History of Norway: A Captivating Guide to Norwegian History (Scandinavian History)

I love Captivating History books! They are always well-written and very interesting. They provide enough info but not too much that drags the book down. This book is no different.

Norway is one of the most prosperous countries in Europe today but it has not always been so. During the Viking age they struggled to feed all of the people as the population growth was extended beyond their products. They were a sea faring people and they had developed great fleets of fishing ships to supplement the farming in order to feed the people. They used these ships to explore for places they could colonize to alleviate the over population. In these explorations they found Iceland, Greenland, Scotland, England and Ireland the last three already being populated. In these places they were known as raiders and plunderers rather than explorers. The history of Norway is tied to Denmark and Sweden for it was the Danes who settled all of Scandinavia. For a great part of their history they have been politically tied with Denmark or Sweden and have only gained independence in the 19th century. They tried to maintain neutral status in both world wars but found that this was impossible when Germany took over their government in WW II. After the war they became one of the founding members of NATO to insure that they would have allies in case of attack and to insure peace. Norway is one of those often overlooked countries when teaching about Europe in school. It is important that we know who our allies are and their capabilities. As a former history teacher I recommend this book to anyone wishing to become knowledgeable about why countries become allies and about their resources and international trade. I was disappointed that there were no illustrations nor maps throughout the text to enhance the understanding of the material presented. There is only one illustration at the beginning of each chapter. The material is well researched and presented in an easy to read format. I found it very interesting.

This book provides a solid introduction and overview of the history of Norway and the other Scandinavian countries, namely Denmark and Sweden, in brief.Its people weren’t always the violent and barbaric Vikings depicted in movies and shows. They made up of thriving villages and resilient people who relied on agriculture, fishing, and animal husbandry for sustenance. Norway’s alliances with Denmark and then Sweden did not douse the Norwegian’s fervor for independence, which they eventually won after much struggle. They are quick to bounce back from hardships brought on by war, famine, poverty, and political turmoil. Being excellent navigators, they made up a good size of Great Britain’s naval fleet during WW2.Norway is one of the best places to live today and I can see why.

Excellent overview of Norway; lowest crime rate, superior education system, great health care system, it is said to be one of the best places to live. I would recommend it to others to read!

I was drawn to the history of Norway largely because the Vikings became inextricably entwined in my own ancestral history, as I’m of Irish descent. But I’d also read a couple of novels set in Norway; one was a YA novel from my high school years set during the Nazi occupation. Oddly enough, though I can’t remember the name of it, I remember the story and even some of the dialog very well. The other novel was set in contemporary Bergen, an excellent book, in which the beautiful setting was very much a character in the story.As it turns out, the Viking culture, though fascinating, represented a fairly short period of time in the grander scheme of things. A multi-faceted and resilient people that were, for hundreds of years, in a symbiotic and subservient relationship with the sister Scandinavian nations of Sweden and Denmark. Often, those relationships entailed bloody wars, as first Denmark and then Sweden were determined to maintain their holds on Norway. I was most impressed by Norway’s ability to rebuild after the Nazi occupation and is now a prosperous nation that takes care of her own in ways other modern nations could learn from. It’s a history well worth investing your time in, and I highly recommend this book.

Easy and actually fun to read.Written more like a story and definitely not a textbook. Middle teens and older will enjoy this book - hey!!! and it's not 400 pages long [ ;- )

There IS a lot of impressive detail and information in this look at the history of Norway.However: the result is not up to the usual high standard of 'Captivating History'.The text is often rambling and awkward to read, it can be repetitive, and even slightly contradictory at times.There's references to the changes in relationships with neighbor countries - but no memtion of just how the border/s of Norway were established...?Pity really - the information is all there - it's just how it's presented; so: really hard to rate.

This excellent book traces and analyses the evolution and achievements of the Kingdom of Norway. It is a well-written and well-researched book. Kudos to the author.