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1491 : New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
1491 New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
Author: Charles C. Mann
A groundbreaking study that radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. — Traditionally, Americans learned in school that the ancestors of the people who inhabited the Western Hemisphere at the time of Columbus’s landing had crossed the Bering Strait twelve thousand years ago; existed main...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9781400040063
ISBN-10: 140004006X
Publication Date: 8/9/2005
Pages: 480
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 20

4 stars, based on 20 ratings
Publisher: Knopf
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 7
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Trey avatar reviewed 1491 : New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus on + 260 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 10
1491 is not a worldshaking book. But it does shake up one's world view. I know not everyone will agree with its viewpoints that civilizations in the Americas were more sophisticated and accomplished than we previously thought.

Mann lays out the evidence - archeological, genetic/biological - as well as the historic context of trying to link Native American civilizations to more 'accomplished' civilizations. He also paints a vivid (though far from idyllic) picture of life before and during the initial contact with Europeans.

I've read it twice and will read it again. Its a good one folks - go out and lay hands on it and the books in the bibliography.
buzzby avatar reviewed 1491 : New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus on + 6062 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Great book - Of course, covering 13000 years of the history of 2 continents can't be anything more than a survey. Very dense (at least by the standards of the books I read), it took me 3 months to read. Makes a stab at showing both sides of all controversies (and there are many), although he comes down on the side that there were more people in America in 1491 than previously postulated.
salishsilver avatar reviewed 1491 : New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
As a Native, The first part of this book really made me angry, because it makes perfect sense as to conditions as the Europeans came and took over this country. I had the history of the Conquistadors when I was a child in southern Cali. The spanish-enhanced version of the conquest of central, south and north America is somewhat different from the truth. After the initial shock from the beginning of the book, the rest reads well, is articulate and makes very valid points as the the real history of this Indian Country. I totally recommend this book to anyone interested in a better version of things than the "noble savage" stories of Native Americans currently spewed in today's schools.
reviewed 1491 : New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus on
Helpful Score: 1
Hard to put it down.
reviewed 1491 : New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus on + 298 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I was not sure I would like this book but it did surprise me had to pass this book on to family.
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reviewed 1491 : New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus on + 367 more book reviews
Very good. Author takes all the docs and research available and writes a readable story of our best guess about the Americas before Columbus. Lots of info new to me. The diseases brought by the Europeans was the main reason for their decline and loss.


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