My uneasiness with parts of my heritage is hardly unique. Many people struggle to come to terms with the disreputable and sometimes evil doings of their ancestors. The close relatives of Adolf Hitler, for example, reportedly made a pact not to have children because they didn’t want to continue the genetic inheritance of one of history’s worst dictators. Others have learned that their ancestors were involved with organized crime, participated in genocide, or were mass murderers.

This was a fun and interesting book of one woman's venture into finding her families genealogy and history. It was an enjoyable read not what I expected but ok. I would have liked to hear more about her research but if you want to just read about her families story it is ok.

This book was not what I expected, however I did enjoy many of the concepts in it. I particularly liked how the author explored the idea of spiritual DNA and how our lives are shaped by those who went before us.
The writing was beautifully descriptive and thought-provoking, though it did seem to lag in some parts, as though she tried to increase the length of the book without adding new ideas. That being said, I don't regret the time spent reading, and I have no real reason to discourage others from reading it. If one is interested in ancestry and heritage as well as how those concepts influence ones own identity, then this book is worth a read.

"Too many of us are afflicted with a kind of historical and familial amnesia, especially in America where people tend to move frequently and often have tenuous connections with their extended network of relatives."

This book caught my attention almost immediately, as both a pagan animist and a hobby genealogist. The above line especially hit home with me, as I grew up mostly isolated from my extended family and never really got the opportunity to grow to an age of appreciation for the stories my grandparents had, as they either died when I was young or they lived on the opposite side of the country. On my 35th birthday, I began to do "the work" in a similar manner to Lori Erickson, signed up on a genealogy website, and started investigating. The biggest problem I find with the research through many of these websites is that the information gathered is too technical and lacking in the ancestral stories I think most of us are genuinely searching for.

Erickson's writing is a blend of spiritual pilgrimage and traveler's guidebook. Rather than give the boring details of squinting at documents in cursive script in either the Mothertongue (homeland) or the Fathertongue (Latin-based Church speak) that may or may not be decipherable, let alone understandable; picking through the multiple surname spellings that come from cultural naming dynamics or botched Americanization of the non-English vowels and consonants to make sure you have the *correct* ancestor; rooting through the muck of libel versus sourced proof; and so on, she crafts what she refers to as her own ancestral myths, tied up in the Norse pagan language of the Web of Wyrd and ørlög--an individual's destiny, formed by DNA, ancestral karma, and inherited conditions at the hands of the Norn; as well as the accumulation of our actions, words, and intentions in our present lifetime. How does one create that myth? By tracing the steps through history as thoroughly as one can. I found it admirable that Erickson went above and beyond to learn what she did about Norse culture instead of just the cookie cutter definition of Vikings wearing Horned Helmets and pillaging wherever they go. Reenactors can inspire, museums can teach, native people (in the case of this book, the Norwegians) can further break down the nuances and smaller details and altogether, while not the words from the Ancestor's mouth, the gathered information fills in the empty puzzle pieces of our lives that we crave.

"Perhaps we American's *don't* know who we are, and that's why millions of us trace our genealogies and test our DNA. We're searching for roots and a story that can tie together disparate parts of our lives and help us form our identities."

This book felt like an adventure in a way that Speculative Fiction doesn't quite capture, and I thoroughly enjoyed every page. Erickson's ancestral veneration reminds me so much of why I left the confines of the church and began seeking more information than what the Church's homework assigned. I would definitely purchase this book for myself, and if you are a lover of Norse history, culture, or spirituality, I would suggest it to you too, Reader.

***

Westminster John Knox Press and Lori Erickson provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. This title was released to the public on August 24, 2021.

I enjoyed reading The Soul of the Family Tree by Lori Erickson. I am going to give four stars. I will be looking for more by this author.

🚪 The Soul of the Family Tree Review: ✨

🔑 I started reading this book at the beginning of my ancestry journey. I was just starting to research my family tree and this was the perfect fun and light hearted read to start of that journey.
*
🗝 It helps that this book is written by a specialist in spiritual journeys (sign me up for the next trip to Stone Henge!) but I also really enjoyed how the author takes the reader along her quest to find out more about her ancestral roots.
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🔐 If you've ever sifted through old census records or gotten stuck at a dead end while researching your family tree, you'll understand the frustration that can come with researching. I really liked that Erickson gives creative license by "[imagining] a family tree filled not with the names of my relatives but instead with my spiritual heritage."
*
🔒 She writes, "who's to say you can't form a connection to another culture entirely, including people to whom you have no genetic link" (obviously avoiding cultural appropriation).
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🔓 So, even if you don't know anything about your heritage, or if you just feel drawn to another culture, you should definitely explore that!
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"Tell me, are your ancestors talking to you yet?"

This book was nothing like what I expected. It is mainly the account of a person who has Viking ancestry, her search into what Viking life was like, and then how she feels this made her the person she is. She seems to link things in her life that might be just a coincidence to her DNA- almost as though she had no choice in some things. It is as though there were such a thing as “spiritual DNA”

I hold a different view of DNA, nature and nurture. I am well aware of my ancestors easily going back over 400 years. I find some interesting things closer to my birth – my grandmother and I both love mysteries. My grandmother and my daughter both love and are very good at jigsaw puzzles. I attribute those things to the type of mind we have, but it is interesting that my other three children do not love puzzles and I am the only one who likes to read mysteries. As for spiritual things, and the soul of the family tree my attitude toward faith is much more what I learned from my mother than a grandmother or anything I learned about other ancestors. Interestingly enough, all four girls in my family were raised in the same church, but each of us has gone in different directions in our adult lives. If there is a spiritual DNA, you would think that we would be closer together.

It is an interesting story, but much of it is old if one already has studied Vikings over the centuries, the countries they lived in, the peoples they encountered and intermarried with, the links with North America. The book, as far as I can tell, has nothing to do with the soul of the family tree. The fact that it is just rehashed information available elsewhere along with the deceptive title is the reason I only gave it 2 stars.

I confess that this book was different than I expected. I loved the concept—exploring your own genealogy to better connect with your historical and spiritual ancestry. In tracing her own Norse heritage, Erickson discovered the concept of öorlog: “a combination of our DNA, ancestral karma, and inherited conditions, plus the accumulation of our actions, words, and intentions in our present lifetimes.”

And I think this book is at its best when it’s exploring this idea: how we are spiritually connected to our past. I loved the concept of “creating new storylines with ancient materials” in order to better understand ourselves.

I was less interested in the long stretches where it delved into long history lessons on Nordic and Viking culture without bringing it back to the ways she incorporates this knowledge into her modern life. If you have a lot of interest in Norse and Viking history and religion you will likely really enjoy this book. If you are looking for a model for how to incorporate such a spiritual journey into your own life, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Thank you to Westminster John Knox Press, the author, and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book for review.

Those who have an interest in genealogy and Scandinavian history will enjoy Lori Erickson’s new book about searching her family tree and how it relates to her spiritual life.

To my knowledge, I have no family background that includes any Vikings, but I found this intriguing and enjoyed how she included the myths and related them to how we view the world today.

Erickson was fortunate enough to be able to travel to the places that related to her family history and was even able to find the location of the land they once farmed.

There are photographs included, so that made the experience of reading this even more relatable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Westminster John Know Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

This book was ok. The first part was interesting but I had to slug my way through to the end. It went on and on about the Vikings and I think if the first part had continued thru the book it would have been better but that's my opinion.

I have to say I like the first part of this book, and what I loved about this book is the family tree parts. Then, The book took a turn to everything about the Norwegian/Vikings. I found the parts about Norwegian/Vikings boring and that was most of the book. I wanted more about genealogical research/Family tree stuff. This book was just not for me. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Westminster John Knox Press) or author (Lori Erickson) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Not what I was expecting - interesting but took real effort to complete. I was expecting more of a guide to genealogy with perhaps some samples - not a deep dive into the authors history.

The Soul of the Family Tree: Ancestry, Stories, and the Spirits We Inherit by Lori Erikson is her journey as she investigated her own family tree. Growing up in a passionately Norwegian-American Iowa town, she would roll her eyes at traditions like the Nordic Fest and steaming pots of rømmegrøt (a Norwegian porridge). Like many Americans, she eventually felt the draw of her genealogy as she calls the “quintessential hobby of middle age.” Her quest to know more about the Vikings and the immigrants who make up her family tree would lead her to visit Norse settlements and reenactments, medieval villages and modern museums, and her own hometown and ancestral farms on the fjords. While on this journey, she discovers how her soul has been shaped by her ancestors and finds unexpected spiritual guides among the seafaring Vikings and her immigrant ancestors. Can her journey show us how researching our own family history can be a powerful tool for inner growth?
In The Soul of the Family Tree is a journey into more than just names and dates in the historical record. It is a journey to understand, know and connect with our ancestors. I have long been interested in my family history. I loved listening to stories about my ancestors. So a book about genealogy would be interesting. While most of the book is more a memoir about Ms. Erickson’s journey about her Norwegian heritage, the second half of the book does bring through the questions that are raised with a genealogy investigation particularly with the family stories that have been passed on, only to be discovered to be embellished or outright wrong. Part history lesson, part memoir, and part spiritual journey, The Soul of the Family Tree is a fascinating look into our connections with our ancestors and their place in historical events. Overall, I enjoyed reading Ms. Erickson’s journey. If you are interested in Viking history and a genealogy journey, you may enjoy The Soul of the Family Tree.

The Soul of the Family Tree: Ancestry, Stories and the Spirits We Inherit
is available August 24, 2021 in paperback and eBook

I enjoyed this book and I think it will appeal to different people for different things. Some will like the historical aspects, some the family histories, and some the descriptions of Norway. For me, my favorite parts were about the author thinking about her ancestors and I took a virtual trip with her to Norway - a trip I'll likely never make - as she retraced the steps of her ancestors. And mine. I couldn't help but think about my grandparents who came from Norway as a young married couple and settled in Minnesota. I think especially about my Grandmother - still a teenager - who couldn't speak English, and how she must have missed her family. They never returned to Norway though she especially, longed to.

This was a fascinating look at my heritage.

This was not what I had hoped but it was interesting and I'm sure that others will enjoy it. It has a lot of geology and family history.

As someone who has also done the spit test, waited several weeks, and then gotten back results to discover previously unknown Norwegian (and Swedish) ancestry, this book sparked an interest.

While, obviously, it is predicated on DNA science, don’t let that dissuade you. The author succinctly summarizes how it works and then it’s back to the history of her lineage (and the Vikings). I was also fascinated to learn about the concept of Ørlog which almost read as epigenetics.

The first half of the book was interesting, where there was an overview of Viking history (if you’re looking for something more in-depth on the history, there are quite a few recent publications to look in to, Arthur Herman and Nancy Marie Brown in particular). However, once the book returned stateside, it dragged a bit for me and I found myself having to push through to finish.

There was an interesting point made as to why DNA testing is so prevalent in the US compared to elsewhere. Americans don’t have the same ties, whereas elsewhere, as the relative in Norway stated, people have been living where their families have always lived (or, at the least, somewhat nearby). The US, however, doesn’t have that because of the makeup of this nation, indigenous people and descendants of slave notwithstanding, we are a nation of immigrants who have (though many times wrongly) moved around this country.

One thing I do have to caution against, even though it was what set the author off on her quest, is don’t use the Icelandic landscape as your outdoor bathroom. That is incredibly frowned upon and there have been multiple news stories in Iceland asking tourists to refrain from engaging in this practice because it destroys the delicate flora.

I requested this book from NetGalley, thinking it was going to be about genealogy. The beginning was, but where the book really grabs you is when the author starts talking about Norse history.
Being of Norwegian heritage, I found her stories and anecdotes to be very interesting. I read several of them to my wife (who is even more Norwegian than me). It was educational and fun.

Finished reading "The Soul of the Family Tree" about the author's journey to discover her heritage and herself. Erickson leaves no stone unturned as she delves deep into the history of the Vikings and how she relates to their customs and practices. As Americans, we search our family roots for connection, for that sense of belonging. Whether you fantasize yourself as a Viking or have family roots or looking for a good genealogy book, then I recommend you read Lori Ericsson's book.

The Soul of the Family Tree – Ancestors, Stories, and the Spirits We Inherit by Lori Erickson is categorized as genealogy but also as inspiration and spirituality and religion and spirituality. To me, there was some genealogy, but to me it felt like a memoir where the author was writing about an important part of her life; exploring the influences that helped shape her. She grew up in the Norwegian American town of Decorah, Iowa.

While the author’s fascination began with genetic heritage, it moved on to how forces in the past may have impacted her. Could some of her traits such as her love for travel have been passed down to her? She felt she shared more with her ancestors than just DNA. Her explorations included visits to Newfoundland as she explored information about Vinland, visits to various museums and to several locations in Norway, participation in a Viking reenactment, and even learning about Norse runes. She was fascinated by the number of authors, artists, musicians, and scholars that have been influenced by Norse culture and how it has been reinterpreted.

There is only a small amount of information on DNA and primary versus secondary source documents used in genealogy research. Most of the book is the author’s personal journey to help her better understand herself and those that influenced her whether it was people, religion, traditions or something else.

This book was not quite what I expected, but I am glad I read it. I learned a few things and enjoyed the occasional humor. If you are interested in Vikings lore, this book spends a lot of time exploring various aspects of it. It is not an in-depth book on genealogy.

Westminster John Knox Press and Lori Erickson provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for August 24, 2021.

This was an interesting read. This is not a book I would normally pick out to read but I'm glad i did. I learned so much about the Vikings and Norwegians. There were so many interesting stories and facts about how they came to Christianity and why. I identified with the authors' excitement bc I too, have some Scandinavian in my genes. I came away from this book learning more about my roots than anyone in my family had ever explained. Even if you are not Norwegians or Scandinavian you can appreciate what this book has to offer.