Review: The Poetic Edda

Reviews
Will be putting up various reviews from various sources Ive done over the years

The Poetic Edda

This is the original source of pretty puch all viking stories and myths we have today. It was rediscovered in the 17th century from a post viking era in iceland about 1270. This is the big one - the viking gods, the doom of the world in ragnorak and siguard and brynhild. I especially recommend a poetic version which at least gives you a sense of cadence and poetic wit. I recommend the poetic versions of Homer and Lucretius too.

The biggest surprise for me was the wisdom parts of the text - maxims for the good life like dont be a pisshead and dont sleep with anyone and how to deal with and start malicious gossip - a side to viking life we mostly wouldn't suspect. I cant think of too many religious stories where the gods sit around and shitbag each other at dinner - but its all here and so much more.

Read for yourself the sun source of Tolkien, Wagner and marvel comics Thor. 

I read the 1996 0xford edition trans. by Carolyne Larrington from amazon - id been looking for 20 years for it so i finally ordered it.