The Far Traveler
Voyages of a Viking Woman
by Nancy Marie Brown
First let me say that this nonfiction book is not just for women. This carefully researched work includes very specific details about the construction of early boats and ships that would be of interest to all readers. It also weaves fascinating scientific information into an adventure based on the life of a real woman named Gudrid. She may not be as well remembered as those like Leif Eriksson whose lives intertwined with hers, but Gudrid also lead a remarkable and adventurous life.
My partner is of Norwegian descent. Several years ago, we and her family, visited the Museum of Natural History in New York to see their exhibition, Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga. The exhibition was launched to celebrate the millennium anniversary of the Vikings’ arrival in North America. The museum included an authentic replica of a Viking long boat of the kind that carried Norse families to this continent. We were all stunned at how it was possible for such a small boat with no protection from the elements to make such a voyage. It became clear that the spirits of these adventuresome people was almost beyond comprehension to us who are use to our modern conveniences and modes of travel. This is more telling as growing scientific evidence proves that the Vikings landed on more than one shore of the U.S. where they lived for many years before finally returning to Europe.
Brown bases her book on the Icelandic sagas about a woman named Gudrid. In 2001 a team of scientists discovered what might have been this pioneering woman’s last house, buried under a hay field in Iceland, in the location suggested by the Icelandic sagas. The author joins scientists experimenting with cutting-edge technology and the latest archaeological techniques, to trace Gudrid’s steps on land. Using the amazingly accurate sagas and the scientific research, Brown reconstructs a remarkable life. Gudrid moved beyond the boundaries of her land into the unknown world. She survived shipwrecks, the loss of husbands, gave birth to sons in unfamiliar lands, and was remembered in the Icelandic sagas in two different versions.
Brown’s research on this extraordinary woman also reveals new information on the society that gave rise to her life and why this society collapsed. It seems important to be aware in our time on this planet to listen carefully to why other societies were not successful in their efforts to thrive over long periods of history. This nonfiction book is full of adventure and inspiration about the resilience of the human spirit and the significance of honoring the earth as an ally.
Allie
The Far Traveler Voyages of a Viking Woman
Nancy Marie Brown Harcourt, Inc. 2007
ISBN 978-0-15-101440-8
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