Motel of the Mysteries
by David Macaulay
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Read in April, 2008
Two thousand years after the fall of North American civilization, a motel is excavated by amateur archaeologists who determine it to be a burial site with all contents having some religious or ritual significance.
Macaulay is known for his architectural and "exploded view" drawings, but here his text creates the whimsical mood that carries the book. Clearly parodying the discovery of King Tut's tomb, the text follows amateur archaelogist Howard Carson's accidental discovery of a sti...more
Macaulay is known for his architectural and "exploded view" drawings, but here his text creates the whimsical mood that carries the book. Clearly parodying the discovery of King Tut's tomb, the text follows amateur archaelogist Howard Carson's accidental discovery of a sti...more
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Read in January, 1987
recommends it for:
Archeologists, Egyptologists, Grad Students
I attended the premiere of this book at the University of Pennsylvania many, many years ago due to my parent's donations to the local public television station. As I was in junior high school at the time, I failed to appreciate this work in all its subtle humour and glory, but having since studied anthropology and sociology at the University level, I realise how great this book really is.
The general plot line of this book is that due to a decrease in the charge to mail fourth-class (junk) m...more
The general plot line of this book is that due to a decrease in the charge to mail fourth-class (junk) m...more
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I can't remember when I got this book, but I was young. It was a stretch to get my folks to get me a copy as a kid - it wasn't really a 'historical' book that they felt would educate me any, but it did do something that stuck with me for all of the intervening years since reading it.
The story is that of an archaeologist who has uncovered a strange chamber in the North American continent in the far future. The 'burial chamber' is not what the archaeologist thinks it is however, as it is painf...more
The story is that of an archaeologist who has uncovered a strange chamber in the North American continent in the far future. The 'burial chamber' is not what the archaeologist thinks it is however, as it is painf...more
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Read in September, 2003
For fun last night, I re-read Motel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay. (Didn't take long - it's only about 100 pages, at least half of which are illustrations.) Long before he was teaching us about The Way Things Work - Macaulay was subtly skewering pop culture.
A parody of the Egyptology of the late 19th/early 20th century, this short book posits that in 1985, North America was inundated with a flood of junk mail and condensed smog that buried the continent. Roughly two centuries later, ex...more
A parody of the Egyptology of the late 19th/early 20th century, this short book posits that in 1985, North America was inundated with a flood of junk mail and condensed smog that buried the continent. Roughly two centuries later, ex...more
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One of the pride and joys of my collection of illustrated books. I had it signed by David Macaulay at the National Book Festival a couple of years ago. Briefly, this book is a spoof on archeology, with specific reference to Howard Carter's discover of the tomb of King Tut. In the distant future (41st century), a cheap hotel room is discovered, still intact, and the archaeologists, full of wonder, examine the "treasures" - such as the "sanitized for your protection" paper sl...more
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Read in January, 1990
recommends it for:
Anyone
Another hilarious book, in the same vein as Great Moments In Architecture, from an author that is always a pleasure to read, a talented architect, artist, historian, and anthropologist. This time MacAulay uses an imagined archeological dig two millennia from now to razz both contemporary culture and the way archeologists tend to make definitive pronouncements out of their speculations about past societies.
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Read in January, 1991
I read this as a little kid, and loved it, without really getting it. I recently went back and read it again, a decade and a half later, and I still love it. Little kids probably won't get the satire, but they will love the fun and silly pictures. Adults will like the social commentary, as well as the fun and silly pictures :)
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Read in January, 1982
recommended to Granny by:
a slightly warped friendrecommends it for: folks who like satire and enjoy a good laugh
This book cracks me up! In fact, it produced endless moments of hilarity in the early 1980's, when my then teenaged sons and I would read passages aloud and just about roll on the floor! A great spoof and it bears up bravely upon re-reading years later.
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Read in January, 1997
Motel for the Mysteries looks like a picture book, but it's not for kids. It makes fun of archeology and how much we really don't know about the past. Lots of illustrations. Very clever.
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absolutely brilliant take on archaeology from the perspective of future archaeologists finding a well-preserved Motel. a rare book, one that has stayed with me for years.
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This was a great satire on the dangers of intrepreting archeological evidence with a modern worldview - easily understandable for kids, even more entertaining for adults!
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
12th grade
This book was ok, adding an interesting spin on things but was overall boring and a book I would read when ! couldnt sleep (it would put me out in 2 minutes)
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A great reminder for archaeologists to be careful to not take themselves too seriously. Fun stuff.
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Read in January, 1989
A wonderful satire on the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb (KV 62). Hysterically illustrated.
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One of the best books I ever read in school. It's humorous and educational - a must-read.
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Read in September, 2007
I remember seeing parts of this in my mom's Readers Digest when I was a kid.
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Read in September, 2004
recommends it for:
people who have faith in archaeology, archaeology enthusiasts
A hilarious and scarily accurate look into the business of archaeologists.
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Read in January, 1990
This book made me want to become an archaeologist - in the future.
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Read in January, 1986
As a small child this book really creeped me out. five stars.
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Read in January, 1982
Does it count if I read it in Reader's Digest?
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