1491 by Charles Mann

Anyone here read this? Just looking for some feedback from people who've read it. I'm trying to decide between two books to order from the History Book club this month and this is one. It's either this or "Rough Crossings" by Simon Schama

I'm not familiar with the other title you mentioned, but 1491 is quite good and interesting so far. The writer has a nice way with language and really does an excellent job of "translating" the various scientific methods used in anthropology/archaeology into laymen's terms. Also, the anecdotal stories about the various tribes of indigenous are rather fascinating in their own right. (Rather than providing an overview of the entire Americas, Mann devotes each chapter primarily to one group that best exemplifies the focus of the chapter. I've learned a lot about the Inkas, Aztecs, etc. that I knew very little about before.)

I should mention as an aside that I started reading this right before I took a trip through the Yucatan exploring a bunch of Mayan ruins and sites; the excitement surrounding the trip *may* have contributed to my somewhat intense interest in the topics presented in the book.

understand the excitment you'd feel :)

thx

and loved it. I didn't learn too much but still enjoyed his writing and the perspective he took.

After finishing the book I felt a bit unsatisfied - it could easily have been twice as long, but that's just me! There are plenty of other books covering pre-columbian cultures, but in some respects I felt he could have included more, but I suppose you have to draw the line somewhere.

I sop this stuff up! And having visited Native American sites throughout North, Central and South America since the 70's, I did gain new insight and more respect for these endlessly fascinating cultures, and what's left of them.