Orkney and Shetland Folk 872-1350

"Orkney and Shetland Folk 872-1350" by Alfred Wintle Johnston is a historical exploration that uncovers the intertwined lives of Norse settlers and native people on the Orkney and Shetland Islands. The book journeys into a time of clashing cultures, ethnic blending, and the rise of powerful Norse earls from 872 to 1350. As the Norsemen establish their rule, the author illuminates their interactions, marriages, and conflicts with the Pictish and Gaelic people already living there, painting portraits of characters like Earl Torf-Einarr and Earl Þorfinnr who left a huge stamp on the islands. This story, packed with family history, changing identities, and power struggles, takes readers to a place where war and cultural exchange helped build the unique character of its people.