"The Viking Age--between 750 and 1050--saw an unprecedented expansion of the Scandinavian peoples. As traders and raiders, explorers and colonists, they reshaped the world between eastern North America and the Asian steppe. Based on the latest archaeological and textual evidence, Children of Ash and Elm tells the story of the Vikings on their own terms: their politics, their cosmology, their art and culture. From Björn Ironside, who led an expedition...

"The Vikings have a fearsome reputation as warriors. In reality, they were much more than that. From farmers and craftsmen to musicians and explorers, Viking society and culture has left a lasting impression on our modern world. At the peak of their power, the Viking population soared to two million! Get ready to discover what it was like to live in this epic era. Learn about out how these master seafarers invaded countries across Europe using iconic...

"A "brilliantly written, brilliantly conceived" (Tom Holland) history of the Viking Age, from mighty leaders to rebellious teenagers, told through their runes and ruins, games and combs, trash and treasure. In imagining a Viking, a certain image springs to mind: a barbaric warrior, leaping ashore from a longboat, and ready to terrorize the hapless local population of a northern European town. Yet while such characters define our imagination of the...