers are provided with keen advice on the working(s) and methods (yes, as the presentation itself shows: there's more than just one way of going about things) outlined within the book -including an informative section on potential problems one may encounter along his or her journey. Admirably mentioned, we are wisely cautioned that ...tranceworking is not meant as a replacement for all the historical, literary, and archaeological evidence available to us... and likewise encouraged towards our exploration: ...Tranceworking, like ritual, allows you to build emotional links with your gods and goddesses and gives you access to the other worlds and beings in them. Trances can enable you to learn things about the universe and yourself. Most of all, they allow you to form bonds with your gods and your ancestors, links of love and loyalty that can bridge time in all directions. -true words, well spoken!
Magic of the Norse Goddesses includes a decent bibliography for further study, as well as extensive footnotes. Five appendixes conclude the text, with a good glossary, a breakdown of the Runes of the 24-Rune fuþark, and translations of three tales: Mother Holle, The Three Spinners, and Queen Olga. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Volume: 7; Original Publisher: Norrœna Society; Publication date: 1907; Subjects: Romances; Literature, Medieval; Juvenile Fiction / Fairy Tales ... Read more