A review by its_kievan
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

challenging informative medium-paced

4.0

An absolutely fascinating, considered, and surprisingly readable explanation of how everything you thought you knew about the indigenous people of the Americas before Columbus is completely and utterly wrong. From the elaborate terraforming of the Southwest United States, to the massive cities of the Aztecs, to the brilliant science of the Inca, 1491 shows that the Americas were a far busier and more complicated place than what is commonly believed. It's also really refreshing to see how Mann sticks strictly to facts, and acknowledges when his information is contested or incomplete. While it might drag in places, especially for less academic readers, 1491 is a truly eye-opening work of non-fiction.
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