Vikings? Really?Yes, really. Famous for barbarism, pillaging, and poor manners, the word "Viking" is synonymous with bad behavior. Their world was dangerous and mean, filled to the brim with treachery and unsavory characters. Their politics were rife with bribery and backstabbing, their daily lives an endless struggle against a society and an economy hell-bent on crushing the spirit. It was age lost to the darkness of greed and fear.
Wait. No. That's our world. My mistake. The Viking age was one of the greatest periods of exploration and economic growth the world has ever seen. Social mobility was high, the rights of the people were sacred, and anyone with a good idea and a surplus of bravery could aspire to the loftiest offices of the land. Both law and custom for the Vikings catered to the growth of the community through the empowerment of the citizenry, and for four centuries this system humiliated the monarchies of Europe.
What can the Vikings tell us about our own lives, and how can they help us live up to the potential of the modern world?With a generous helping of snark and a fair bit of foul language, this book will try very hard to answer those questions with a question of its own:What would Thor do?
Vikings? Really?Yes, really. Famous for barbarism, pillaging, and poor manners, the word "Viking" is synonymous with bad behavior. Their world was dangerous and mean, filled to the brim with treachery and unsavory characters. Their politics were rife with bribery and backstabbing, their daily lives an endless struggle against a society and an economy hell-bent on crushing the spirit. It was age lost to the darkness of greed and fear.
Wait. No. That's our world. My mistake. The Viking age was one of the greatest periods of exploration and economic growth the world has ever seen. Social mobility was high, the rights of the people were sacred, and anyone with a good idea and a surplus of bravery could aspire to the loftiest offices of the land. Both law and custom for the Vikings catered to the growth of the community through the empowerment of the citizenry, and for four centuries this system humiliated the monarchies of Europe.
What can the Vikings tell us about our own lives, and how can they help us live up to the potential of the modern world?With a generous helping of snark and a fair bit of foul language, this book will try very hard to answer those questions with a question of its own:What would Thor do?
