crowyhead's review
4.0
This is a fun one! James and Thorpe investigate a wide range of popular mysteries about the ancient world: was there a Great Flood? Was there an Atlantis? How were the pyramids built? Was Robin Hood a real person?
The authors cleverly draw you into the mysteries, outlining various theories and then, just when they've got you almost believing that we're descended from Atlanteans, they pick the whole thing apart. They come down pretty hard on some pseudo-archeaologists, particularly Graham Hancock (author of Fingerprints of the Gods), but not unwarrantedly, and they are also quick to point out when other archaeologists and experts have shortsightedly ignored information that falls out of their area of expertise. Some of this wasn't new, but much of it was, and it made for fascinating reading.
The authors cleverly draw you into the mysteries, outlining various theories and then, just when they've got you almost believing that we're descended from Atlanteans, they pick the whole thing apart. They come down pretty hard on some pseudo-archeaologists, particularly Graham Hancock (author of Fingerprints of the Gods), but not unwarrantedly, and they are also quick to point out when other archaeologists and experts have shortsightedly ignored information that falls out of their area of expertise. Some of this wasn't new, but much of it was, and it made for fascinating reading.
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