Dear Norwegian cruisers,
Vikings, polar explorer, World War II soldiers on skis, traditional fishermen, whale hunters...
Norway offers the reader, arm chair explorer, and cruise-ship traveler a treasure trove of stories to explore. The five of us, your Norway naturalist team, have scoured our bookshelves and libraries to find an eclectic assortment of books to help you start traveling from home! Two of us, Rick and Nancy, live in Trondheim and have all sorts of great suggestions for local literature. Dyk, he's our geologist, gives you plenty of opportunity to prepare for the fjordlands of Norway. And you'll find Rich and Natalie's favorites about birds and whales. All five of us are explorers at heart and couldn't resist mentioning the greats like Amundsen, Nansen, and Heyerdahl, not to mention World War II Norwegian soldiers on skis! And, of course, no Norwegian reading list would be complete without the Vikings. There should be something for everyone.
Happy reading!
Your cruise naturalists
Nancy Bazilchuk, Dyk Eusden, Rich MacDonald, Natalie Springuel and Rick Strimbeck
Reading Topics
I. General Interest
II. Viking History
III. Polar Explorers
IV. World War II
V. Natural History
• Birds
• Marine Mammals and the Ocean
• Plants
• Geology
VI. Maps
VII. Dyk's Web sites on Geology
I. General Interest
The History of Norway: from the Ice Age to Today, by Øivind Steinersen and Ivar Libæk (2003)
A concise 180 pages, it opens with a map of the Scandinavian ice cap 10,000 years ago and closes with a photo of the mildly controversial marriage of Crown Prince Haakon to single mom Mette-Marit Tjessem-Høiby in 2001 (but published before the three royal births in the last few years).
A History of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, by T.K Derry (2000)
A historical overview of Scandinavia from prehistory to the present day.
A year in Lapland: Guest of the Reindeer Herders, by Hugh Beach (2001)
Nancy always thought that anthropologists had the ultimate Walter Mitty lifestyle, and with this tome, Smithsonian anthropologist Hugh Beach proves her right. Beach spends a year living with the Sami, Scandinavia's original settlers, who still herd reindeer for a living. Great for anyone who's curious about how a nomadic people grapple with life in the 20th century.
Sami Culture in a New Era, The Norwegian Sami Experience, by Harald Gaski (1998)
Essays on contemporary issues as confronted by the Sami of Norway, including maintaining a cultural identity, reindeer husbandry, economy, history, and literature.
Brown Cheese Please, by Jenny Blake
An Australian looks at Norway through her own humorous cultural filter, with a wistful focus on food.
A Viking Voyage, by Hodding Carter (2000)
Carter recounts his adventures in recreating a square-rigged Viking cargo ship, the likes of which Leif Eriksson sailed to Vinland, and sailed it across the Atlantic to L'Anse aux Meadows in the present-day Newfoundland. A wondrous read, sometimes silly, always intriguing, it made Rich want to be a Viking, too.
Whale, by Joe Roman (2006)
Whales have inspired humans for millennia. One of Natalie's favorites, this pocket-sized book traces the relationship between humans and whales, from Jonah to Moby Dick to "Save the Whales" to the modern whale hunt. Norwegians, from early native people to today's harpooners, feature prominently throughout this fascinating and quick read. Full of great illustrations, too.
A Whale for the Killing, by Farley Mowat (1972)
The author of well known stories such as Never Cry Wolf and The Boat Who Wouldn't Float recounts a difficult tale of how local villagers react to a fin whale stranded in a natural coastal pool. Though this true account takes place on the shores of Newfoundland, Mowat (never shy of controversy) touches on the Norwegian roots of modern whale hunting, and leaves no question as to his opinion.
Storms, Ice, and Whales: The Antarctic Adventure of a Dutch Artist on a Norwegian Whaler, written and illustrated by Willem Van Der Does (translated by Ruth van Baak Griffioen)(1934, English translation 2003)
In the 1920's, the dawning of the modern whaling era, a Dutch artist joined a Norwegian whaling expedition to Antarctica. His words and illustrations are a rich account of this pioneering Antarctica whale hunt, including everything from the workings of the Norwegian-invented harpoon system to everyday life among this international crew in a the dangerous and little-known world of ice.
Kon Tiki, by Thor Heyerdahl (1950)
Although the book is set about as far from Scandinavia as is possible, the author is among Norway's most acclaimed explorers and ethnographers. Heyerdahl crossed the Pacific in a balsa raft in 1947 to prove to the world that South Americans could have been the original settlers of Polynesia in the south Pacific, a notion quite contrary to conventional wisdom. Kon-Tiki, was the name he gave to the raft. His book by the same name soon became a best seller, and the documentary motion picture is worth watching! The original balsa raft itself can now be viewed in Oslo at the Kon-Tiki Museum.
Engelskmann i Lofoten: A Norwegian Sketchbook, by Graham Clarke
This postcard-sized sketchbook of watercolors by a well-known British artist centers around a place a little farther north than we'll be cruising, but it provides a highly entertaining and beautifully rendered account of what life is like in a traditional Norwegian fishing village.
Island Voices, Fisheries, and Community Survival in Northern Norway, by John C. Kennedy (2006)
Stories about the changes occurring in small northern Norwegian fishing villages, as they cope with the changes brought on by changing fisheries, globalization, and politics, are presented though the words of the inhabitants themselves, and annotated by a noted contemporary anthropologist of northern fishing communities.
Commons in a Cold Climate, Coastal Fisheries and Reindeer Pastoralism in North Norway: the Co-management Approach, edited by S. Jentoft. (1998)
Small-scale coastal fisheries and Sami reindeer pastoralism both remain active parts of Norwegian rural and coastal heritage and economics, and provide context for this series of research findings, exploring issues of sustainability, ecology, and natural-resource management.
Closing the Commons, Norwegian Fisheries from Open Access to Private Property, by Bjørn Hersoug (2005)
A bit academic in style, this book covers the complicated arena of fisheries history and politics in Norway, where the Norwegian Parliament insists the oceans remain common property while on-the-ground fishermen claim the opposite is true.
II. Viking History
The Kings' Sagas (aka Heimskringla), by Snorri Sturlusson
Traces the story of Norway's first kings from their mythical roots to the decisive battles that united Norway's petty kingdoms. Key protagonists include Harald Fairhair, Erik Bloodaxe, Magnus Barefoot, and Trondheim's own Olav Trygvasson. Every good Norwegian owns a leather-bound copy that they received at their confirmation and have never read. Rick and Nancy found a public domain version at: http://www.mckinley.k12.hi.us/ebooks/pdf/hmskr10.pdf.
Discoveries: The Vikings: Lords of the Seas, by Yves Cohat (1992)
Small enough to fit in your pocket, this volume is loaded with maps, archival photographs and illustrations describing the Vikings homeland, discoveries, chronology, and settlements.
The Sagas of the Icelanders, Ed. Örnolfur Thorsson (2001)
Although these take place mostly in Viking Iceland, Rick's favorite is Egil's Saga, which has a lot of action in Norway.
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, by Jared Diamond (2005)
One chapter in this intriguing analysis examines the Viking expansion into Greenland and Iceland, and what happened. What's most interesting is his description of Viking food preferences, which are surprisingly recognizable in current Norwegian food choices.
III. Polar Explorers
The Arctic Grail, by Pierre Berton (2000)
This compelling history of the twin quests for the Northwest Passage and the North Pole includes chapters on Nansen's Farthest North and Amundsen's crossing of the Northwest Passage.
Farthest North, by Fritdjof Nansen (1898, republished 2002)
From the unassuming pen of the great man himself comes a surprisingly readable account of the first Fram expedition. Nansen and Johansen are Rick's nominees for the toughest men who ever lived. To wit: In March 1895, they left the ship frozen in the Arctic ice at over 83 degrees north latitude. Knowing they could never find their way back, they made a dash for the North Pole, made the difficult decision to turn back at 86 degrees 14' N, spent three months working their way by dogsled and kayak southwards over the drifting Arctic ice pack, then spent eight months overwintering in a sooty walrus hide hovel (with nothing to read!) on the north coast of Franz Josef Land before working their way south among the islands to a fortunate rendezvous with a British expedition.
Nansen: The Explorer as Hero, by Roland Huntford (2002)
A complete biography of Norwegian Arctic explorer Fridtjof Nansen.
The Last Place on Earth, by Roland Huntford (1983)
Also published in an earlier, carefully annotated version entitled Scott and Amundsen by the same author. An absorbing account of the race for the South Pole, which the skiing and dog-eating Norwegians won hands down, while the upper lips of their British competitors became terminally stiff. Makes you realize that Scott never really had a chance.
IV. World War II
Assault in Norway, by Thomas Gallagher (1981)
The gripping story of the successful sabotage of the heavy water plant at Rjukan, which was critical to the German A-bomb effort. (Also the subject of a not-that-good movie adaptation, Telemark Heroes, starring Kirk Douglas. Too bad they couldn't stick to the facts.)
We Die Alone, by David Howarth (1955)
The survival story of a seriously injured saboteur in northern Norway, who was hidden and transported over the mountains to Sweden by local villagers.
Skis Against the Atom, by Knut Haukelid (1989)
A captivating tale told first-hand of the rigors of the Norwegian Resistance during World War II. Haukelid recounts living off the mountainous land. With skis as the only viable transportation, Haukelid and comrades successfully sabotaged a heavy water plant, and committed other acts of espionage and surveillance activities, all while playing a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with the Germans, who used their radio directional-finding equipment in attempts to corner the elusive Norwegians. Rich read nearly the whole book in one sitting.
V. Natural History
Natural History: Birds
Birds of Europe (North American edition) and Bird Guide (European edition), by Killian Mullarney, Lars Svensson, Dan Zetterström, and Peter J. Grant (1999)
This is one of the finest, overall, field guides Nancy and Rich have ever seen! Its color plates cover a wide variety of plumages in even better detail than the much-heralded Sibley's North American Guide to Birds, and the text goes into intricate detail for each species. With range maps on the same two-page spread as the text and the figures, it is a breeze to determine the likelihood of a particular bird being at a given locale. (The two editions are identical, except for the cover graphics and the title.)
Birds of Britain & Europe, by Hermann Heinzel, Richard Fitter, and John Parslow (1997)
A Collins Pocket Guide, with thousands of color illustrations covering birds from Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Flight Identification of European Seabirds, by Anders Blomdahl, Bertil Briefe, and Niklas Holmstrom (2003)
Pricey, tough to find, and lacking range maps, but invaluable for identifying European seabirds on the wing.
The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds, edited by Hagemeijer and Blair (1997)
This is the first, and, to date, only effort to quantify the distribution of breeding birds for an entire continent. A bit weighty at 903 pages, it could prove a valuable resource for the serious birder.
Seabirds of the World, A Photographic Guide, by Peter Harrison (1996)
A compact guide to seabirds, featuring 700 plus photographs.
Natural History: Marine Mammals and the Ocean
Guide to Marine Mammals of the World, National Audubon Society, illustrations by Peter Folkiens (2002)
This beautifully illustrated tome covers the seals, otters, and whales of the world (including that marine carnivore, the polar bear, which occurs to the North of our cruise region) with excellent maps, photos, and species comparison diagrams to help you zero in on what we might see during the cruise. Natalie's favorite marine mammal field guide.
Atlas of Cetacean Distribution in North-West European Waters, edited by Reid, Evans, and Northridge (2003)
With excellent range and sightings maps, this thin but complete Atlas introduces cetaceans (whales, porpoises, and dolphins) encountered in the waters between the bottom half of Norway and the North Sea. This book is more about population status and distribution than field identification.
Smithsonian Handbook: Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises, by Mark Carwardine (2000)
Describes cetaceans with great illustrations, range maps, fluke drawings, and info on each species.
The Norwegian Sea Ecosystem, edited by Hein Rune Skjoldal (2004)
Covering oceanography and climate, currents and plankton, food webs and fish, whales, seals, birds, and much more, this book is Natalie's and Rich's favorite for treatment of the ocean environment. It presents nearly ten years of research carried out by Norway's Institute for Marine Research, and as such, is scientific and a bit "textbook-ish" in its approach, but with its great illustrations and diagrams, it is a valuable resource for anyone who is eager to figuratively dive into the Norwegian Sea.
Natural History: Plants
National Atlas of Norway: Vegetation, by Asbjørn Moen, Norwegian Mapping Authority (1999)
A scholarly dissection of Norway's climate and vegetation, with beautiful maps.
The Wildflower Key, by Francis Rose
An illustrated field guide to the wildflowers of Britain and Northwest Europe. The only Norway/Scandinavia-specific flower guides that Rich and Nancy have found in English, it covers only mountain flowers, a bit limiting for coastal voyagers.
The Hamlyn Guide to Trees of Britain and Europe, by C.J. Humphries, J.R. Press, and D.A. Sutton (1981)
This includes most of the tree species in Norway, and a whole lot more (the palms on the last few pages, for example, do NOT grow in Norway).
Natural History: Geology
Geology and Landforms in Norway, by Dagfinn Trømborg
Good explanations of the geological processes that sculpted Norway, from the big mountains and fjords to more subtle details like glacial striations and chattermarks. Well illustrated with photos and diagrams.
Geology of Norway: Portfolio, edited by Holtedahl and Olaf (1960)
This is the only available layperson-oriented reference on Norwegian geology in English. A new edition is due to come out in 2008...a little too late for our cruise.
The Caledonide Orogen - Scandinavia and Related Areas, Part 1 and 2 (Complete), edited by Gee, D.G. & Sturt, B.A. (1985)
Richly text illustrated. Dyk says this is THE tome for professional geologists wanting to learn details about the geologic and tectonic history of the Scandinavian Caledonide mountains. Only one thousand plus pages to plow through!
"The Last Interglacial/Glacial Cycle in Northern Europe," by J. Mangerud, pp. 38-73, in: Quaternary Landscapes, edited by Linda C.K. Shane and Edward J. Cushing (1991)
This is one short paper in a series compiled for this book. It addresses the glacial history of Northern European regions, including Norway.
Fjords : processes and products, by James P.M. Syvitski, David C. Burrell, Jens M. Skei (1987)
This is a textbook used at colleges and universities geared toward the advanced undergraduate or graduate earth science or oceanography student. Dyk says it is a good source for everything about fjords!
The Last Billion Years: A Geological History of the Maritime Provinces of Canada, Atlantic Geoscience Society (2001)
Though mostly about Canada, this layperson friendly book covers the origins of the Appalachian-Caledonian mountain belt that extends into Norway. Great illustrations!
The Ice Age World: An Introduction to Quaternary History and Research, by Bjorn G. Andersen and Harold W. Borns, Jr. (1994)
This layperson-friendly book provides an introduction to the history of the Ice Age, the geological history of the past 2.5 million years. This book has excellent color photographs and illustrations, too.
Glaciers and Environmental Change, by Atle Nesje and Svein Olaf Dahl (2000)
An advanced textbook used at colleges and universities geared toward the advanced undergraduate or graduate student. It discusses the complex issues of environmental change and the role that glaciers play.
Ecology of Fjords and Coastal Waters, edited by Hein Rune Skjoldal, Chris Hopkins, Kjell Einar Erikstad, Hans Petter Leinaas (1995)
This is a collection of scientific papers on the topic of fjord ecology geared for the professional or graduate student.
VI. Maps
The Michelin motoring and tourist map to Scandinavia and Finland (#711 in the Michelin National series).
At a scale of 1:1,500,000, this map folds out 5-feet to give an excellent representation of the landscape. Available in most larger American bookstores.
VII. Dyk's Web sites on Geology
Travel Essentials
Get your Lonely Planet, Insight, Eyewitness, Frommers or whatever guide to Norway; a few road maps also.
Geological Survey of Norway
An interactive Web site that allows you to zoom in on the bedrock geology of any region in Norway.
Fjords.com
A great lay-person friendly description of fjords and how some of them formed.
Haakon Fossen
Professor Haakon Fossen's Web site; click on the "Geologic evolution of Norway illustrated through an animated profile" button and check out the great illustrations showing the tectonic history. (The site is in Norwegian.)
Geological Survey of Norway:Society
This is the "Geology for society" section of the Geological Survey of Norway, covering such diverse topics as mining, pollution, landslides, and landscapes.
Paleographic Earth History
A great site to view plate tectonic reconstructions over geologic time. Ancient mountains, as well as paleo-climate, are shown for a variety of time slices.
Paleomap Project
Probably the best commercial Web site for viewing plate tectonic reconstructions over geologic time. It has very cool paleo-climate maps and animations.
