From the Bookshelf of Science and Inquiry…

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

Charles C. Mann

Start date: August 9, 2005

Finish date: September 9, 2011

Discussion: Book Club 2011

Discussion leader: Betsy

Why we're reading this: because this book is all about our country and history repeats itself so i want to nominate this book.
[close] because this book is all about our country and history repeats itself so i want to nominate this book.

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Book Club 2011

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What Members Thought

Dec 14, 2014 Bob Finch rated it liked it

Shelves: history

This is an interesting examination of archeological evidence and ideas about the cultural state of pre-Columbian America. The author presents the conventional (or perhaps old-school) view that America, North and South, was a pristine wilderness occupied by largely primitive societies who had little impact on the land. This is the view many US students learn in school, something the author laments, because it has been largely shown to be untrue for quite a long time. However, the degree to which ...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Matthew rated it liked it

Shelves: science

Although I found the book very informative, the author repeated the same information several times throughout the book. Also, the most striking claims cite only one source. I know this is a popular treatment of recent archaeological findings, but without verifying sources I was left wondering if the author's claims reflect the scientific majority view or just his personal interpretation. ...more

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