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Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs edited by Ann R. Williams

Title: Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs: A History of the World in 100 Discoveries

Edited by: Ann R. Williams

Publisher: National Geographic 2021

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 512

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Blending high adventure with history, this chronicle of 100 astonishing discoveries from the Dead Sea Scrolls to the fabulous "Lost City of the Monkey God" tells incredible stories of how explorers and archaeologists have uncovered the clues that illuminate our past. Archaeology is the key that unlocks our deepest history. Ruined cities, golden treasures, cryptic inscriptions, and ornate tombs have been found across the world, and yet these artifacts of ages past often raised more questions than answers. But with the emergence of archaeology as a scientific discipline in the 19th century, everything changed. Illustrated with dazzling photographs, this enlightening narrative tells the story of human civilization through 100 key expeditions, spanning six continents and more than three million years of history. Each account relies on firsthand reports from explorers, antiquarians, and scientists as they crack secret codes, evade looters and political suppression, fall in love, commit a litany of blunders, and uncover ancient curses. Pivotal discoveries include: King Tut's tomb of treasure Terracotta warriors escorting China's first emperor into the afterlife The glorious Anglo-Saxon treasure of Sutton-Hoo Graves of the Scythians, the real Amazon warrior women New findings on the grim fate of the colonists of Jamestown.

I picked this one up off the new books shelf on a whim. I’m always up for a good book about archaeology and discovery. This one details 100 amazing discoveries starting all the way back in prehistoric times with a line of footprints. I enjoyed flipping through the pages and stopping when a topic caught my eye. I knew about most of these discoveries, but it was still nice to remind myself. This collection is perfect to those new to the topic of archaeology and those that are already steeped in it.

Next up on the TBR pile:

service model.jpg stolen.jpg lovesickness.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg water moon.jpg liminal.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: Ann R. Williams, archaeology, 4 stars, nonfiction
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 03.18.22
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Archaeology from Space by Sarah Parcak

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Title: Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past

Author: Sarah Parcak

Publisher: Henry Holt 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 283

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Goodreads Random

National Geographic Explorer and TED Prize-winner Dr. Sarah Parcak gives readers a personal tour of the evolution, major discoveries, and future potential of the young field of satellite archaeology. From surprise advancements after the declassification of spy photography, to a new map of the mythical Egyptian city of Tanis, she shares her field’s biggest discoveries, revealing why space archaeology is not only exciting, but urgently essential to the preservation of the world’s ancient treasures.

Parcak has worked in twelve countries and four continents, using multispectral and high-resolution satellite imagery to identify thousands of previously unknown settlements, roads, fortresses, palaces, tombs, and even potential pyramids. From there, her stories take us back in time and across borders, into the day-to-day lives of ancient humans whose traits and genes we share. And she shows us that if we heed the lessons of the past, we can shape a vibrant future.

I picked this one up from the library. A nice explanation of space archaeology, its growth and future. The science behind it was interesting, but I was more engaged with the passages detailing how it’s been used. I wanted the examples of discoveries and how they were found. I wanted more first hand accounts of discoveries and the process used. But overall, I really enjoyed this nonfiction book.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

service model.jpg stolen.jpg lovesickness.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg water moon.jpg liminal.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: Sarah Parcak, 4 stars, library, science, archaeology
categories: Books
Wednesday 04.08.20
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Warrior Women by Jeannine Davis-Kimball

Title: Warrior Women: An Archaeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines

Author: Jeannine Davis-Kimball

Publisher: Warner Books 2002

Genre: Nonfiction -- History; Archaeology

Pages: 268

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual); Ebook; 52 Books -- W48

Davis-Kimball weaves science, mythology and mystical cultures into a bold new historical tapestry of female warriors, heroines and leaders who have been left out of the history books-- until now.

I thoroughly enjoyed the subject matter and wanted to learn more. I loved that I learned so much about groups of people that I have only heard mentioned in other texts. What i didn't love was the writing style. I just couldn't get behind her dry sentences and asides about her own personal life. I would have liked a more straight forward archaeology/history book.

tags: 52 books in 52 weeks, archaeology, history, Jeannine Davis-KImball, nonfiction, nonfiction adventure
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 11.29.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

1491 by Charles Mann

Title: 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

Author: Charles Mann

Publisher: Borozi Books 2005

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 464

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual); Ebook; 52 Books - W38

In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492.

Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. The astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had running water and immaculately clean streets, and was larger than any contemporary European city. Mexican cultures created corn in a specialized breeding process that it has been called man’s first feat of genetic engineering. Indeed, Indians were not living lightly on the land but were landscaping and manipulating their world in ways that we are only now beginning to understand. Challenging and surprising, this a transformative new look at a rich and fascinating world we only thought we knew.

Our book club selection for October. The volume has been on my radar for years, probably since it was published, but I somehow never actually read it. I consider myself fairly versed in history and I learned so much from this book. I found the new theories about life before European contact in the Americas to be fascinating. My favorite chapter involved the ways that native populations shaped the land for their needs. Fascinating! And on every subject, I deepened my knowledge. I can't wait to discuss this book with my friends.

tags: 5 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, archaeology, Charles Mann, ebook, history, nonfiction adventure
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 09.28.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Lives in Ruins by Marilyn Johnson

Title: Life in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble

Author: Marilyn Johnson

Publisher: HarperCollins 2014

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 274

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; Library; 52 Books - W1; Dewey Decimal - 900s

Pompeii, Machu Picchu, the Valley of the Kings, the Parthenon—the names of these legendary archaeological sites conjure up romance and mystery. The news is full of archaeology: treasures found (British king under parking lot) and treasures lost (looters, bulldozers, natural disaster, and war). Archaeological research tantalizes us with possibilities (are modern humans really part Neandertal?). Where are the archaeologists behind these stories? What kind of work do they actually do, and why does it matter?

Marilyn Johnson’s Lives in Ruins is an absorbing and entertaining look at the lives of contemporary archaeologists as they sweat under the sun for clues to the puzzle of our past. Johnson digs and drinks alongside archaeologists, chases them through the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and even Machu Picchu, and excavates their lives. Her subjects share stories we rarely read in history books, about slaves and Ice Age hunters, ordinary soldiers of the American Revolution, children of the first century, Chinese woman warriors, sunken fleets, mummies.

A great book to start off my 2015 reading adventure!  I always love a good history related volume and this one does not disappoint.  The reader is taken through a survey of archaeology today.  We ride along as Johnson signs up for field school and learns about some forgotten history in the Caribbean.  We chat with noted modern archaeologists on their journeys to the discipline.  We commiserate with fellow history lovers at the loss of relics due to negligence, impatience, ignorance, or willful destruction.  All throughout, Johnson teaches us the value of a discipline that seems to be disappearing.  I was riveted by her stories.  This book made me want to be an archaeologist, just like that little 8 year old girl reading about King Tut's tomb...

tags: 5 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, archaeology, Dewey Decimal, library, Marilyn Johnson, nonfiction adventure
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 01.02.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Ten Discoveries that Rewrote History by Patrick Hunt

Title: Ten Discoveries that Rewrote History

Author: Patrick Hunt

Publisher: Plume 2007

Genre: Nonfiction -- History

Pages: 226

Rating:   5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Dewey -- 930s

How I Got It: Library Loan

Renowned archaeologist Patrick Hunt brings his top ten list of ancient archaeological discoveries to life in this concise and captivating book. The Rosetta Stone, Troy, Nineveh's Assyrian Library, King Tut’s Tomb, Machu Picchu, Pompeii, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Thera, Olduvai Gorge, and the Tomb of 10,000 Warriors—Hunt reveals the fascinating stories of these amazing discoveries and explains the ways in which they added to our knowledge of human history and permanently altered our worldview. Part travel guide to the wonders of the world and part primer on ancient world history, Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History captures the awe and excitement of finding a lost window into ancient civilization.

I loved this book!  A beautiful blend of storytelling and archaeology, I sped through the pages eager to read about the next big find.  To be fair, I already knew about each of these discoveries, but Hunt create such a great narrative I couldn't resist reading.  The discoveries themselves are breathtaking.  Who didn't dream of being an Indiana Jones style archaeologist at some point in their childhood?  The people behind these discoveries were just that.  I loved reading the stories behind the discoveries and the impact on history.  A great short introduction to amazing finds in archaeology.

tags: 5 stars, ancient world history, archaeology, history, nonfiction, Patrick Hunt
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 09.18.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

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