Welcome to Litsy!

This engrossing book uses new archeological, genetic, and cultural evidence to make a convincing case that PreColumbian Indigenous American societies were much more populous, complex, and active in environmental management than has been assumed by generations of scholars. I really enjoyed how many of my assumptions this author identified and deconstructed with paradigm-shifting insights. The picture Mann paints is tragic in its lost grandeur.

I cannot recommend this enough- it gives you all the perspective you might not have had in school, but sorely needed. Life in the Americas before colonizers showed up.
Additionally love the information about plant cultivation and environmental shaping.

This book blew my mind 🤯 It‘s an extremely well-researched and narrative account of the pre-colonial history of the Americas. It illuminates in layman‘s terms the scholarly consensus (and dissenting opinions) on the political, economic & cultural development of Indian societies. All point to the fact were advanced, diverse civilizations in the Americas whose monumental contributions to world heritage should be acknowledged & celebrated. 🌟 5/5🌟

I feel like there might need to be an update, and I got bored in the middle, but still a great book I would recommend.

New vocabulary word!

Meticulously researched, even-handed exposition of many cultures in North, South, and Central America prior to the arrival of Columbus, Pizarro, Cortes, and others. Fascinating and dense enough to require careful reading. So so worth it: an outstanding antidote to the oversimplified, incorrect BS I was taught in school. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Most informative

Just getting into 1491 - it‘s been on my shelf staring at me since 2007? Can‘t be sure. It‘s been long enough that‘s for certain.

I listened to this on audio and it was really good. Although, I did cringe at his use of the word “Indian“ to describe Native Americans. He explained that he used the term that most Indigenous people he spoke to preferred.

Highlight of my momming career today, y‘all #raisereaders

#kindledeals #kindledeal #ebooksale

#WinterGames #ReadNosedReindeer @StayCurious @Clwojick #TBRRead
For anyone who has interest in the Americas before the west came, this is a fascinating, well researched and intriguing account of North America , South America and Mesoamerica civilizations. We know so little and imprint our own biases on what these civilizations were. I highly recommend, your ideas of culture and the Americas will be forever enhanced

@Lynnsoprano hey there! I'm reading this(as ebook) on your recommendation! It is fascinating! Thanks for sharing
#impulseread #WinterGames #ReadNosedReindeer @StayCurious @Clwojick

This is the second book I've read this month that characterizes Spanish colonial priest Bartolomé de las Casas as a (misinformed and paternalistically racist but) basically anti-colonial-cruelty, humanitarian-reforming sort. But, like, when he said Spain should stop enslaving Indigenous people in South and Central America, he notoriously said that they should instead enslave Africans, so, like 😞

#gratefulreads #nonfiction Probably the biggest influence Litsy has had on my reading is the increased amount of nonfiction that I‘ve read in the past three years. This is one from my TBR. I‘ve read the author‘s 1493 and learned so much. @Alisnazzy transferred this one from her shelf to mine.

FINALLY!
Informative and interesting. The different theories are interesting to read. I got frustrated with the repetition f information. My biggest issue is that many of the dates and information is from after 1492. I know that a lot of the written record is from after but several references and discussion is of events that occur long after.
It‘s very dense and informative though. 3.7 ⭐️

My wonderful Powell‘s bag (Swap gift) is now my work bag because after looking for what feels like ever I FINALLY HAVE A JOB! Yay book money! It is at one of the most non-Moose places too, a tool store LOL
So far it hasn‘t been too bad and the people are mostly ok and agreeable.
I‘m still plugging away at the tagged book. I‘m “this” close to finishing.

Soccer and still plugging away at this book. It‘s interesting in the way a textbook is interesting.

Taking a break from the tagged book tonight to read something really light and humorous. I picked up this one for $1 today at the library sale.

This is a slow going read. It‘s good, but dense.

Let's play a game....

Name a book with a number in the title 😃
#NameABookGame

1. Anything sugary. 🍦🥧🍰🍩🍪 and so on
2. I don‘t know ... my new Fitbit maybe 🤷🏻‍♀️
3. The tagged book.
4. I tag you all
@Eggs #wonderouswednesday

I love having adult kids who are readers with libraries. I mentioned to @Ambrosnazzy that I had finished 1493 and would like to read 1491 sometime. The next thing I know, it‘s moved from her library to mine😍

I am only 1/4 of the way through this book but my mind is blown. I genuinely look forward to reading this every day when I get home from work

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Interesting, but kind of a personal walking tour verses a scientific account that I was looking for.

This fantastic bag was also in my box
Thank you again @MarthaG for the wonderful gifts and generosity

‪Coffee, classical music, and 1491 by Charles C. Mann. Nice way to start a day.‬

Current stack of books I am reading.

Just added to my currently reading list. #MrRogers #BobRoss

Spent Saturday/Sunday at a friend‘s family‘s cabin near Talkeetna, AK. They have tons of books around the house - here‘s just one shelf I took a snap of.

Incredibly informative and interesting. I learned a lot and haven't been able to stop thinking about this book. I really liked how balanced it seemed, at least to a lay reader. However, I also felt like it was too broad-ranging and jumbled together - I would have preferred a narrower scope or a little less detail in some areas.

Interesting stuff. To think I hated history in high school. Go figure! 🤔

In the Amazon, the turn to swidden was unfortunate. Slash-and-burn cultivation has become one of the driving forces behind the loss of tropical forest. Although swidden does permit the forest to regrow, it is wildly inefficient and environmentally unsound...the very existence of so much healthy forest after 12 thousand years of use by large populations suggests that whatever Indians did before swidden must have been ecologically more sustainable.