Where I adored Myth in Human History, this set of lectures just didn’t do it for me.

Professor Harl is clearly passionate about his subject, and has a lot of knowledge about Scandinavian history. Anyone interested in the Vikings and that period of history could learn a lot about it from Professor Harl, but this isn’t the type of lecture series you put on in your car and absorb as you navigate traffic. For this one, if you really want to take in the important stuff, you need to sit down with a pen and notebook and take notes.

He spends the beginning to each of his lectures discussing what he will include in this specific lecture, why it is in this lecture and not that lecture, and why we should care about it in relation to these other things. This defensive contextual introduction lasts between 2 and 10 minutes, depending on the individual lecture. In addition, Professor Harl does tend to get sidetracked mid lecture when he remembers something interesting but only somewhat relevant to the current topic. As a student, I find this immensely frustrating. I’m here for the Vikings, not a tidbit on a particular historian.

Once you muddle through his personal style, Harl has a lot to say. The information given is interesting; however in most places you get a definite sense of only scratching the surface. This course is a thin overview with a lot of names and relationships and as a listener/learner you get a sense of there being so much more.

I’d say this is a decent course for anyone wanting a quick overview of the Vikings and who has the focus and patience to separate the rambling from the facts. Professor Harl wasn’t the best choice for my personal preference, but I believe he would suit others quite well. ( )