A vivid look at Scotland's long and difficult road to nationhood, re-exploring some cherished myths and unearthing a wealth of fascinating new detail.

Lindisfarne has captured the imagination of visitors and residents alike. This title explores the eventful history of the area. It takes us on a journey to 'the cradle island' - the ancient shrine of Celtic Christianity. It tells the story of people and nature since the beginning, also exploring the natural history and archaeology of the region.

Magnus Magnusson relates the world-famous Icelandic sagas to the spectacular living landscapes of today, taking the reader on a literary tour of the mountains, valleys, and fjords where the heroes and heroines of the sagas lived out their eventful lives. He also tells the story of the first Viking settler, Ingolfur Anarson.

The Vikings hold a particular place in the history of the West, both symbolically and in the significant impact they had on Northern Europe. Magnus Magnusson's indispensable study of this great period presents a rounded and fascinating picture of a people who, in modern eyes, would seem to embody striking contradictions. They were undoubtedly pillagers, raiders and terrifying warriors, but they were also great pioneers, artists and traders--a dynamic people, whose skill and daring in their exploration of the world has left an indelible impression a thousand years on.