History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Captain John Smith: Writings with Other Narratives of Roanoke, Jamestown, and the First English Settlement of America

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A must have for all who are interested in the early settlement of Virginia and New England

Captain John Smith: Writings with Other Narratives of Roanoke, Jamestown, and the First English Settlement of America
John Smith
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1598530011
Release Date: 2007-02-01

Book Description

One of the truly legendary figures of American history, the soldier, explorer, and colonist Captain John Smith was a vivid and prolific chronicler of the beginnings of English settlement in the New World. This volume brings together seven of his works, along with 16 additional narratives by 13 other writers, that recount firsthand the tragic, harrowing, and dramatic events of the settlement of Roanoke and Jamestown.

A founder of Jamestown in 1607, Smith's courage, determination, and leadership proved crucial to its survival. A True Relation tells of the colony's perilous first year, while The Proceedings and The Generall Historie continue the story of its struggle to survive and prosper. A Description of New England and New Englands Trials describe Smith's exploration of the northern coast and the prospects for its settlement. In The True Travels Smith recalls his adventures as a soldier in Eastern Europe and his amazing escape from Turkish slavery. Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters, his last book, is a critical examination of the successes and failures of the English colonial enterprise. Written in a consistently lively style, Smith's works are filled with suspense, astonishment, and keen observations of American Indian cultures and New World landscapes.

The 16 additional narratives include accounts of the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke, the horrific "starving time" at Jamestown, and a shipwreck off Bermuda. Amplifying and sometimes challenging Smith's version of events, these narratives capture the fear and fascination of early encounters with the Indians; the brutality, desperation, and ingenuity of settlers facing extreme hardship; the complex interplay of feuds and rivalries, both between the English and the Powhatan Indians and within the colony itself; and the enduring story of Pocahontas, who came to occupy a unique place between two cultures. Included in the volume are 29 pages of contemporary drawings, 15 of them full-color illustrations by John White.

Customer Reviews:

A must have for all who are interested in the early settlement of Virginia and New England.......2007-04-05

Captain John Smith did an amazing amount of living in the fifty-one years he lived on Earth. His life's journey began in 1580 at Willoughy, England. He left home at 16 after his father's death to become a soldier fighting in France for Dutch Independence from Spain. In other words, he was a mercenary. He went to work in the Mediterranean Sea on a merchant ship in 1598. In 1600 he went to the Austrians to fight in Hungary against the Turks and fought so valiantly that he was promoted to Captain. Fighting in Transylvania in 1602, he was wounded, captured, and sold as a slave to a Turk. He was then given to a girl who sent him to her brother to get training for Imperial service. Being very ill treated by this Pasha, Smith killed him and escaped. He fled through Russia and then Poland, was released from service, received a large reward and spent time traveling throughout Europe. During the winter of 1604-05 he returned to England. All this before the events we know him for began in Virginia and New England!

His restless nature somehow got him involved with the plans to colonize the Virginia territory for profit. King James I granted the charter and the expedition set sail on December 20, 1606. While this is more than a century after Columbus, it was still a huge and costly undertaking to what was almost unknown territory. The three tiny ships were the Discovery (20 tons), Susan Constant (120 tons), and Godspeed (40 tons). They did not land in Virginia until April 1607 after a voyage of more than four months. Smith was on the list of seven council members that was designated to govern the colony. The winter was harsh, fresh water was hard to come by, sickness ravaged the colonists, and the local Indians, ruled by Powhatan (Wahunsonacock), were antagonistic to the newcomers. Smith became the leader and led the fight against the Indian raids and negotiating with them for food enough to supplement their meager stores.

In December of 1607, the famous incident of Smith being taken to Powhatan and being saved by Pocahontas occurred. Like much in Smith's writings, it is hard to separate the braggadocio from the fact. Apparently there was some kind of ceremony that involved a ritual death and renewal of life whereby Smith became some kind of subordinate chief member of the tribe. Smith may not have understood the ceremony well and indeed may well have believed that the 11 year old princess saved his life.

Life was very hard at Jamestown and dissent grew. Smith was elected President in September 1608 and has the fort reinforced and emphasizes military training among the colonists. During the winter, Powhatan refused to provide food because he believes that the colonists are not there to trade but to take Indian lands. After difficult negotiations they trade swords and guns for food. Things continue to be difficult and now the resentment focuses on Smith. He is badly burned when his powder keg caught fire. A group leading colonists deposes Smith and he sails back to England part in resentment and part for treatment of his injuries in October.

He is active in promoting colonization of the new territories and heads back in 1614, but he cannot go to Virginia. He focuses on the area north that he called New England. Smith traveled to many areas there and in 1615 founded a colony in Maine. He is captured by a French privateer and is unable to return to England until December. In 1622, Indians kill more than 300 colonists. Smith's offer to lead the military fight against the natives is rejected.

During these years in England, Smith published some works to provide him some much needed income. He finds the right stories to tell and several of his writings sold quite well. He died in 1631 at 51 years old and was buried at St. Sepulchres in the City of London.

This summary of his life is there merest outline of events. There is much much more covered in this treasure trove of a book.

The wonderful Library of America provides us with Smith's "A True Relation", "The Proceedings of the English Colony in Virginia" (parts written by a variety of folks), "A Description of New England", "New Englands Trials" [sic], "The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles", "The True Travels", and his "Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New-England". The words in these titles such as "trials" and "advertisements" had a much different meaning four hundred years ago. The point was that by 1620 thousands of people were risking their lives to try to settle in Virginia and New England and they wanted information. Smith gave them good information about what they were going to face. Oh, he certainly boasted and gave himself credit for things that others did, but his descriptions of what it takes to survive there are quite good.

This volume does not contain Smith's two books on sea travel. However, it does contain an additional four hundred pages of writings by others about the settling of Virginia. One covers the settlement of Roanoke before the Jamestown voyage. Others are written independently of Smith, at least one was written in response to his "Generall Historie" that upset some who felt he took to himself their deeds. They are all fascinating.

There are also pages of black and white plates showing aspects of Smith's life and other aspects of the early settlement including etchings of Smith and even of Pocahontas (Lady Rebecca) in her English finery during her one, fatal, year in England. There is another set of plates that are in color and show Indian life at the time of the events of this book. We get many useful maps, and index, notes on the text, notes on the plates, and a chronology of Smith's life.

This is a rich text that provides important history of early American settlement that everyone interested in the founding and history of our nation will want to read and know. The early events with the Indians are fascinating as are the descriptions of the trade and battles. Even the variety of spellings are fascinating. Yes, orthography was not standardized, but it is interesting how the same words are spelled differently even within the same writing let alone between authors.

A must have for all who appreciate American history.

Red, White, and Black: The Peoples of Early North America (4th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Don't believe the poor reviews
So boring!
...
Exploring Nash's argument
A View From All Angles

Red, White, and Black: The Peoples of Early North America (4th Edition)
Gary B. Nash
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0139567569

Book Description

Written by highly acclaimed historian Gary B. Nash, this book presents an interpretive account of the interactions between Native Americans, African Americans, and Euroamericans during the colonial and revolutionary eras. It reveals the crucial interconnections between North America's many peoples—illustrating the ease of their interactions in the first two centuries of European and African presence—to develop a fuller, deeper understanding of the nation's underpinnings. Coverage explores the interaction of many peoples at all levels of society, from various cultural backgrounds and across the centuries; African-Americans as active participants in the cultural process, drawing upon the work of African and African-American historians; the origins of racism, tracing the development of racial attitudes and the mixing of people across racial boundaries; Indians as much more than victims, reaching beyond the Europeans that "discovered" North America to explore the society that had already been here for thousands of years; profiles of the various European colonizers, examining French, Dutch, and Spanish settlers and comparing their treatment of enslaved Africans and Native Americans with that of the English. For those interested in Colonial American History.

Customer Reviews:

Don't believe the poor reviews.......2005-03-25

First of all, I can see where some would find this book boring- that is if the reader has no interest in American History. But this begs the questions- why would such a person pick up this book to begin with? For class maybe, but I imagine every student of history has read a difficult book or two. This one simply doesn't qualify. As far as books I've had to read for school, this was pretty easy to get through.

This book is not a primary source. If you are looking for such a thing, look elsewhere. This is a well-researched account of life on the early American frontier, and the interaction between different cultures.

Someone makes the claim further down that this book makes the Europeans look really bad. I disagree. This book does a fine job of looking at this time period from multiple view points. There are moments when the Europeans will come off badly, but almost any group has it's moments throughout history where it's not going to be a shining example of how to live your life. Aside from which, as this book points out, the Europeans are not one single group and the different European groups looked at within this book (The English, Dutch, French, and Spanish) all had different relationships with the various indigenous peoples of what would become the eastern United States. This book also takes a look at slavery and the origins of that horrid institution in the Americas. It is often fascinating reading and certainly doesn't deserve the one star reviews it's received.

So boring!.......2003-02-25

Like a few others on here I could not read this book. It did help me fall asleep though, lol. Anyone who's looking into reading this book, Id suggest checking it out of the library before you buy it.

..........2002-09-04

This is by far the worst book I have ever needed to read for school ever. When I attempted to read this book, I must've fallen asleep at least 10 times and I haven't even got past the first 2 chapters. I have no idea what my teacher was thinking when he saw this book. If it was a choice, I would choose negative 5 stars for this waste of paper and ink. It is, hands down, a boring book with absolutely not point at all except to critizice the immigration of the early Europeans. It almost seems like Nash couldn't give about the Europeans coming over here. Well, I would be quite upset if they didn't come over here, unless it would have prevented the publishing of his redundant, afwul book.

Exploring Nash's argument.......2002-02-05

RWB by Nash attempts to present a more accurate picture of colonial society. However, in the end, I believe Nash fails to do any real justice to his examination of this society's underpinnings. Essentially, Nash abandons this pursuit very quickly into the book and deals mostly with the facts of the era. Additionally, Nash's views seem all to decidedly Neo-Progressive. He simply will not concede a point or discuss a point, which does not fit this mindset. Another perhaps more disturbing issue is Nash's like of primary sources throughout his work. The majority of his sites are from other historians' works. But before you think of moving on and passing this work up understand a few basic things about it. First, by no means am I questioning Nash's historical ability or accuracy. Second, this work provides a novice student of history and excellent foundation to start to build an understanding of the Colonial Period on. Moreover, Nash's analysis though I find fault with it is still holds water in the historical community through refinements and redefinitions of his point. I suggest that any one seeking to get a handle on the Colonial period or start a study of this era should start here. However, do not read this work and take it as anything other then a meager beginning; instead, use it as a stepping stone to branch out into other works by Winthrop Jordan, William Cronon, Edmund Morgan, Bernard Bailyn, and Laurel Ulrich.

A View From All Angles.......2000-08-29

Gary Nash scratches beneath the surface in his analysis of the deomographics of colonial America. He skillfuly reveals the interaction between Europeans, native Americans, and Africans in the years preceding the American Revolution. Nash brings an important missing element to the mix by exploring how native American and African cultures affected European society, offering a refreshing look race relations. For once, readers are given a glimpse of the proud and unshakable cultures of these two exploited peoples.

Red, White & Black compares race relations between several different cultures and regions. Nash not only spouts statistics; he helps the reader to understand why certain peoples fought and why they formed alliances during this volatile period in our history.

Average customer rating:

The cliches were invented right here

Great Stories, Great Edition, Great Book

Great stories by a great author

A Vicious Circle

Good, good, GOOD editorial choice here!

Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America)
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Later Novels and Other Writings: The Lady in the Lake / The Little Sister / The Long Goodbye / Playback /Double Indemnity / Selected Essays and Letters (Library of America)

Complete Novels: Red Harvest / The Dain Curse / The Maltese Falcon / The Glass Key / The Thin Man (Library of America)

Crime Stories and Other Writings (Library of America)

Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930s and 40s: The Postman Always Rings Twice / They Shoot Horses, Don't They? / Thieves Like Us / The Big Clock / Nightmare ... / I Married a Dead Man (Library of America)

Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1950s: The Killer Inside Me / The Talented Mr. Ripley / Pick-up / Down There / The Real Cool Killers (Library of America)

ASIN: 1883011078

Amazon.com

If you're looking for the perfect gift for yourself or some other lover of mysteries, this beautifully-made volume from the Library of America series will definitely prove that you care enough to send the very best. And if you haven't picked up The Big Sleep, Farewell, My Lovely, or The High Window recently, you'll be amazed at how well they stand up to the test of time. (A second handsome volume, Later Novels & Other Writings -- including The Long Goodbye -- is also available.)

Customer Reviews:

The cliches were invented right here.......2005-08-19

There are Hammett fans and Chandler fans. I am for Hammett, but Chandler's work remains compelling. The plots are nonsense but the metaphors are the purest gold. The opening scenes of THE BIG SLEEP and FAREWELL, MY LOVELY are delicious every time.

Great Stories, Great Edition, Great Book.......2004-01-30

Just my personal opinion, but I think Raymond Chandler is one of the most underrated American authors. Anyone who hasn't read "The Long Goodbye" must be punishing themselves for sins in a past life. "The Big Sleep" and "The High Window" are also excellent novels--good mysteries.

But what really makes Chandler's stories hold up so well is the language: "The Dancers is the kind of club that will dissolution you about what a lot of extra golf money can do for the personality" or "What does it matter, if you're breathing wind and air or oil and water--when you're sleeping the big sleep."

While the plots are wonderful period pieces of a young Los Angeles, the characters are richly drawn. Ever wonder where all those tv detectives came from? Right here.

Chandler's short stories are also supurb. My vote for the single best detective short story of all time is Red Wind--there is so much that happens in such a short story. No one should ever die without reading it....."Trouble is my Business" is also excellent....

Is this a complete collection of his short stories? No--There are a few I would have added, even though several of them were "canibalized" (Chandler's phrase) into later novels. The plot of "Bay City Blues" was built into "Lady in the Lake," but I think that story still holds up on its own. An earlier review also mentioned that "The Pencil" is missing. I can't understand why it was left out. "Killer in the Rain" also became "The Big Sleep," but it still has charm. "No Crime in the Mountains" is not included, but that's not much of a loss.

Not all of the stories in this book work--but that's going to be true with any collection. What is convenient with Library of America is the bindings are wonderful, the print font easy to read, the books lie flat, and will last forever. The list prices are a little steep--but not if you consider the amount of literature you're getting for the cost. I've bought this book three times, and have loaned it out--only for it to never return. But that's why I buy books.

One final note--The previous review mentioned that in this edition Johnny Dahlmas was replaced by Phillip Marlowe in "Red Wind." I was certain it was Johnny, and used Amazon's "Look Inside" to confirm--it is. Chandler had a few detectives, that eventually evolved into Marlowe, and each was a little different. I have a very soft spot in my heart for Dahlmas (I'm probably spelling his name wrong, so the soft spot may be in my head), so if the editor x-ed him out, I'd be furious....

Buy this book.

Great stories by a great author.......2002-07-19

Chandler is perhaps the greatest writer of detective fiction and a great author period. To ignore these books is to ignore much of what is great about American literature.

Two of his three best novels are included here (The Big Sleep & Farewell, My Lovely).

The stories and great fun, if also rather flawed. My biggest complaint is that are presented here in their republished form, rather than with the original names of the protagonists. (For example, the hero of "Red Wind" is Philip Marlowe here, rather than John Dalmas.) That a fairly minor quibble. Especially good are "Goldfish" and "Red Wind."

The binding is very nice, as are all Library of America editions. My edition has held up quite well after heavy use.

A Vicious Circle.......2002-03-01

"Nothing made it my business except curiosity. But strictly speaking, I hadn't had any business in a month."(21) For Phillip Marlowe, the irresistibly aloof private detective who stars in Chandler's impressive detective novel, Farewell, My Lovely, crime is not something he seems able or willing to avoid. Hitting the streets of Los Angeles in the midst of the American gambling craze of the 1930's, Marlowe finds himself an inextricable player in a search for knowledge of past and present crimes and criminals.
Though he appears, on the surface, to be little more than a nosy, bumbling "private dick," his successful unraveling of a closely interwoven crowd of crooks proves, as one suspect cop observes, that Marlowe "played...smart....You must got something we wasn't told about." (228) Keeping his cards in his hand for most of the noel, Chandler shows that both he and Marlowe are "smart," leading the reader on a circuitous trail that shakes out only in the novel's final pages.
The story begins with a happenstance encounter between Marlowe and an ex-con called "Moose" Malloy. Marlowe cannot resist pursuing the suspicious-looking hulk of a man and soon finds himself both running after and from a variety of shady characters. In the course of his private investigations, Marlowe survives several near brushes with death, getting "sapped" by thugs near the novel's start, pumped full of opium in a suspicious hospital-like place, and stealthily boarding a closely guarded gambling boat to confront an infamous mobster in the middle of the night. In the end, Marlowe succeeds at untangling the web of murders and crimes that keep him running throughout the novel, but not before giving the reader the run-around as well. Chandler's smart, articulate prose lends itself well to the captivating story and intriguing characters that combine to make this a must-read for fans of detective fiction.

Good, good, GOOD editorial choice here!.......2001-12-02

Earlier anthologies of Raymond Chandler's works mostly center upon what have come to be known as his 'big four' or earliest novels -- The Big Sleep, Farewell My Lovely, The High Window, The Lady In The Lake -- or upon his later, and admittedly (with the possible exception of The Little Sister) 'inferior' works. Chandler's earlier short stories ( many of which he "cannibalized," to use his word, for the material in his subsequent novels) are normally treated as a separate genre altogether.

This particular collection, rightly, combines Chandler's first three novels with the best of his earlier short stories, recognizing the thematic unity in those works. (Good as it is, "The Lady In The Lake" demands to be treated separately from Chandler's earlier efforts.)

Chances are, if you're reading this, you've read most, if not all, of Chandler's Phillip Marlowe novels. You may as well have read many, if not all, of the short stories presented here. But have you read these novels, and these short stories, TOGETHER in this context? Likely not. But you deserve to.

In the short stories, for example, there are protagonists named John Evans, Ted Carmody and Tony Resick (the last two of which, interestingly, inhabit locations which were most likely Los Angeles' Hotel Mayfair, with which Chandler had more than a nodding familiarity). And when, in Chandler's writings, did they meld themselves into what would be his penultimate creation, Phillip Marlowe?

And at which point did Chandler begin to write, as fellow writer Ross McDonald termed it, "like a slumming angel . . ."? The answers to both questions may well lie here, in this collection.

Book Description

This enthralling story of survival is the first major narrative of the exploration of North America by Europeans (1528-36). The author of Castaways (Naufragios), Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, was a fortune-seeking nobleman and the treasurer of an expedition to claim for Spain a vast area that includes today's Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. A shipwreck forced him and a handful of men to make the long westward journey on foot to meet up with Hernán Cortés.
In order to survive, Cabeza de Vaca joined native peoples along the way, learning their languages and practices and serving them as a slave and later as a physician. When after eight years he finally reached the West, he was not recognized by his compatriots.
In his writing Cabeza de Vaca displays great interest in the cultures of the native peoples he encountered on his odyssey. As he forged intimate bonds with some of them, sharing their brutal living conditions and curing their sick, he found himself on a voyage of self-discovery that was to make his reunion with his fellow Spaniards less joyful than expected.
Cabeza de Vaca's gripping narrative is a trove of ethnographic information, with descriptions and interpretations of native cultures that make it a powerful precursor to modern anthropology. Frances M. López-Morillas's translation beautifully captures the sixteenth-century original. Based as it is on Enrique Pupo-Walker's definitive critical edition, it promises to become the authoritative English translation.

Customer Reviews:

And the Spaniards also suffer.......2007-04-03

I have learned to dispise the Spanish colonizers for their actions in the New World. I have read enough of their sharpening their swords and practicing on the Native Americans and slaying the men, women and children of native settlements if they didn't convert to Christianity or produce enough gold. So this is a new perspective, that of the Spanish failing and suffering through unimaginable hardship and all along the coast that is now our destination of choice for retirement.

This is a nearly fantastic book, only nearly so because it is true (unless De Vaca embelished his story). If you are intrigued with pre-settlement America and the cultures of Native Americans you will appreciate this read in addition to the survival story. This is a look at Florida and Texas in a different era. This is a story about the ambitions of Spain and the privations men could endure for their religion and their country. Even the style of the writing adds to the true insight into the time and perspective on their outlook on the new world. The chapter titles such as "Of What Befell Lope de Oviedo with Some Indians" and "How We Departed After Eating the Dogs" give you the idea of how the book is structured in addition to how they suffered.

In many historical accounts the Spanish are said to have believed that the New World was the dominion of the devil and all its' people,lands, forests and creatures were works of the devil. It is in accounts like this that you can start to understand their reasoning and belief.

An extraordinary man -- an extraordinary story!.......2006-09-11

Cabeza de Vaca's first hand narrative of his experiences in the New World is one of the most gripping true life adventure stories that you can find.

The story is almost five hundred years old. It begins with his selection as treasurer for a Spanish invasion force of six hundred that was intended to conquer Florida (then thought to be an island), sieze the natives' gold and add their bodies to the Spanish crown while their souls would be dedicated the the Christian God.

Everything went wrong. A hurricane hit. The expeditionary force was separated from their ships and ended up marooned on the Florida Gulf Coast, surrounded by hostile, deadly Indians. Eventually, the survivors slaughtered their horses for food, then melted down their armor to make nails and built boats in the hope of finding their way to Mexico.

Many more men were lost before they made their way to what is now known as Galveston. The survivors experienced starvation, the cowardice of their leader, slavery and even cannibalism. Out of six hundred conquistadores, only four men survived.

Those four men walked across the rest of Texas, wandering almost aimlessly in a search for the Spanish colony of Mexico. By the time they finally arrived in Mexico, after years of privation, they were no longer the same self-sure conquerors who had sailed from Spain. They had developed a following of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Indians who hailed them as "Children of the Sun". Cabeza de Vaca, who had emerged as their leader, fit the description of an Old Testament prophet. His hair had not seen a comb or scissors for several years, while his feet had not seen shoes for almost as long.

Here's an extended quote from Chapter 19:

"A few days after these four Spaniards had departed there came a time of cold and storms so severe that ... five Christians who were encamped on the beach came to such straits that they ate one another until only one was left, who survived because there was no one left to eat him.... The Indians were so indignant about this, and there was so much outrage among them, that undoubtedly if they had seen this when it began to happen they would have killed the men, and all of us would have been in dire peril: in a word, within a very short time only fifteen of the eighty men from both parties who had reached the island were left alive; and after the death of these men, a stomach ailment afflicted the Indians of the land from which half of them died, and they believed it was we who were killing them; and as they were wholly convinced of this, they agreed among themselves to kill those of us who were left."

How's that for action? It's true that the narrative style itself is archaic and stilted at times. But this translation emphasizes simple modern English and cuts through a lot of the difficulty of reading a story that's half a millenium old.

I've read the story of Cabeza de Vaca two or three times over the years. In it, I see an almost mirror image many of the other explorers like De Soto or Cortez: a man who learned to view the New World in a different way, and who became a different man by the experience. His story has action, sure: hurricanes, starvation, slavery, faith healing, a stupid, greedy leader, and a cast of thousands. But at the heart of this journey is the journey of one man's heart.

Absolutely basic to anyone living in Texas and the Southwest.......1999-07-11

To read so much live detail about the way of life of the original inhabitants of parts of Texas and the Southwest is to have one's very conceptions about these places changed. It's an amazing, short read and the editor helps with notes in critical places. I think this is basic reading for anyone even part-way interested in the history of Texas and neighboring states. Cabeza de Vaca's account covers hair-raising events which occurred in the 1530s right here on Galveston Island, so it gives a longer sense of post-Columbian history than one usually gets as a lay reader of Texas and Southwest history. I too don't know why more folks aren't talking about this book. I'm buying copies to give away.

Tale by de Vaca himself of his trials in America.......1998-12-12

Hard to follow at times, you get confused as to how many people are actually following him! It is sometimes slow reading. Yet, the informantion in the book is good.

Hope Leslie, Or, Early Times in the Massachusetts (American Women Writers)

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It is a Romance!
Not Bad
Absolute Trash
A Gem Decoded
a wonderful glimpse in the past of our country

Hope Leslie, Or, Early Times in the Massachusetts (American Women Writers)
Catharine Maria Sedgwick , and Mary Kelley
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0813512220

Book Description

The house at Bethel had, both in front and in rear, a portico, or, as it was more humbly, and therefore more appropriately named, a shed; that in the rear, was a sort of adjunct to the kitchen, and one end of it was enclosed for the purpose of a bed-room, and occupied by Magawisca. Everell found Digby sitting at the other extremity of this portico; his position was prudently chosen. The moon was high, and the heavens clear, and there concealed and sheltered by the shadow of the roof, he could, without being seen, command the whole extent of cleared ground that bordered on the forest, whence the foe would come, if he came at all.

Customer Reviews:

It is a Romance!.......2007-01-14

Hope Leslie is an enjoyable tale that was remarkable in its day. The women characters are strong and it brought attention to racial issues with the Native Americans. The author wrote it at a time when most people thought nothing about the way Native Americans were treated. But don't forget, this book is a romance. That means that parts of it, just like Last of the Mohicans, are unrealistic. However, I felt this story was much better than Last of the Mohicans, because Sedgwick's characters actually have more depth to them. Cooper seems to care more about the American landscape than he does about his characters interactions, whereas Sedgwick addresses matters of the heart.

Not Bad.......2006-02-14

A much better read the The Last of the Mohicans, this book is actually presented in understandable language. And while trivial at times, this novel presents a clear and interesting picture of 17th Century colonial life and is an enjoyable read.

Absolute Trash.......2005-10-25

Just because it was written by a woman and in the past, does not make it good. There were plenty of women writers during this time period, who we seem to forget today manage to outsell the men every time. In the case of Nate Hawthorne, we can clearly understand why.

In Hope Leslie, Catherine Sedgwick's main goal was to persuade the readers that what they were doing to Native Americans was wrong, and that the English descendants were just as wrong in 1800 as they were in 1600. Unfortunately, although her puritan characters, all stolen from history, are narrow minded, they are very kind. This was not the case people. They hung and pressed "witches," all right? Do you really think they wouldn't punish Hope for breaking two Indian women out of jail? And her little "the devil did it, maybe," excuse wouldn't have flown.

Also, this is not a feminist text. I do not care what anyone says. Simply because Esther realizes she doesn't have to get married does not make it a feminst book. Esther would have married Everell in a heartbeat if given the chance. Remember how she tired to sleep herself to death after he rejectd her?

If you must read this for a class, I will give you a short summary:

Magawisca: Oh, you evil, white men. You have killed my family and rained destruction on this land.

Hope Leslie: I am pretty and my eyes change colors, but I will save you from jail Magawisca, while still believing in my heart that you are inferior, but a really nice girl.

[Stuff happens. A ship blows up. Everell and Hope help Magawisca escape.]

Everell: Live with us, Magawisca, and teach us to be pure, like you!

Magawisca: Thanks, you guys, but you have hurt my people so badly that the white man and indian can never be friends. I will go to the wild woods now, and live in peace with God.

Esther: I will go away and pretend it is not because Everell likes my best friend better. When I come back, everyone will want me, but I learned my lesson with men. My havishhaminess will be attributed to feminism for generations to come.

A Gem Decoded.......2005-09-25

Hope Leslie starts out with conflict, with love, with deception, and willing exile to a new land. The story is neatly woven, with plenty of action, romance, and adventure. It is written in a bit difficult of a style, but this book is much worth the decoding. Sedgwick delicately places passeges of savory descriptions of the beauty of the wildlands of New England, and glorifies aspects of both Christianity and Native American theology, but does not disregard small ugliness hidden within both. If looked at carefully, one can see the way that Sedgwick has shown that the Native American and colonist cultures are not as different as they seem.
This is a story of bravery, of love, and of the true nature of all of mankind. Think not, though, that there is no humor in it. Hope Leslie is a witty, passively rebelious girl who fights for what she believes in. She is an enigma that will remain in the hearts of all who read her story. Sedgwick has breathed the breath of life into all her characters and their stories, and their lives will leave imprints on all who read _Hope Leslie._

a wonderful glimpse in the past of our country.......2004-07-09

Sedgewick wrote this book almost 200 years ago. It was hard to read this book without comparing just about everything.
I compared her vocabulary, her descriptions of indians vs the british, the descriptions of appropriate behavior, the mores of the puritans.
Particularly delightful was the way she portrayed Native Americans speaking in old english "thither he went" "thy hands"
I have read other books from this era, and normally they have a terrible ending, so we can all mourn the (dead) heroine.
This book had some skillful twists and turns. Surely as some of our less sophisticated readers have remarked, the plot
was rather romantic and maybe even foppish, but consider the era in which it was read. it is a valuable window to the past.
I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read

The Early Mesoamerican Village: Archaeological Research Strategy for an Endangered Species (Studies in Archaeology)

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The Early Mesoamerican Village: Archaeological Research Strategy for an Endangered Species (Studies in Archaeology)

Manufacturer: Academic Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0122598520

The Complete Works of Captain John Smith, 1580-1631

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The Complete Works of Captain John Smith, 1580-1631
John Smith
Manufacturer: University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 080781525X

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Outstanding Read about 20th Century Fire
The Disaster and the Era
Heartrending, but change is overstated
a good story that was forgotten about
Triangle: The Fire That Changed America

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America
David von Drehle
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080214151X

Book Description

On a beautiful spring day, March 25, 1911, workers were preparing to leave the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York's Greenwich Village when a fire started. Within minutes it consumed the building's upper three stories. Firemen who arrived at the scene were unable to rescue those trapped inside. The final toll was 146—123 of them women. It was the worst disaster in New York City history until September 11, 2001. Harrowing yet compulsively readable, Triangle is both a chronicle of the fire and a vibrant portrait of an entire age. Waves of Jewish and Italian immigrants inundated New York in the early years of the century, filling its slums and supplying its garment factories with cheap, mostly female labor. Protesting their Dickensian work conditions, forty thousand women bravely participated in a massive shirtwaist workers' strike that brought together an unlikely coalition of socialists, socialites, and suffragettes. Von Drehle orchestrates these events into a drama rich in suspense and filled with memorable characters. Most powerfully, he puts a human face on the men and women who died, and shows how the fire dramatically transformed politics and gave rise to urban liberalism.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Read about 20th Century Fire.......2007-08-30

This is a great book about the economics and history of twentieth century America and how the sweatshops were a big part of immigrant life in New York. The Triangle Factory disaster still has a message for those modern day factory shops in other parts of the world who continue to ignore safety laws and concerns. as a similar tragedy could easily happen again. This book uncovers those safety issues, that today should be standard in all factories across the globe. Of the 250 workers in the building, only a little more than 100 survived the fire. The death toll marked 140 people dead (123 of them women, of which about a hundred jumped or fell to their death). It is shocking to know that the owners were found not guilty, and even collected $60,000 in insurance payments. I pray that this tragedy will continue to arouse public action and continued lobbying for workplace safety. This is an excellent book!

The Disaster and the Era.......2007-07-23

The New York Triangle fire of 3-25-1911 was the deadliest workplace disaster until 9-11-2001. About 100 workers died every day in the nation's workplaces then (p.3). Workplace safety was still a goal. Chapter 1 tells about that era. Tammany Hall was founded to support the Revolution against British rule, and the large landholders (p.21). Their function was to help people, and they collected from governmental operations (p.23). By the late 19th century they worked for the moneyed interests (p.24). William R. Hearst pushed municipal ownership (p.31). The immigrants made New York the ready-made clothes manufacturing capital. New loft buildings were an improvement over sweatshops and allowed improved productivity.

Changes began with the November 1909 election. All Tammany candidates lost to progressive candidates. The garment workers all went out on strike November 23, 1909 and soon won a pay raise, a 52-hour week, and a closed union shop from some manufacturers. Most factory owners formed an association to resist the workers. The help of rich society women was invaluable (their interest was in woman suffrage). Conflicts among the groups appeared (p.79). The workers wanted a union shop (p.81). The settlement saw higher wages and shorter hours, union membership was no longer prohibited (p.86). Chapter 4 has the history of that era, and tells why immigrants came to the golden land of America. The clothing trade was better than laundry or being a sales clerk (pp.113-114).

Chapter 5 tells about the fire. Scraps of cotton and tissue paper were very flammable (p.119). The water pails could not extinguish the fire. The water tank on the roof had no water (p.121). The scrap under the cutter's tables spread the fire rapidly (p.138). Fire-safe factories had existed for decades (p.160). The moneyed classes of New York did not choose sprinkler systems, fire-walls, fire doors, enclosed fire stairways as in other cities. Insurance companies made money selling policies, the higher the risk the more they made (p.161)! The Triangle Waist Company had repeated fires. A fire allowed them to collect on unsold inventory (p.162). Fashion changes resulted in arson. There were other fires at shirtwaist factories in 1911 (p.163). Why did some factories carry excess insurance? The fire was under control in just over 30 minutes (p.166).

In the aftermath everyone pointed the blame at someone else (pp.184-185). New laws for better fire escapes, enclosed fireproof stairways, automatic sprinklers, and fire drills were suggested. Pages 189-191 explain how Tammany Hall worked; also pages 198-199. The strength of the Socialist Party changed Tammany's policies (p.213). A series of new laws in 1913 remade NY labor law (p.215). Page 216 explains the legislator's trick of stalling a bill. In 1913 Tammany Hall chose a workingman-friendly platform and won its greatest statewide victory (pp.217-218). Locking factory doors during working hours was a misdemeanor. If this resulted in death it was manslaughter (p.220). Blanck and Harris were arrested and tried. Max Steuer was the greatest lawyer in New York. Did Judge Crain fix the trial (p.235)? Lawyer Steuer asked Kate Alterman to repeat her story so it seemed rehearsed and deceitful (p.249). Yet it was all true (p.250)! Many witnesses told of the movement of people during that day which implies unlocked doors (p.251). The judge's instructions were overwhelmingly favorable to the defense (p.255). There was conflict, but the jury heeded the judge's instructions. There was a secret in Judge Crain's life (p.257). His bias was with the defendants (p.258). The `Epilogue' tells what happened afterwards. The owners collected a huge amount over their actual losses (p.264)! Blanck was arrested and fined in 1913 for locked doors (p.265).

Heartrending, but change is overstated.......2007-02-12

In America it is assumed that market forces and the moral character of business owners will operate to protect workers from egregious safety issues. Of course, that defies historical fact. It has only been via government regulation that workers have ever achieved even a modicum of safety, and then only if government regulators do not turn a blind eye towards obvious problems. In the New York City of 1910 it was well known that factory lofts at the top of multi-story buildings, at a minimum, needed sprinkler systems, firewalls, access to stairways, functional fire escapes, smoking bans, unlocked doors, and periodic fire drills.

Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, the owners of the Triangle Waist Company and makers of women's shirtwaists, ignored every one of those measures, which resulted in the horrific death of 146 mostly Jewish and Italian immigrant women on Mar 25, 1911 when a discarded cigarette started a fire in cloth scraps on the eighth floor of their factory. The fire consumed that story and the two above it, consisting of 27,000 sq feet, in about 15 mins. The warning to the sewing machine operators on the ninth floor was delayed and then a locked stairway door was encountered. Over fifty leapt to their death; others fell down a shaft when the overloaded fire escape tore loose, and the remaining died on the floor, blocked from escape. Miraculously, about 350 escaped, some via the roof. Spectators watched in horror as the ladders of the NYFD fell short by thirty feet of rescuing those standing on the ledges.

The author makes the claim that this fire changed America, initiating a period of reform and ushering in urban liberalism, which is even today the basis of the Democratic Party. Actually, it was already an era of change and turmoil. The Progressive era of reform had started during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency, due in large part to labor strife that had been occurring over several decades. The author begins the book by following Clara Lemlich, the firebrand leader of recently formed Local 25 of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU), in her very public efforts in trying to organize a strike among all shirtwaist workers and in being stalked by thugs hired to harm her sufficiently to stop her organizing. As a testimony to her resiliency, she overcame the beating to lead 20,000 workers out on strike in Nov, 1909.

Tammany Hall, the longstanding Democratic political machine in New York, was interdependent with the working class - especially in NYC; jobs and other benefits were exchanged for votes. But Tammany was not reformist; it generally supported businessmen and the status quo. The police department was a prime enforcer of their program including the harassment, if not brutal put down, of labor agitators. Tammany-beholden judges were more than willing to send picketers to the city workhouse for offences no greater than holding a sign. But many of NYC's newest immigrants, who were mostly Jewish, had been radicalized by being subjected to and escaping pogroms in Russia. Furthermore, upper-middle-class society matrons were aghast at the living and working conditions for these workers, and lent considerable support to those situations. Charles Murphy, the low-profile leader of Tammany, knew that this segment of the voting public would move in the direction of socialism if Tammany did not support reform.

In what is definitely its strongest part, the author devotes about one-third of the book to recapitulating what happened inside the factory as well as the public official response once the fire started. Though the fire consumed the factory in about 15 mins, the action the author describes among both the survivors and the doomed was fast and furious. Primarily from the testimony at the ensuing trial of the owners and from interviews of survivors by Leon Stein years later, he is able to personalize what happened in the factory on that fateful day. In addition, the author supplies in an appendix the most up-to-date listing of those who died in the fire. Six remain unidentified.

The owners of the factory retained prestigious lawyer Max Steuer to represent them against charges of manslaughter, based on illegally locking a stairway door. Steuer simply overmatched both the prosecutor and the immigrant women witnesses, easily finding holes in their stories and planting doubts. In addition, the author contends that the judge Thomas Crain conducted the trail in a highly prejudicial manner by disallowing much of the grim facts to be presented and instructing the jury that conviction was permitted only if the evidence could show that the owners specifically knew that the door in question was locked on that day at the time of the fire. The fact that there was evidence that the door was invariably locked at that time of day and that the bolted lock was found in the charred remains apparently carried no weight. Both Steuer and Crain had for many years supported Tammany constituents as the owners of Triangle Waist Company were.

Though the owners were acquitted, Tammany did not ignore the public clamor for some sort of reform. Tammany's chief representatives in the New York legislature, Robert F. Wagner in the Senate and Alfred E. Smith in the Assembly, were instrumental in forming the Factory Investigating Commission only three months after the Triangle fire, which embarked on passing sweeping safety legislation. That commission also included college-educated Frances Perkins, FDR's future Secretary of Labor and key player in the New Deal along with Robert Wagner.

Although reform measures were inspired by the Triangle fire, the author admits that the fire did recede from public memory fairly quickly. The author's claim that the strike "changed America" is certainly overstated. In 1912, not more than a year later, Lawrence, Mass was the scene of a huge textile workers strike led by the IWW in which local policemen resorted to clubbing children as striking parents attempted to put them on trains to Philadelphia. Though not the same deadly scenario as the Triangle fire, the overreaction of public officials towards striking workers was perhaps more egregious. A year after that, the striking silk workers in Paterson, NJ were subjected to massive arrests, which killed the strike. The huge reaction against labor unions after WWI, which decimated membership, undoubtedly was a major factor in the Great Depression as workers simply lacked the buying power to sustain the economy.

The author does not define "urban liberalism." It is clear that liberalism in all of its reformist variants has been severely rolled back over the last thirty years in the US. Median wages have been virtually flat throughout that time. Less than nine percent of US private sector workers are now represented by unions. More realistic statements can be made concerning the standing of workers and unions in the US. First, worker reforms are sporadic in nature, are often subject to rollback at some time, and are often unenforced. Second, the business class ultimately prevails in confrontations with workers; controlling information flow through media ownership is a huge advantage. Even if employment in the 21st century does not bring with it the same hazards as 100 years before, the world of work can still be highly contentious and difficult for employees.

The book is heartrending. It gives a flavor of the times: the immigration wave, the difficult living and working conditions, the forces arrayed against change, etc. But it is a snapshot. As those issues have unfolded over time, the story is often far more complex than the author intimates, and is not on a progressive climb.

a good story that was forgotten about.......2007-02-10

This is a very good story that was basicaly forgotten about (before the book). It tells the details of a horrific fire that killed scores of immigrant factory workers (mostly women). It also, touches upon the early suffrogett women's movement along with other political issues that went on in the early 20th century. It brings the reader to a time and a fire that seems to be forgotten

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America.......2006-11-11

The star rating that I have assigned the book is based on your customer service. I have not had an opportunity to read the book as yet. I purchased the book based on an interview that I heard on a C-Span Book TV program.

Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization (Case Studies in Early Societies)

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Mayan Royal Rock Stars

Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization (Case Studies in Early Societies)
Arthur Demarest
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521533902

Book Description

Arthur Demarest brings the lost civilization of Maya to life by applying a holistic view to the most recently discovered archaeological evidence. His theoretical interpretation simultaneously emphasizes the brilliant rain forest adaptations of the ancient Maya and the Native American spirituality that permeated all aspects of their daily life. Drawing on data from the latest significant archaeological research in Central America, this new study appeals to those interested in the ecological bases of civilization, the function of the state and the causes of the collapse of civilizations.

Customer Reviews:

Mayan Royal Rock Stars.......2005-03-05

This is a must read for anyone interested in the ancient Maya and why their advanced civilization that had achieved so much under such harsh conditions suddenly collapsed and disappeared for parts unknown. Demarest argues that the collapse was political rather than the most widely accepted paradigm that it was ecological. He concludes that the collapse was due to a proliferation of royal elites competing for power, similar to the present situation in Saudi Arabia. Warfare between these competing elites caused a collapse during a 100 year period that resulted in a depopulation of major cities and a drastic reduction of palace and temple construction. The book is worth reading if only for Demarest's description of the Wizard of Oz type power structure where Mayan royal elites held power through fantastic ritualistic displays that captivated the masses. He describes the Mayan royal elites as a combination of rock stars, evangelical preachers, and circus performers that dressed in elaborate costumes with feathered head dresses, lit fires with pyrite mirrors, and engaged in public displays of blood letting. Demarest even relates the Mayan architecture to theater with temples high above plazas where the masses could observe rituals. The book is easy to read for layman.

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