Ptolemy Tompkins’s spellbinding plunge into the history and meaning of Mesoamerican civilizations—first published a decade ago—is more compelling now than ever. Combining scholarly knowledge with visionary perception and sensitivity; he examines the Mayan; Aztec; and other related cultures from the perspective of that region’s shifting understanding of the human soul. A profoundly spiritual and ecological thread runs through this enlightening work like a river: despite their amazing achievements; these civilizations eventually crumbled because they lost touch with their sense of community; their true natures; and their environments. Above all; Tompkins vividly reveals how violence became a deeply flawed but powerful strategy for accessing the ever-retreating realm of the spirit; which had once guided and directed human life.
#72352 in Books Edmund Morris 2010-11-23 2010-11-23Format: Deckle EdgeOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x 1.84 x 6.50l; 2.92 #File Name: 1400069653960 pagesSelected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. My admiration for TR transfigured into passion.By Chauncey GardnerThe Rise of Theodore RooseveltEdmund MorrisI am on a chronological journey through the lives of the American Presidents; each one deepens my appreciation for this land we are abundantly blessed to be citizens of.This work has been a delight; so wonderfully told; it's rich intimacy brings the Man palpably alive in my imagination. The story reveals the person he was as well as those who swirled around him as he exploded through life. Thank you Edmund; for helping me suffer his profound sense of loss; his thrill of the chase; his indignation for the corrupted; his appreciation of the plight of others; his desire to be a force of change; his deep gratification experienced from those he lead.I have always liked the Caricature of Teddy that I grew up with. The stick figure of the man presented from the flimsy narrative presented in public school. Now I love the man he was.I am starting the next episode right after lunch; Theodore Rex.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Very detailed history of TR's rise.By Kindle CustomerThis book took me several months to complete as I had to put it down for periods of time and return to it later. This does not mean that it was too boring or tedious but that i knew I had part two and three of this biography to read and didn't want to spend 6 months to a year reading about TR alone. This book provides a lot of detail on his early life and early political career. TR was a man who tried his hand at many things over the course of his first 40 plus years. He seems to have had a lot of energy to always be trying something new. I am looking forward to the sequel biography that describes his presidency.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating!By Amanda C. SpurlockI was fascinated by the level of detail; the way it was written between fact and interpretation and how it kept me wanting to read continuously. I felt I was part of that era following someone on the cusp of greatness. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn about the history of one of the many great men that changed America. I also elevated my vocabulary; there are words I had never even heard. (Thank you kindle dictionary and wikipedia!) There was only one very tiny part that made me question his research or cultural abilities and it was related to the passage regarding the war in Cuba against the Spanish. He mention the Spanish taking a siesta and eating tortillas. This is highly unlikely as tortillas were and are not part of the Spaniard cuisine. it is Mexican and Not even close to Cuban cuisine. Not a big deal for others maybe but I was so fascinated with the story that it bugged me for not having that right. I would read it again and know that I would learn something new a second time. Can't wait to read the following one.
