Download or read book Jungle of Stone written by William Carlsen and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-04-26 with total page 544 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The acclaimed chronicle of the discovery of the legendary lost civilization of the Maya. Includes the history of the major Maya sites, including Palenque, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Tuloom, Copan, and more. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Illustrated with a map and more than 100 images. In 1839, rumors of extraordinary yet baffling stone ruins buried within the unmapped jungles of Central America reached two of the world’s most intrepid travelers. Seized by the reports, American diplomat John Lloyd Stephens and British artist Frederick Catherwood—both already celebrated for their adventures in Egypt, the Holy Land, Greece, and Rome—sailed together out of New York Harbor on an expedition into the forbidding rainforests of present-day Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. What they found would upend the West’s understanding of human history. In the tradition of Lost City of Z and In the Kingdom of Ice, former San Francisco Chronicle journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist William Carlsen reveals the remarkable story of the discovery of the ancient Maya. Enduring disease, war, and the torments of nature and terrain, Stephens and Catherwood meticulously uncovered and documented the remains of an astonishing civilization that had flourished in the Americas at the same time as classic Greece and Rome—and had been its rival in art, architecture, and power. Their masterful book about the experience, written by Stephens and illustrated by Catherwood, became a sensation, hailed by Edgar Allan Poe as “perhaps the most interesting book of travel ever published” and recognized today as the birth of American archaeology. Most important, Stephens and Catherwood were the first to grasp the significance of the Maya remains, understanding that their antiquity and sophistication overturned the West’s assumptions about the development of civilization. By the time of the flowering of classical Greece (400 b.c.), the Maya were already constructing pyramids and temples around central plazas. Within a few hundred years the structures took on a monumental scale that required millions of man-hours of labor, and technical and organizational expertise. Over the next millennium, dozens of city-states evolved, each governed by powerful lords, some with populations larger than any city in Europe at the time, and connected by road-like causeways of crushed stone. The Maya developed a cohesive, unified cosmology, an array of common gods, a creation story, and a shared artistic and architectural vision. They created stucco and stone monuments and bas reliefs, sculpting figures and hieroglyphs with refined artistic skill. At their peak, an estimated ten million people occupied the Maya’s heartland on the Yucatan Peninsula, a region where only half a million now live. And yet by the time the Spanish reached the “New World,” the Maya had all but disappeared; they would remain a mystery for the next three hundred years. Today, the tables are turned: the Maya are justly famous, if sometimes misunderstood, while Stephens and Catherwood have been nearly forgotten. Based on Carlsen’s rigorous research and his own 1,500-mile journey throughout the Yucatan and Central America, Jungle of Stone is equally a thrilling adventure narrative and a revelatory work of history that corrects our understanding of Stephens, Catherwood, and the Maya themselves.
Download or read book The Lost City of the Monkey God written by Douglas Preston and published by Grand Central Publishing. This book was released on 2017-01-03 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NAMED A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2017#1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller! A five-hundred-year-old legend. An ancient curse. A stunning medical mystery. And a pioneering journey into the unknown heart of the world's densest jungle. Since the days of conquistador Hernán Cortés, rumors have circulated about a lost city of immense wealth hidden somewhere in the Honduran interior, called the White City or the Lost City of the Monkey God. Indigenous tribes speak of ancestors who fled there to escape the Spanish invaders, and they warn that anyone who enters this sacred city will fall ill and die. In 1940, swashbuckling journalist Theodore Morde returned from the rainforest with hundreds of artifacts and an electrifying story of having found the Lost City of the Monkey God-but then committed suicide without revealing its location. Three quarters of a century later, bestselling author Doug Preston joined a team of scientists on a groundbreaking new quest. In 2012 he climbed aboard a rickety, single-engine plane carrying the machine that would change everything: lidar, a highly advanced, classified technology that could map the terrain under the densest rainforest canopy. In an unexplored valley ringed by steep mountains, that flight revealed the unmistakable image of a sprawling metropolis, tantalizing evidence of not just an undiscovered city but an enigmatic, lost civilization. Venturing into this raw, treacherous, but breathtakingly beautiful wilderness to confirm the discovery, Preston and the team battled torrential rains, quickmud, disease-carrying insects, jaguars, and deadly snakes. But it wasn't until they returned that tragedy struck: Preston and others found they had contracted in the ruins a horrifying, sometimes lethal-and incurable-disease. Suspenseful and shocking, filled with colorful history, hair-raising adventure, and dramatic twists of fortune, THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD is the absolutely true, eyewitness account of one of the great discoveries of the twenty-first century.
Download or read book Grasshopper Jungle written by Andrew Smith and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-02-11 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A 2015 Michael L. Printz Honor Book Winner of the 2014 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction "Raunchy, bizarre, smart and compelling." --Rolling Stone “Grasshopper Jungle is simultaneously creepy and hilarious. Reminds me of Kurt Vonnegut’s in “Slaughterhouse Five,” in the best sense.” --New York Times Book Review In the small town of Ealing, Iowa, Austin and his best friend, Robby, have accidentally unleashed an unstoppable army. An army of horny, hungry, six-foot-tall praying mantises that only want to do two things. This is the truth. This is history. It’s the end of the world. And nobody knows anything about it. You know what I mean. Funny, intense, complex, and brave, Grasshopper Jungle brilliantly weaves together everything from testicle-dissolving genetically modified corn to the struggles of recession-era, small-town America in this groundbreaking coming-of-age stunner.
Download or read book Rescue in the Mayan Jungle written by Karla Warkentin and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Josh finds a mysterious stone capable of transporting him and his siblings back in time. In the series opener, the Time Stone sends the crew deep into the Mayan jungle where the darkness isn't just caused by the heavy, lush hungle foliage. They soon learn they are there for a reason - to rescue a young girl who is forced to live her life in service to a pagan god. Kids will love the adventure and the quirky characteristics of this unlikely band of spiritual warriors.
Download or read book A Forest of Kings written by Linda Schele and published by William Morrow. This book was released on 1990 with total page 564 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The recent interpretation of Maya hieroglyphs has given us the first written history of the New World as it existed before the European invasion. Now, two central figures in the massive effort to decode the glyphs, Linda Schele and David Freidel, make this history available for the first time 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 Precolumbian civilization come to life again with the decipherment of the writing. At its height, Maya civilization flourished under great kings like Shield-Jaguar, who ruled for over 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 or 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.
Download or read book The Jungle Book written by Diane Wright Landolf and published by Random House Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2008-01-22 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mother and Fatherwolf aren’t looking for trouble, but when a small man-child toddles by their cave, they decide they can’t leave him alone in the jungle. They take the boy into their pack, name him Mowgli, and raise him as one of their own cubs. Mowgli learns the law of the jungle from the big old brown bear Baloo and Bagheera the black panther, but even they can’t keep an eye on him all the time!
Download or read book The Jungle Book written by Rudyard Kipling and published by . This book was released on 1920 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Yucatan Before and After the Conquest written by Diego de Landa and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-05-23 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes geography and natural history of the peninsula, gives brief history of Mayan life, discusses Spanish conquest, and provides a long summary of Maya civilization. 4 maps, and over 120 illustrations.
Download or read book The Jungle Books written by Rudyard Kipling and published by Random House. This book was released on 2012-06-30 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Jungle Books tell the story of the irrepressible Mowgli, who is rescued as a baby from the jaws of the evil tiger, Shere Khan. Raised by wolves and guided by Baloo the bear, Mowgli and his animal friends embark on a series of hair-raising adventures through the jungles of India.
Download or read book The Lost Cities of the Mayas written by Fabio Boubon and published by . This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through pen-and ink drawings and watercolours, this book recount the 19th century epic of the art of illustration and the rediscovery of history's great Maya civilization. Frederick Catherwood produced artwork-depicting views of ancient monuments with great accuracy. Although he was trained as an architect, his real passion in life was art, particularly portraying ancient cultures. He was a man who loved to travel which was a significant influence on his art. At the age of 40, Catherwood accompanied a successful writer named John Lloyd Stephens to Central America. What they found on their trip amazed them: wonderfully majestic but deserted cities. The ruins in these cities were the inspiration of Catherwood's art, created by using a camera lucida (an optic device that preceded the invention of photography) to aid him in his drawings. The artwork that Catherwood produced was vivid and intriguing and became a best seller. Central America was not the only place that Catherwood went to get inspiration for his artwork. Before devoting himself to the discovery of the Mayas, he disguised himself as a.
Download or read book Salt Stone written by Victoria Scott and published by Scholastic Inc.. This book was released on 2015-02-24 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How far would you go to survive? In FIRE & FLOOD, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and a terrifying march across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't stop - and in SALT & STONE, Tella will have to face the unseen dangers of the ocean, the breathless cold of a mountain, and twisted new rules in the race. But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another? The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the beginning of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the fourth and final part of the race, just forty-one are left . . . and only one can win. Victoria Scott's stunning thriller will leave readers' hearts racing!
Download or read book The Second Jungle Book written by Rudyard Kipling and published by Castrovilli Giuseppe. This book was released on 1897 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the further adventures of Mowgli, a boy reared by a pack of wolves, and the wild animals of the jungle. Also includes other short stories set in India.
Download or read book Middleworld written by Jon Voelkel and published by Darby Creek. This book was released on 2010-04 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When his archaeologist parents go missing in Central America, fourteen-year-old Max embarks on a wild adventure through the Mayan underworld in search of the legendary Jaguar Stones, which enabled ancient Mayan kings to wield the powers of living gods. Includes cast of characters, glossary, facts about the Maya cosmos and calendar, and a recipe for chicken tamales.
Download or read book Incidents of Travel in Central America Chiapas and Yucatan 1854 by John Lloyd Stephens Edited by Frederick Catherwood Illustrated written by John Lloyd Stephens and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-01-31 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: John Lloyd Stephens (November 28, 1805 - October 13, 1852) was an American explorer, writer, and diplomat. Stephens was a pivotal figure in the rediscovery of Maya civilization throughout Middle America and in the planning of the Panama railroad.John Lloyd Stephens was born November 28, 1805, in the township of Shrewsbury, New Jersey. He was the second son of Benjamin Stephens, a successful New Jersey merchant, and Clemence Lloyd, daughter of an eminent local judge.The following year the family moved to New York City. There Stephens received an education in the Classics at two privately tutored schools. At the age of 13 he enrolled at Columbia College, graduating at the top of his class four years later in 1822. After studying law with an attorney for a year, he attended the Litchfield Law School. He passed the bar exam after completing his course of study, and practiced in New York City.
Download or read book Lords of the Earth written by Don Richardson and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2008-08-01 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Engulfed in the darkness of Irian Jaya's Snow Mountains live the Yali, naked cannibals who call themselves lords of the earth. Yet, in spite of their boldness, they live in terror and bondage to the women-hating, child-despising gods they serve. Missionary Stan Dale dared to enter their domain and be an instrument to change their future. Peace Child author, Don Richardson, tells the story of Dale, his wife, his companions, and thousands of Yali tribesmen in Lords of the Earth. This unforgettable tale of faithful determination and zeal against overwhelming odds brings unlikely characters together in a swirl of agony and bloodshed climaxing in a dramatic, unexpected ending. Readers will find their perceptions of how God moves enlarged and inspired by this classic story. For parents and youth leaders looking for real-life role models for the new generation of young people, you will want to meet the Dales in Lords of the Earth.
Download or read book Lost City of Stone written by Bill Sanborn Ballinger and published by Simon & Schuster. This book was released on 1978 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses the eleven-square-mile city of Nan Madol, a relic of a lost civilization off the island of Ponape in the Pacific Ocean.
Download or read book A Maya Universe in Stone written by Stephen Houston and published by Getty Publications. This book was released on 2021-12-28 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first study devoted to a single sculptor in ancient America, as understood through four unprovenanced masterworks traced to a small sector of Guatemala. In 1950, Dana Lamb, an explorer of some notoriety, stumbled on a Maya ruin in the tropical forests of northern Guatemala. Lamb failed to record the location of the site he called Laxtunich, turning his find into the mystery at the center of this book. The lintels he discovered there, long since looted, are probably of a set with two others that are among the masterworks of Maya sculpture from the Classic period. Using fieldwork, physical evidence, and Lamb’s expedition notes, the authors identify a small area with archaeological sites where the carvings were likely produced. Remarkably, the vividly colored lintels, replete with dynastic and cosmic information, can be assigned to a carver, Mayuy, who sculpted his name on two of them. To an extent nearly unique in ancient America, Mayuy can be studied over time as his style developed and his artistic ambition grew. An in-depth analysis of Laxtunich Lintel 1 examines how Mayuy grafted celestial, seasonal, and divine identities onto a local magnate and his overlord from the kingdom of Yaxchilan, Mexico. This volume contextualizes the lintels and points the way to their reprovenancing and, as an ultimate aim, repatriation to Guatemala.
