American Vikings: How the Norse Sailed into the Lands and Imaginations of America

Did the Vikings sail to North America? Historian Whittock (The End Times, Again??) examines three types of evidence to answer this often-debated question. First, he delves into literature and legends, comparing their details to documented facts in history and geography. Next, he visits archaeological data, both verified and of less certain provenance. It’s here that Byron Wagner shines as a narrator. He uses a skeptical tone as an extra cue to help listeners recognize, for instance, how a poorly spelled runestone in Oklahoma is unlikely to be compelling evidence of a Viking presence. Wagner maintains a conversational, easy tone throughout much of the book so that when Whittock gets to his third type of evidence, it feels like a friendly discussion, even though it’s more philosophical in nature. Whittock posits that however much or little Vikings explored North America, they have, at the very least, raided society’s national consciousness. The idea of Vikings is tied to ideas of adventure and valor, making good subjects for television, comics, and sports teams, but also, when twisted from historical reality, racism, and toxic masculinity.