Sacred Places North America: 108 Destinations

by Brad Olsen

This revised and updated comprehensive travel guide examines North America’s most sacred sites for spiritually attuned explorers. Important archaeological, geological, and historical destinations from coast to coast are exhaustively examined, from the weathered pueblos of the American Southwest and the medicine wheels of western Canada to Graceland and the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. Histories and cultural contexts are objectively surveyed, along with the latest academic theories and insightful metaphysical ruminations. Detailed maps, drawings, and travel directions are also included.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

408 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third time is a charm

I purchased this book a few years ago as a source for a research paper I was writing in grad school. It didn't get used in the paper but I tried to read it back then. I didn't get very far. This was my third attempt and I finally finished it. However, it took me a long time and a lot of effort to get through the book. There are some issues with unsophisticated writing. And, there are technical glitches in the text that are artifacts from when it was converted to Kindle. But I think the true reason it took me so long and so many tries is that the book is SO depressing. Every new chapter deals with the mass death of indigenous people from disease, war or white oppression. There are explanations of how indigenous sacred sites have been disregarded and destroyed and also of how native people were forcibly relocated far away from their most meaningful sacred sites. Of course, this was all true and tragic. However, knowing I was facing these depressing tales every time I picked up the book slowed my reading to a crawl and drug the completion of the book out by weeks. I did learn a lot about North American history and archeology along the way.

[Dewayne Stark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was mostly interested in places around where I live.

[John Orman · Rating 4 out of 5]

108 spiritual destinations are described here, plenty enough to enrich your cultural knowledge of North America.

I especially liked the sections on Native Americans' sacred mountains,
and the chapters on best locations for sighting UFOs and Bigfoot.

Devil's Tower, Chaco Canyon, Chimayo, Canyon de Chelly, Area 51, Joshua Tree, Crater Lake, Columbia River Gorge, Walden Pond, Graceland--all great ideas for vacation stops and wild road trips!

[Donna B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointed that it doesn't even address or consider the Mid-Atlantic area. The book skips from New England directly to the South.

[Amy Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting- lovely hand drawn maps.