Mesoamerica and the Book of Mormon: Is This The Place

by John Lewis Lund

Did you know:
A DNA study by Emory University, accepted by the Smithsonian, acknowledges that some Native Americans have ancestry in common with the peoples in modern Israel and the Mediterranean area.

There are two hills called Cumorah. One hill located in the Land of Desolation where the final battles of both the Jaredites and Nephities took place; another twenty-five hundred miles north where Moroni buried the abridgement of the Book of Mormon. Find out why!

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, History, Lds, Science

286 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2007

About the author

Dr John L. Lund is a great writer and his CD's on human interaction are fun, informative, and entertaining. He has taught in major universities in Utah, Idaho, and California, hosts trips to Israel and Mesoamerica and is a fantastic archeologist too. Check out his books in both fields and you will find a great writer to follow here on Goodreads.com.

Reviews

[Karen S Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I married my second husband, he asked me where we were going on our honeymoon. I said I've always wanted to climb the pyramids in Mesoamerica. So knowing that he likes to hike, I told him that I'd like to go on the Book of Mormon Cruise. He got it all set up through CruiseLady. He was not a member but I gave him this book to read and he was so excited to go. I think it fueled his newfound belief. Having the author on our trip and sitting at our table every night was a thrill and itself. John and Bonnie Lund made the trip so interesting and reading the book before hand was a great experience. After we were married, Ted took lessons, joined the church and we were sealed in the Mesa Temple. He bought 15 copies of this book and gave one to every missionary, who came to our home for dinner. He also became the Ward Mission Leader three months after he was baptized and gave one to the 18 people who were baptized under his watch. So my review, AWESOME book!

[Jacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book contains a wealth of well researched information and interesting insights, but the poor editing and ongoing rants detracted from the spirit of the message. Dr. Lund is much more engaging and interesting in person.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I believe it is the place...quite convincing.

[goddess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of being amongst many on a tour to Mesoamerica with John Lund. I purchased this book a few days prior to leaving, had it personalized and signed by him, and read it before, during, and after my adventure in the Book of Mormon lands. This text really helped put some pieces of the puzzle together (you just can't grasp everything on a tour!) and helped give me a deeper understanding of where some of the places of the Book of Mormon take place. It is also nice to have seen the actual cities and bodies of water so that I can visualize what I'm reading.

Lund provides ample research and explanation to decipher possible candidates for B of M locations. I say "candidates", because while some evidence makes a strong correlation, others are a little weaker. Just like we can't be entirely sure of Jesus' whereabouts in the Holy Land, no one can be absolutely sure of specific places where B of M events took place. But we can have a pretty good idea.

The text is accessible and follows a relatively logical format. It does read like a textbook; but Lund's sense of humor does come out in his writing. What's interesting is the linkage between the inhabitants from the B of M and the Mayan civilization. Lund points out similarity after similarity that really leaves little doubt that the people in the B of M did in fact inhabit Central America. Several of the key points leave little room for any other interpretation. With these key points, Lund challenges the Great Lakes conspirators and/or the Siberian Land Bridge stalwarts and points out many of the fallacies associated with these beliefs.

I enjoyed this book and feel like I have a greater understanding not only of Mayan civilization but why key figures in the B of M behaved a certain way. For instance: Lund explains why Ammon would chop off the arms of the thieves; why the Lamanite leader would want to drink capt Moroni's blood; why King Lamoni would ask if Heaven existed above instead of below. This all has to do with the cultural and political aspects of the civilizations that lived in Mesoamerica.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book contains number of evidences in support of the authenticity of various details in the Book of Mormon. A good portion of the examples are unique to Lund's book, for example, the Mayan's obsessions with perfectly "level" roads, which are broken up in the storms at Christ's death. Lund talks about horse remains in America, and goes on a diatribe about researchers who refuse to acknowledge evidence of horses because they don't mesh with preconceived notions about their non-presence prior to the colonization of the continent. That sort of thing is less appealing to me, and is indicative of the tone he takes in more than one instance.

[Emily S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have loved to get a hold of this book with a red pen!!! Interesting information--repeated at least five times over and over again. And cut the three chapter rant at the end of the book. But I did learn new things about Mesoamerica and Lund is completely right in reiterating that scientific proofs are not going to be what convinces people that the Book of Mormon is a real history of the people of this continent. This is a great book to read, but especially for those who already have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

[Don Stanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a Mormon and are in tune with the travels in the Book of Mormon the book makes a lot of sense. If you are not any of these this book makes no sense whatsoever. If you can filter out the religious dogma the stories of tribes interacting in Central and South America are fascinating, how they got there when they got there what they did when they got there, truly amazing history.
If you are not a Mormon but want to have a desire to understand how Mormons think about transcontinental crossings by major groups this would be the book for you

[Roxanne Howell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun facts to amaze yourself and your friends about the BOM, especially cool if you've been to Southern Mexico with Dr. Lund and seen some of the sites (you can hear him talking as you read). As another reviewer mentioned, Lund repeats himself REPEATEDLY, but I believe it's because it's written almost in an encyclopedia style, so you can look up a topic and get the point he made in another section. He is a better speaker than writer, but a good book nonetheless.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if I can truly put a rating on this since I stopped halfway through...There was some very interesting information on the arguments for the factual truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. It did not pull me in enough though since months later I was still in the middle of the book.

[Jeannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mother once went on a tour with Lund and described him as a very smart windbag. There is a certain amount of truth to that description. The book is interesting, and I'm certainly glad I read it, but there is some repetition that could have been deleted without any harm.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book details archeological evidence that supports the Book of Mormon's historical context. While I really enjoyed the content of this book, it could have benefited from a bit more editing before publication.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second time reading this book. There is a lot to absorb. I got more out of it this time, as I am beginning to understand the geography of the land, as well as the geography in The Book of Mormon.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coherent, well-referenced, and a great resource. I'm finding I wish that I owned it (as I borrowed it) because I've wanted to go back and re-read parts.

[Jorgina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written hastily, not well organized, but of course great reasearch, sources and information. verifies so much of the Book of Mormon as truth.

[Pat Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting--about possible Book of Mormon sites

[Mark Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting study of ancient ruins in Central America linking them to cities of the Book Of Mormon. Reads like a textbook.

[Tadd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but I'm not sure I competely agree with Dr. Lunds ideas in this book.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though I disagree with the author's belief about where the Book of Mormon predominantly took place, the book has some interesting information.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting, well researched and documented. Gave out to a friend going on a trip to the areas. Very faith promoting.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book that argues for a limited geography for the Book of Mormon.

[Jason Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved this book! Fascinating exploration of Mesoamerica and the history of the Book of Mormon.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thorough but at times redundant.