First published 2011
Charles Mann challenges the conventional view of pre-Columbian America as an empty wilderness populated by scattered tribes. Drawing from science, history, and archaeology, he demonstrates that millions of indigenous people actively shaped their environment across both continents. The Aztec capital Tenochtitlan featured running water and clean streets while housing more residents than any European city of its time. Mexican societies developed corn through sophisticated breeding techniques that represent humanity's first genetic engineering achievement. Mann shows how Native Americans landscaped vast territories and manipulated ecosystems in complex ways that modern science is just beginning to recognize. This work transforms our understanding of indigenous civilizations and their profound impact on the land Europeans encountered after Columbus arrived.
Genres: history, anthropology, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: challenging-conventional-views, historical-nonfiction
Setting: America, Tenochtitlan
Period: Pre-Columbian, Post-Columbus
563 pages · Paperback · Vintage