Norse Mythology

“There are so many Norse stories we do not have, so much we do not know. [...] It is, perhaps, as if the only tales of the gods and demigods of Greece and Rome that had survived were of the deeds of Theseus and Hercules. We have lost so much.”

This quote from the book's introduction (p. xv-xvi) stopped me in my tracks. As a kid I devoured Greek mythology, and those stories shaped me in the way that great stories have always shaped people. Imagining their ranks being thinned to just Theseus and Hercules stunned me, and drove home the cultural loss we've suffered by losing so many of the Norse myths.

I'm quite grateful for this book. Reading Gaiman's “American Gods” got me interested in Norse mythology and gods, but when I attempted to read some other books on the topic I was discouraged by the flatness of the writing and the pages upon pages listing the gods, goddesses, giants, and other beings. It just seemed rather boring. Then, this book happened. All the superfluous characters were neatly brushed into the glossary at the end. Energy and life were poured into the stories by a master storyteller. This book helped me understand “American Gods” a bit better, and connect with the stories that my ancestors told each other. A fantastic beginner's set of mythology from the Nordic world.