Started Reading April 5, 2024
A New Way to Review Non-Fiction Books
This has been very eye-opening for me, as I've jumped into reading non-fiction. I am utterly aware of my lack of knowledge when it comes to science and the subjects that I am interested in learning more about. What I wanted to talk about here is that this is going to be a different way that I've reviewed books before. Typically a review would start with a simple, Written Review. Now, I'm starting with my intentions of the purchase of this particular work and my knowledge going into reading this. I look forward to learning so much more.
My Reasons for Purchasing This Book
With that said, I purchased this book to read because I wanted to learn about, well as the title suggests, The Americas before Columbus. And I've gotten that, but I've got so much more as well. I wanted answers on who the Native Americans were before Christopher Columbus arrived on the scene. I wanted to understand their societies and their rules. I am now interested in following a somewhat "chronological" account of the Americas, as in, I want to then research the Pilgrims that came to settle in America to form the Colonies.
I am currently, very interested in the founding of the United States of America but this has been an incredibly scholarly affair so far. I am enjoying my time reading non-fiction, and just learning. That is the fun part! Let's take a look at a description of this book.
Brief Description of "1491"..
"1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus" by Charles C. Mann is an eye-opening journey into the history of the Americas before the arrival of European explorers. In this fascinating book, Mann uncovers surprising discoveries about the ancient civilizations, cultures, and peoples that thrived in the Americas long before Columbus set foot on its shores.
Through engaging storytelling and meticulous research, Mann challenges conventional narratives and reveals a complex tapestry of human history. From the towering empires of the Aztecs and the Incas to the intricate networks of indigenous cultures across the continent, "1491" paints a vivid picture of societies shaped by thousands of years of human innovation and adaptation.
As readers delve into the pages of "1491," they're confronted with astonishing revelations about the antiquity of human presence in the Americas. Mann explores archaeological evidence and scientific discoveries that push back the timeline of human settlement, challenging our perceptions of the depth and complexity of indigenous histories.
"1491" invites readers to explore a world of ancient civilizations, lost cities, and forgotten cultures, shedding new light on the rich tapestry of human history in the Americas. It's a captivating journey that will leave readers with a deeper understanding of the indigenous peoples who shaped the landscape of the New World long before the arrival of Columbus.
Written Review
"Probably", "maybe", "could have", "it is possible that", "this could have happened", "we believe this". This is the explanations behind this collection of narratives gathering the scientific, historical, biological, ecological, and more "~logicals" evidence to bring the "New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus". Now, I'd like to stress the fact that I am a firm believer in Christ and the Bible. Entering the second section titled "Very Old Bones" there are recordings of certain groups trying to discredit Believers, some of whom have chosen to place a date on the point of Creation. That is not what I am arguing here, just stating a fact, as is Charles C. Mann, this was something that I observed while reading. I don't want to have to stop reading something that I've started reading, but if a work is blatantly bashing my religion and my beliefs, I will evaluate. More could be said about Evolution, but that is for another time.
With that said, this has been an incredibly scholarly look at an vast history prior and post Columbus' entrance to the Americas. This was fascinating, and mind-breaking at points due to the sometimes hard to read names the Indians had, also something I learned as I was reading: we call the Native Americans: Indians, because Christopher Columbus thought he arrived in India. Funny.
Also, there are section after section that conclude with something of the sort: "except that it may not have been like that at all." Or, again paraphrasing, "I have just pulled a fast one". These narratives are contrived and exciting or interesting, to just be taken away as fantasy? Wow, I say that and then boom, we get a physical anthropologist measuring more than 200,000 Indian teeth and comparing them... that is actually very very cool. Then linguistic classifications... whoa. Mitochondrial DNA... My goodness!
Now, I will say the book seems disjointed. We are jumping around continents, seemingly every paragraph, sometimes even different millennia. It is jarring, to say the least, but I appreciate the scholarly effort taken to make this history coherent and understandable. It is just that, understandable and coherent, while being extraordinarily dense with science and study. A good mix of narrative flow, with scientific background.
My brain is breaking... my goodness, Mann is now discussing the Calendar of the Mesoamericans. Three separate calendars. I am learning Calendrical Math. MY GOODNESS, I really like this book.... haha. Oh yes, positional notation system arithmetic. Why do I love this so much?!
This was quite the experience for me. This was a very interesting read, I appreciate it for it's scientific and scholarly merit. I learned a lot. My question of: who were in America before Columbus? Was answered, the Native Americans. How many were there was a question that I didn't expect to get! Wow, a lot. There was also an absolutely detailed history of the peoples, some with fully realized and written history and others with a general knowledge of their history. Fascinating things.
Mann does a great job lending the reader to understand his perspective, while portraying all sides of the issue. There are also incredible appendixes to read if you want more information on the use of "Native Americans" vs "Indians", and then Mann talks about the Calendrical Math used by the Mesoamericans - incredibly complex stuff!
Overall, I enjoyed my time. My curiosity is satisfied.