A semi-engaging analysis of life before the European discovery of the Americas, and extrapolation from newly discovered information on the depth and breadth of native culture and society pre-contact.

I picked up as this is a subject of cursory interest to me, and I indeed learned a lot. The biggest problem I had with the book was that Mann often used a less than engaging style in his narrative. I sometimes felt like I was reading a textbook, and while I may not necessarily mind that sometimes, it is definitely not something I look forward to when I make a purchase for the ostensible purpose of "pleasure" reading.

The reader can sense Mann's excitement in regard to the discovery of new evidence supporting his theories (and indeed, the evidence is convincing), but it's often hard to be as excited as Mann seems to be when the information is presented in such a droll manner.

In all, the value of this book is in th perspective it provides and it does a serviceable job of that. Worth a look if you enjoy American history.