Book Description

What is best for human beings in this human life? What does it mean to be a friend, and how are friendships best made and maintained? What are the best things humans can treasure, and how can they most easily secure them? In a strange world full of dangers, what strategies are best for getting through safely, and how was the greatest wisdom in the world won? "The Words of Odin" is a modern rendition of the ancient book Havamal- the words of advice given to human beings from the God of Wisdom himself, long ago. Filled with the ancient wisdom-sayings, proverbs, and stories of the Old Norse people, Havamal is a tried-and-true manual of wise living and cunning strategy for navigating the subtle complexities of human interaction and avoiding dangers of all sorts. Travelers, wanderers, guests, friends, and seekers of the ultimate wisdom within human life can benefit from Odin's perennial cleverness and timeless advice. This annotated edition contains a clear and nuanced rendering of Havamal into English, preserving its original poetic richness, and is followed by many detailed and informative notes regarding the cultural, mythological, and historical background from which the verses of wisdom arise, all to help readers from any background to understand the beauty and depth of the text. It also contains the text of Havamal in Old Norse.