1491 -- The Americas Before Columbus

Just finished 1491 by Charles Mann. The book is a survey of the current theories of archaeology and anthropology addressing what the Americas were like culturally, technologically, and so forth in the years prior to the Columbus. The current theories indicate that Native American civilizations, such as Norte Chico, Inca, Cahokia, the Haudenosaunee and others prior to Columbus was as advanced as other great civilizations in the world, and that the population of the Americas prior to the introduction of European diseases was staggering. While at times Mann seems to take great pains to be politically correct, the research he cites indicates that the Native Americans were far from the "noble savages" typically depicted in American and European history books, and that the Indians dod not simply live in harmony with the land, but in fact molded and shaped the environment to further their plans for its use. It's a fascinating book looking at some revolutionary theories.