About this book
1491 asks what the Americas were really like before European contact. Charles C. Mann brings together research from archaeology, anthropology, ecology and history to describe societies across both continents, from the Inca and the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan to Amazonian cultures and the peoples of North America.
Mann's argument is that older textbook pictures badly underestimated these societies. He explores debates over how many people lived in the Americas, how much epidemic disease brought by Europeans reduced those populations, and how Indigenous peoples actively shaped their landscapes, including the Amazon. Where scholars disagree, he explains the arguments rather than pretending the questions are settled.
The book reads like a journalist's investigation, full of field visits to sites across the hemisphere and conversations with researchers, and it makes complicated, fast-moving scholarship approachable for general readers. Its companion, 1493, looks at the world that contact created. For more on the region's later history, explore our Americas shelf.
Who it’s for
Perfect for curious readers who want their assumptions challenged; accessible, with lots of ideas to absorb.
Editions vary by publisher and format. Check the retailer’s listing for the edition, translation and format before you buy.