For me this was an interesting read. I wasn't even aware of half of the lost civilizations, so I did learn quite a few new things about ancient history. One of my main complaints is that while this seemed like a light read, it was definitely complex at times. I found myself pausing after each chapter, which are only about 8 pages, to take my brain out of overload.
When I first started reading, I found myself wishing that he would have a summary at the beginning of each chapter to explain what the civilization was, but after 4 chapters I became accustomed to how he was writing and it started to flow fluently for me. He would also began the chapters simply, but as it reached the end, the chapter became more complex, making it sometimes harder for me to follow.
The final thing I would improve upon would be the introduction. Introductions should be a summary of what's to come in the book itself. With this books intro there was too much talk on the Mayans, I actually thought it was a chapter on only them at first, until a bunch of other random civilization facts started getting dropped. When I reached the end of it, I felt it had been drawn out and that there were too many facts jammed into it, making it overwhelming.
I personally give this book a 3 out of 5 stars. It was an interesting read that was, short and to the point, while giving plenty of information and different points of views. If you are interested in history I would highly recommend this book.
Synopsis:
From the #1 bestselling author of History's Greatest Generals comes an exciting new book on the greatest societies in history that vanished without a trace, and why their disappearance still haunts us today.
Whether it is Plato's lost city of Atlantis, a technological advanced utopia that sank into the ocean "in a single day and night of misfortune"; the colony of Roanoke, whose early American settlers were swallowed up in the wild forest lands of the unexplored continent, or the Ancient American Explorers, who managed to arrive to the New World 2,000 years before Columbus, the disappearance of these societies is as cryptic as it is implausible.
This book will look at cultures of the 10 greatest lost civilizations in history. Some were millenia ahead their neighbors, such as the Indus Valley Civilization, which had better city planning in 3,000 B.C. than any European capital in the 18th century. Others left behind baffling mysteries, such as the Ancient Pueblo Peoples (formerly known as the Anasazi), whose cliff-dwelling houses were so inaccessible that every member of society would have to be an expert-level rock climber.
It will also at explanations as to how massive societies that lasted for centuries can disappear without a trace. Did the builders of the pyramids handy craftsmen whose method of transporting massive stones are still unexplainable simply disappear or were they part of an advanced alien race, as conspiracy theorists assert? Was the Kingdom of Aksum really the keeper of the Ark of the Covenant, and did this lead to their downfall?
Whatever the nature of their disappearance, these lost civilizations offer many lessons for us today -- even the greatest of societies can disappear, and that includes us.
You can find this book on Amazon in Kindle or Paperback format
Great Review!!
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