For a month starting November 15th, the classic Icelandic film Hrafninn flýgur (When the Raven Flies) will be available to rent through the Scandinavian Cultural Center in Massachusetts. This is special screening because it features a new high definition digital transfer. And as an added bonus, my brother-in-arms, Matt Smith, […]
Leif Eriksson’s Quaint New England Inn
Last year I added a couple of posts to this floundering website about the everlasting heritage and influence of Norumbega in the state of Maine. The words “heritage” and “influence” are exaggerations, but there are a handful of fun landmarks and establishments in Vacationland that pay homage to the fabled […]
How to Drink Ale and Glare About Fiercely
”At the worst, the game will soon be played, and others will stand where we have stood, and strive where we have striven, and fail as we have failed, and so on, till man has worked out his doom, and the Gods cease from their wrath, or Ragnarök come upon […]
Shirts Decreed by the Norns
Thanks to good advice by Barbarian Lord, I heeded the call of the norns, and made a new t-shirt design based on the Puffin Carcass logo. Then, another friend, who I like to refer to only as Mr. Doomsday, suggested an additional design based on the cover of Norse Mythology […]
21st Century Eyrbyggja Saga
I recently finished reading Saga: A Novel of Medieval Iceland by Jeff Janoda and what an immersive experience it was! The book is billed as a modern retelling/novelization of Eyrbyggja Saga, which is correct, but also slightly misleading because the book really just focuses on a fraction of the overall […]
The Gods of Sweden’s Nationalmuseum
The Big 3 abide in a courtyard near the entrance to the Nationalmuseum in central Stockholm. There, Odin, Thor, and Balder are carved in stone, and look very, very austere. They also look more Roman than Norse, with their togo-like attire barely covering their impeccable bodies of Italian Carrara marble, […]
Keep On Rockin’ in the Norse World
It’s plague season, so I entertained myself by jumping on the ol’ Bookshop bandwagon. By which I mean: I created a list of obscure Norse-inspired books on the site, which is still only in beta-mode. It serves as a nice counterpoint to Amazon, though, because a portion of proceeds go […]
Norumbegan Takeover at Idle Hands
CANCELLED!!!!! You only need one guess as to the reason why. When/if this is rescheduled, the update will be posted here. Until then, tusen tack och lycka till. On March 29th, Matt Smith and I will be commiserating, consuming beer, and listening to ambient Norse music at Idle Hands Craft […]
The Art of Vikings, Metal, and Viking Metal
One of the great things about the internet, besides the ability to waste time by blabbering and shouting into its gaping abyss, is the ability to descend into its gaping abyss, doing nothing, except perhaps discovering badass things that you might have never otherwise ever encountered. And it was on […]
Gustaf Tenggren’s Tomtar and Troll
Poor old Gustaf Tenggren, he just doesn’t get the credit that he deserves for his tomtar and troll work. John Bauer usually receives all the glory, and it’s much deserved, but he wasn’t the only one working with these Nordic gnomes and trolls and deep, dark woods. And in case […]
Cryogenically Frozen Fantasy Vikings
“‘If the King says, “Charge that army over there,” and you say, “Which one?” and he says, “The one that outnumbers us twentyfold in that superb natural defensive position just under that hill with the sheep,” then you do it. And if it works you say, “What a brilliant general […]
True Norwegian Tapestry Art
Hail to the Allfather of Norwegian Art Nouveau tapestries inspired by Norse history and Scandinavian folklore! Obviously, that can only mean one person: Gerhard Munthe, of course. A household name on par with Nils Blommér, Hans Gude, and Mårten Eskil Winge, så klart. Back in 1891 Munthe declared that the […]
Native Norse American Hard Cider
And the journey deep into the darkest…depths of Norumbega continues, with alcoholic apple-based beverages! What could be more enticing than that? As my previous post so ineloquently explained, the myth, the legend, and the glory of Norumbega lives on in scattered locations and shape-shifting forms in the wilds of the […]
The Legend of Norumbega Lives On!…in Bangor, Maine?
Well, it’s not everyday that traces of Leif Eriksson’s fabled and ancient New England Norse city of Norumbega are accidentally stumbled upon! In this particular case, the trace is that of the Norumbega Parkway in Bangor, Maine, which is probably best known for being the home of Stephen King and […]
Taste the Sampo
Life somehow just feels a little less trite and meaningless when you discover that an entire series of Finnish beers based on The Kalevala exists. Of course, we may be all speeding headlong towards a final destination six feet below ground (and many Finnish bands do their best to remind […]