An innovative and accessible overview of how ancient Scandinavians understood and made use of their mythological stories. Old Norse Mythology provides a unique survey of the mythology of Scandinavia: the gods THorr (Thor) with his hammer, the wily and duplicitous Odinn (Odin), the sly Loki, and other fascinating figures. They create the world, battle their enemies, and die at the end of the world, which arises anew with a new generation of gods. These stories were the mythology of the Vikings, but they were not written down until long after the conversion to Christianity, mostly in Iceland. In addition to a broad overview of Nordic myths, the book presents a case study of one myth, which tells of how THorr (Thor) fished up the World Serpent, analyzing the myth as a sacred text of the Vikings. Old Norse Mythology also explores the debt we owe to medieval intellectuals, who were able to incorporate the old myths into new paradigms that helped the myths to survive when they were no longer part of a religious system. This superb introduction traces the use of the mythology in ideological contexts, from the Viking Age until the twenty-first century, as well as in entertainment.

About the Author
John Lindow is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Scandinavian at the University of California, Berkeley.

Reviews
...this is one of the best studies I have seen so far of Old Norse mythology because this subject tends to be treated as if it is a cartoon in the media and by scholars who echo these myths. * Anna Faktorovich, editor-in-chief, Pennsylvania literary Journal *
Through judicious selection, Old Norse Mythology seeks to map out a diverse range of studies in which the mythology is central ... Old Norse Mythology is a study that it is good to see available in a series of 'accessible overviews of the world's mythological traditions'. * John Hines, Folklore *
Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty. * D. J. Shepherd, CHOICE *
The format of Lindow's book is novel and, for this reader, a welcome innovation in a presentation of a written mythology.... Old Norse Mythology is the inaugural volume of a new series, World Mythology in Theory and Everyday Life, edited by folklorists Tok Thompson and Gregory Schrempp. With the publication of John Lindow's book, the series is off to an auspicious start. * William Hansen, Journal of Folklore Research *
This book is an admirably wide-ranging account of Old Norse mythology in general, and a welcome addition to Lindow's earlier works on the subject. * Scandinavica Vol 63 *



Book Information
ISBN 9780197554487
Author John Lindow
Format Paperback
Page Count 248
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 318g
Dimensions(mm) 208mm * 137mm * 18mm