History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Ancient Mexico and Central America: Archaeology and Culture History

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Ancient Mexico and Central America: Archaeology and Culture History
Susan Toby Evans
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0500284407

The Lost Realms: Book IV of the Earth Chronicles

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An interesting point about Meso American discoveries
The Lost Realms
The Lost Realms
Takes the New out of New World
The Lost Realms

The Lost Realms: Book IV of the Earth Chronicles
Zecharia Sitchin
Manufacturer: Harper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0380758903

Book Description

Thousands Of Years Before the Birth
Of Christ, Giants Roamed The Earth

In the sixteenth century, Spanish conquerors came to the New World in search of El Dorado, the fabled city of gold. Instead, they encountered inexplicable phenomena that have puzzled scholars and historians ever since: massive stone edifices constructed in the Earth's most inaccessible regions ... great monuments forged with impossible skill and unknown tools ... intricate carvings describing the events and topography of half a world away.

In this, the remarkable and thoroughly researched fourth volume of THE EARTH CHRONICLES, author Zecharia Sitchin uncovers the long-hidden secrets of the lost civilizations of the pre-Columbian Americas and offers documentation of the giant gods who spawned the greatness of the Incans, Mayans, and Aztecs -- the Anunnaki -- "those who from Heaven to Earth came."

Customer Reviews:

An interesting point about Meso American discoveries.......2007-03-20

I have 3 of Sitchen's books, the best being "The 9th Planet"..."Lost Realms" takes up where The 9th Planrt left off but this time in the Americas. Both books are food for thought.

The Lost Realms.......2007-03-09

You ask it about this book and all I could say in return is Yes, Yes, Yes as He write just the way I believe. Read it!!!!

The Lost Realms.......2007-01-12

Another great book by Zachariah Sitchen, I have read all eight books of his Earth chronicles and they are all very mind boggling.

Takes the New out of New World.......2002-07-28

The Lost Realms is one of the most speculative and interesting books in Sitchin's Earth Chronicles series. The ruins and structures of Egypt and the Near East have been wondered at and studied for centuries, and there is a veritable wealth of information from Near Eastern papyri, stelae, monuments, and similar artifacts. The ruins of Mesoamerica have largely been rediscovered only in the past couple of hundred years; indeed, unknown wonders surely remain hidden by South America's dense jungles. The immensely important records and artifacts of New World societies such as the Mayan, Inca, and Aztec civilizations were for the most part lost and destroyed at the hands of greedy Spanish conquistadors, and further site degradation has resulted from the pilfering of ancient stones by recent natives of the area for use in the construction of their own buildings. Thus, the earliest history of the lower Americas remains frustratingly impossible to understand. We are left with giant edifices with significant similarities to Near Eastern constructions in size, orientation, and purpose, many of them seemingly containing very advanced structures built for unknown purposes. Even the age of the artifacts is hotly debated, with many scientists refusing to believe scientific findings point back to as early as 2000 B.C.

Sitchin's arguments fit very nicely with the history of Sumeria, Egypt, and the Near East that he laid out in his earlier books. Basically, he argues that the Americas were exploited by the gods for the production of gold and other metals such as tin, which the Andean mountains in particular hold in abundance. Metals were refined here and shipped back to the Near Eastern lands long before Columbus ever sailed the ocean blue. Sitchin believes that the Olmecs, of which very little is known besides what has been gleaned from the artifacts they left behind, particularly in the form of large stone blocks representing men of obvious African descent, did indeed come from Africa very early on--in fact, it was the Egyptian god Thoth who brought his followers here when he was displaced by Marduk. While the Olmecs mysteriously disappeared, other societies were formed by white gods and giants from across the sea. The traditions of the diverse Indian groups all shared a common mythology, including the story of a Great Flood; they also possessed amazing arts, technologies, and sciences (particularly astronomy) very similar to those of Sumeria and Egypt. The inadequacy of artifacts in the Americas necessarily hinder any scientist studying their earliest histories, but Sitchin constructs a remarkably compelling timeline in which the story of Mesoamerica fits very neatly into the history he has gleaned of the Annunaki and their relationships with mankind in its earliest days.

Even if Sitchin were dead wrong on everything he suggests, this book would still be worth reading just for the information about the amazing ancient cities and monuments built in the lower Americas that are only now emerging from their jungle tombs. The Olmecs, Toltecs, Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs are more mysterious than the Near Eastern cultures, and the suggestion that men traveled from the Old World and Africa centuries before Columbus is as compelling as it is fascinating. The illustrations in this book are sometimes rather grainy and hard to examine closely, but the images they convey, such as that of the giant stone heads left by the Olmecs, do much to enhance Sitchin's theories. This is thought-provoking, educational, stimulating material.

The Lost Realms.......2002-05-23

There are many pieces of the puzzle of our existence in the universe that I had figured out, or "seen", but there were still dots that I could not connect, gaps I could not fill in. When I read this book it was like deja vu, a recollection of things stored in our genetic memory/code long forgotten through evolution, now recalled causing gasps of recollection. This book logically and scientifically filled in the gaps. It makes sense, it all fits. Sitchin's bibliography to support his research is tremendously extensive and impressive. I recommend it highly for the searching mind, and have given copies as gifts to many friends and associates.

Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization (Case Studies in Early Societies)

Average customer rating:

Mayan Royal Rock Stars

Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization (Case Studies in Early Societies)
Arthur Demarest
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521533902

Book Description

Arthur Demarest brings the lost civilization of Maya to life by applying a holistic view to the most recently discovered archaeological evidence. His theoretical interpretation simultaneously emphasizes the brilliant rain forest adaptations of the ancient Maya and the Native American spirituality that permeated all aspects of their daily life. Drawing on data from the latest significant archaeological research in Central America, this new study appeals to those interested in the ecological bases of civilization, the function of the state and the causes of the collapse of civilizations.

Customer Reviews:

Mayan Royal Rock Stars.......2005-03-05

This is a must read for anyone interested in the ancient Maya and why their advanced civilization that had achieved so much under such harsh conditions suddenly collapsed and disappeared for parts unknown. Demarest argues that the collapse was political rather than the most widely accepted paradigm that it was ecological. He concludes that the collapse was due to a proliferation of royal elites competing for power, similar to the present situation in Saudi Arabia. Warfare between these competing elites caused a collapse during a 100 year period that resulted in a depopulation of major cities and a drastic reduction of palace and temple construction. The book is worth reading if only for Demarest's description of the Wizard of Oz type power structure where Mayan royal elites held power through fantastic ritualistic displays that captivated the masses. He describes the Mayan royal elites as a combination of rock stars, evangelical preachers, and circus performers that dressed in elaborate costumes with feathered head dresses, lit fires with pyrite mirrors, and engaged in public displays of blood letting. Demarest even relates the Mayan architecture to theater with temples high above plazas where the masses could observe rituals. The book is easy to read for layman.

Ancient Mexico: The History and Culture of the Maya, Aztects and Other Pre-Columbian Peoples

Average customer rating:

Nice oversize catalog of Mesoamerican art and culture, with problems: 3.7 stars
An exhaustive pictoral tour of the areas mesoamerican ruins
A gorgeous book of ancient cultures
Not for archaeology buffs only!

Ancient Mexico: The History and Culture of the Maya, Aztects and Other Pre-Columbian Peoples
Maria Longhena
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya

ASIN: 1556708262

Amazon.com

First-rate color photography makes this look at the cultures of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica a valuable addition to any art lover's library collection. Among the civilizations represented in nearly 450 illustrations are the Maya, the Aztecs, and the Toltecs. Readers will learn not only about the mighty pyramids of Tenochtitlan and Cacaxtla, the Temple of the Paintings at Bonampak, and the ball courts of El Tajin, but about smaller ceramic vessels, jade figurines, and other ceremonial objects. Although the text does acknowledge the near-complete destruction of these vibrant cultures by Spanish conquistadors, the majority of its contents are devoted to celebrating what the Mesoamericans did accomplish--and what has been preserved for us to remember those accomplishments.

Customer Reviews:

Nice oversize catalog of Mesoamerican art and culture, with problems: 3.7 stars.......2007-01-31

This oversize coffee-table book has beautifully reproduced, well-chosen photographs, but significant drawbacks.

Pluses:
* Excellent photos of iconic objects
* Good cross-section of prehispanic Mesoamerican artwork/artifacts
* Nice feature articles on many major archaeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras

Neutral:
* Average-quality text (translated from Italian)

Negatives:
* No decent overall map of the area
* Maps of cultures are so general as to be almost useless

So, this shouldn't be your only guide to prehispanic Mesoamerican history. But the high quality of the photos makes it worthwhile if you find an inexpensive copy. I haven't seen the recent B&N reprint.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman

An exhaustive pictoral tour of the areas mesoamerican ruins.......2003-04-12

BEAUTIFUL enormous glossy full-color photos that do more justice to the Mexican ruins than any other book I have EVER SEEN!! I love this book SO MUCH that, since I couldn't afford to BUY it, I went in to the bookstore about once every month or 2 for a YEAR AND A HALF to visit it, pore over it and covet it until a friend took pity on me and bought it for me as a gift! I have BEEN to several of the ruins pictured here, and they are MASTERFULLY captured in the photographs. The author even includes some of the little, lesser-known sites, such as Dzibilchaltun, especially dear to me as my Mexican host family took me there on a family day outing!! This book is just AWESOME!!!

A gorgeous book of ancient cultures.......2002-01-19

This book is packed with information and color photographs of the ancient cultures of Mexico, from the Olmecs to the Zapotecs to the Mayas to the Aztecs. The author even includes sections on the lesser known and understood cultures of Western Mexico. With a fold-out time line and detailed maps of the most famous archaeological sites, this book gives a good overview of the history of these cultures - and then hones in on specifics such as dress, burial customs, religion, war, and games. Extensive attention is also given to the major cities representing these peoples. With color photographs on nearly every page, this is a gorgeous addition to any library. As a reference book, or even as a coffee table book to browse through occasionally, ANCIENT MEXICO can't be beat.

Not for archaeology buffs only!.......2001-05-23

This book takes the reader thorough the history of pre-columbian mesoamerica, the daily life of the people and then tours a number of important archaeological sites in Mexico and nearby countries. It includes wonderful photos of amazing artifacts decorative pieces, ceramics and jeewlry and the archaeological sites. It is a stunning book and serves to emphasize the colossal loss the Americas sustained with the conquest. If you've been to Mexico and love it, this book is a nice memento. If you havn't, this will make you want to go.

A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya

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A Very Useful Resource for Visiting Mayan Ruins
Dry But Worth It
An eye opener
Superlative book on Mayan culture - fascinating read
Excellent Read with great info!

A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya
David Freidel , and Linda Schele
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0688112048
Release Date: 1992-01-24

Book Description

The recent interpretation of Maya hieroglyphs has given us the first written history of the New World as it existed before the European invasion. In this book, two of the first central figures in the massive effort to decode the glyphs, Linda Schele and David Freidel, make this history available in all its detail. A Forest of Kings is the story of Maya kingship, from the beginning of its institution and the first great pyramid builders two thousand years ago to the decline of Maya civilization and its destruction by the Spanish. Here the great historic rulers of pre-Columbian civilization come to life again with the decipherment of their writing. At its height, Maya civilization flourished under great kings like Shield-Jaguar, who ruled for more than sixty years, expanding his kingdom and building some of the most impressive works of architecture in the ancient world. Long placed on a mist-shrouded pedestal as austere, peaceful stargazers, the Maya elites are now known to have been the rulers of populous, aggressive city-states.

Hailed as "a Rosetta stone of Maya civilization" (Brian M. Fagan, author of People of the Earth), A Forest of Kings is "a must for interested readers," says Evon Vogt, professor of anthropology at Harvard University.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Useful Resource for Visiting Mayan Ruins.......2006-11-03

I bought this book prior to visiting the Mayan ruins at Copan, Honduras. I found it a very useful guide to the Mayan world. I have a purely amateur interest in the Mayas, with no academic background. I wish I had this book with me when I visited Tikal, Chichen Itza and other sites in Mexico. The book devotes a chapter each to the major Mayan sites such as the two I just mentioned, Palenque, Copan, and others. It provides basic cultural information about Mayan language and social structure, interspersed with interesting if unconventional narrative passages in which the writers imagine what a day in the life of a historical Mayan figure might have been like. Some might be put off by these passages, but I liked them well enough. You can read the book simply for general cultural background, or take it with you on a stela-by-stela tour of the ruins. At times, there was a bit too much detail for my purposes, but I would rather have too much information than too little, and mostly the amount of information was just right. The book also provides a few portraits of archaeologists who have devoted their lives to uncovering the history of the Mayas, including some discussion of the cracking of the Mayan Code. It was informative and a worthwhile read, particularly if you are planning a trip to see the ruins for yourself.

Dry But Worth It.......2004-04-04

Of the various books available on Mayan culture that a layman has any chance of engaging profitably, this is one of the best. Detailed and well-organized, it presents a wealth of material on the subject, with plenty of accompanying illustrations that are well linked to the text, unlike other books which drop in pictures seemingly at random or which fail to explain why they are placed as they are. (Or, my personal favorite, those that assume you know why the picture is there, and what it's of, and don't bother to provide captions.)

If you're not afraid of "tomes," this is an excellent book for you, though it's not an introductory text. I'd recommend starting with something a little more basic before you tackle this fellow. But once you've familiarized yourself with the lay of the land regarding the Mayas, you won't find many books that cover so many different aspects of their life and culture in such a deep, dense way. You can feel these authors' love for their subject.

However, that being said, I must warn you this is a fairly dry book, and I am a reasonably tolerant reader when it comes to subjects I enjoy such as this one. It's chock full of great stuff, but its tone and style are heavily scholastic, so be prepared. It's still worth it. I have read any number of books thicker than this in a few sittings, but I found I retained more of the material and stayed more engaged by taking small bites of it over a few weeks.

An eye opener.......2004-03-25

It was so surprising to me to find out how complex the Maya society was. To learn that about their wars, their kings, and their complex religion was fascinating. The illustrations were excellent.

Superlative book on Mayan culture - fascinating read.......2003-02-05

It is so sad that we have lost Linda Schele. But we can rejoice that we still have her wonderful books. This book is among her best. It is almost magical in the way she and David Freidel create the atmosphere of the Mayan culture. There are wonderful pictures and illustrations. She unfolds the stories of the archaeological discoveries and then helps us understand the real lives revealed in the evidence.

The book also shows how the Mayan glyphs and counting systems work. There are nowadays very good texts on the writing system itself, but this book shows us how the glyphs are woven into the culture and religion of these people. We learn how the lineage worked and how the monuments were used as what we would call propaganda to support one line over other possibilities. We learn about the role of magic and visions and the way the leaders were the empowered by those visions.

There is just so much here that any reader will be richly rewarded. The Mayan civilization is incredibly fascinating because it is so foreign to our own and yet it is a part of the heritage of the American continents.

This book isn't just a text, it is a work of art in itself. You will have a hard time putting it down.

Excellent Read with great info!.......2002-09-08

This has to be one of the best books written on the ancient Maya. You can really tell Linda not only has a great understanding of her subject, you can also tell she loves what she's doing.

The art work is great and ties to the text completely. Most books I buy now have Text text text with a few B&Ws in the middle, just so they can say they have pics, not this one. You'll find 100s of pics and believe it or not, their on the same page as the text that tells you about them.

The info contained in this book is up to date and pretty much uncontested. The book hits almost every subject possible with a few exceptions that only the very serious scholars would miss.

I really enjoyed the sections on temple design and how the Maya chose the locations for the temple sites. The section on the Mayan alphabet and it's symbology is very informative. Even though this book is quite long, it will keep you interested threw out.

If your a student in the history of the Americas or if your a casual reader with an interest in the ancient Maya, I think you'll find this book is for you.

Customer Reviews:

life a detective novel.......2007-08-03

The author never jumps to conclusions, but slowly, gathering the clues to lay out a history of the Mayan calendar. It is up to you to decide whether his logic is correct, I could not find any flaws. As the book goes you pick up plenty of astronomical, geographical and historical facts. Very engaging.
The book has gone out of print, but is now posted in a digital format on the author's website. Still it is sad that it did not get wider attention.

Wonderful journey into Mesoamericas past!.......2000-05-10

Vincent Malmstrom has written a wonderfully entertaining book stuffed full of facts on the Mesoamerican systems of calendrical accounting. I had no idea the history of their calendars went so far back, nor that they were so widely used by such a great number of civilizations. His theories fill in where the facts leave off, as most studies on ancient cultures must, and the facts support his hypotheses. Malmstrom's theories on the origin of the calendar are quite different in some aspects than those of scholars before him -- one major difference is that he does not believe the Olmec developed the calendar. I don't want to ruin any surprises for a reader -- and there are some for those who accept the commonly supported theories of the Olmec as the "father" of all subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations -- so I will stop with just one more comment: If you have any interest in Mesoamerica or the cultures of the Zoque, Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Mixtec, Toltec or Aztec, GET THIS BOOK!

Health, Civilization and the State: A History of Public Health from Ancient to Modern Times

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Excellent Overview

Health, Civilization and the State: A History of Public Health from Ancient to Modern Times
Dorothy Porter
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0415200369

Book Description

i Health, Civilization and the State /i examines the social, economic and political issues of public health provision in historical perspective. Focusing on Britain, Continental Europe and the United States, Dorothy Porter provides a comprehensive outline of the development of public health care from the ancient world to the modern state. Covering a broad range of historical issues, the book includes discussion of: pestilence, public order and morality in pre-modern times; the Enlightenment and its effects; health care centralization in Victorian Britain; localization of health care in the United States; population issues and family welfare; the rise of the classic welfare state; and current attitudes towards public health as we approach the twenty-first century.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Overview.......2006-03-29

The New England Review misses the point entirely. Porter's historical overview and analysis constitute an argument about the role of biopower in relation to the state. Her use of evidence to make the argument is compelling and the scope of that evidence is monumental. Her analysis of eugenics is particularly insightful. I would highly recommend this work to anyone interested in the relationship across state sovereignty, governmentality, and population.

Average customer rating:

Fascinating but Highly Speculative
A Mind Stretcher
Mystery People
A fascinating revision of North American history
Cairns, Celts and curraghs

The Farfarers: Before the Norse
Farley Mowat
Manufacturer: Steerforth
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1883642566
Release Date: 1999-12-01

Amazon.com

Farley Mowat's niggling doubts began in the summer of 1966, while he was tooling around the Canadian Arctic aboard a single-engine Otter float plane. The previous year, he had published the influential Westviking, a book that presaged the now widely held opinion that the Norse arrived in North America some 500 years before Columbus. But what Mowat found that summer of '66--troubling evidence that would be buttressed by determined research and field work over the next 30-odd years--convinced him that he had gotten it all wrong. Another group of Europeans, whom Mowat calls the "Albans," beat the Norsemen to the punch by a few hundred years, arriving in North America as they were both fleeing the rapacious Vikings and pursuing precious walrus ivory.

A professional scientist but an amateur anthropologist, Mowat likes to stir the pot--and he does it well, with a combination of scientific rigor, good-natured wit, and old-fashioned storytelling. (It's easy to imagine Mowat as an ideal companion out on the monotonous tundra, spinning endless stories over wine and cigarettes.) Interspersed among discussions of the Albans' culture, ethnography, and use of technology, Mowat's speculations on their trips and travails in fictional "vignettes" fill in the "immense lacunae" in the historical record. But his reasoning is always so sound--and his narrative so captivating--that you'll find it hard not to join Mowat's speculative journey with the Farfarers. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

MYSTERIOUS LONGHOUSES in the Arctic, ancient stone beacons in Newfoundland - are they evidence of Europeans who crossed the Atlantic before A.D. 1000? Farley Mowat advances a controversial new theory about the first visitors to North America.
Mowat's Westviking: The Ancient Norse in Greenland and North America (1965) was highly influential in helping to establish the belief, now commonly held, that the Norse visited North America some 500 years before Columbus. And yet "a worm of unease" plagued Mowat even then, a vague feeling that he hadn't gotten it quite right. He spent the next 30 years in search of a theory that would explain inconsistencies in the archaeological evidence (such as carbon-dated ruins not left by the Inuit, but that predated the arrival of Vikings in Newfoundland by hundreds of years). Now in The Farfarers he asserts that another Indo-European people he calls the "Alban" preceded the Norse by several centuries.
Throughout The Farfarers, Mowat skillfully weaves fictional vignettes of Alban life into his thoughtful reconstruction of a forgotten history. What emerges is a bold and dramatic panorama of a harsher age: an age of death-dealing warships and scanty food supply, of long, cold journeys across the night sea into unknown lands.
"A spellbinding story . . . told by a master storyteller at the top of his form." -- The Globe And Mail

"The book is a fascinating glimpse of yesteryear and offers brief histories on the Celts, Saxons, Vikings, Inuits, and other peoples of the northern hemisphere. Written in vigorous, picturesque prose." -- The Edmonton Sun

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating but Highly Speculative.......2006-11-13

Many people are aware of the notion of pre-Columbian contact with America by the Norse. What many are not aware of is that there are also many other theories and legends of pre-Columbian contact by other culture. This book addresses on such possibility but does so in a different manner than most. Instead of positing a one or a few trip by isolated explorers it looks at the presence of an entire European culture.

This is not as far fetched as it may seem at first. Much of the story takes place in Europe with known, albeit barely known, people. The author calls these people the Albans since we do not know what they called themselves. They are a pre-Celtic people who inhabited the eastern seaboard and survived as crofters and fishermen. Over time they were driven to the British Isles by the Celts. From there, they were driven on to Iceland by the Norse. For this much, there exists historical documentation. From there the speculation takes over but it is not wild or completely unsupported.

As the Norse people move westward, so too did the Albans in an attempt to stay ahead of their enemies. They went to Greenland and then to North America. They maintained trade links with Europe trading products such as walrus ivory and marine mammal oil. Eventually they settled in Newfoundland where they were eventually assimilated by the local peoples or wiped out by the still advancing Norse. Such, anyhow, is the author's theory.

As presented, these theories are well reasoned, make use of existing anomalies in the archeological and historical records and are non-fantastic in that they do not involve UFOs. They fly in the face of much academic wisdom but these same academics have often shown themselves to be suspect. In the end, however, these remain just theories. The proof is lacking or never existed.

Farley Mowat does a wonderful job of telling the story. He clearly distinguishes between his own theories, those of others and makes a good effort to present what evidence does exist. That which is speculation is clearly labeled as such. This is a serious academic effort that is hampered only by the paucity of evidence and entrenched academic interests. Mostly though, it is an enjoyable read.

A Mind Stretcher.......2005-09-13

I loved this book. It opened up new ways of thinking for me and really captured my imagination. The northland is always of interest to me, and this account of centuries of settlement and exploration is fascinating. He fills in the spaces of history in a very imaginative and believable way.

Mystery People.......2004-02-26

As usual, Farley Mowat tells a great story.

The Farfarers are a mysterious seafaring people called "Albans". If Mowat is right, the Albans were not Celt, not Goth, but a much more ancient people inhabiting Europe, like the Basque.

Mowat connects Albans on the northwest coast of Europe to the Picts of Scotland and to the Jakatars of Newfoundland. The Albans were driven out of Europe by the Romans, north into the Hebrides, then west to North America by Viking raids. In this book, the Vikings are the bad guys.

There's a lot of speculation here, but it makes sense. Ancient cairns in northern Canada may well be markers left by the real first European discoverers of America.

A fascinating revision of North American history.......2003-04-15

In this book, Mowat argues that people he calls the Albans migrated from the British Isles to what is now Canada long before the Vikings reached those shores. He tracks historical records and visits previously unexplained archaeological sites, many of which are pictured in the illustrations. According to Mowat, the Albans migrated first to Iceland, then Greenland, and finally to Labrador and Newfoundland. In each case, escaping threats from other peoples such as the Vikings was a driving force. The traces of their final settlement in Southwestern Newfoundland may now be detectable only by genetic analysis.

This book is readable and informative even if you don't completely buy Mowat's theory. Along the way, you learn things about Romans, Celts, Picts, and others. The only question this reviewer would raise is the use of fictional recreations at the beginning of some chapters.

Cairns, Celts and curraghs.......2003-03-27

Few authors match Mowat's finesse at merging history and fiction. An offshoot from his earlier work on the Vikings, this book displaces the Norsemen as the earliest European colonists of North America. Mowat's expressive talents are given free rein to question consensus history and propose a new thesis - even before the Norsemen, Scottish exiles reached this continent long ago. Mowat is quick to assert his ideas are speculative. He offers good evidence that he's seen directly or researched. The force of his narrative skills submerge that disclaimer almost to obscurity as he presents a mixture of fact and fantasy throughout this book. It's a rewarding read, and the validity of his conjecture may be deferred until you close the final page.

Mowat's speculation on Scot explorers reaching the New World begins with a stone ruin in the Canadian Arctic. The unusual shape indicates the roofing material was a large boat. Houses of this oblong form can still be found in the outer islands of Scotland. As Mowat notes, the technique is testimony to efficient use and durability of the materials. The early people of Western Europe and the British Isles built long-lasting boats using a strong wood frame and easily replaceable skins. Strong and seaworthy, they put to sea in these boats for distant voyages. More distant, in Mowat's view, than we've previously conceived.

He proposes that settlements dotted the Eastern Arctic and along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. The communities were founded by the descendents of the "valuta men" who first sought walrus tusks. The ivory was valuable and found ready markets. But the walrus herds died out or moved elsewhere. Meanwhile, population shifts in Europe put pressure on the home communities of these voyagers. They were driven to Northern Scotland, Iceland, Greenland and, finally, the Canadian shores. When they went, stone beacons for both sea and land navigation were erected to become their legacy in the New World. All these events pre-dated the legenday Leif Ericson's "discovery" of Vinland in the 11th Century.

Whatever the validity of Mowat's assertions, and he puts them forward vigorously, the story he tells merits further attention. Weaving a fictional account of the voyagers' lives and motivations through the historical text is a novel approach. With Mowat, the technique is superbly successful. If the book only forces further research by unpredjudiced investigators, it will have been worth the writing. It is clearly worth the reading.

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