Lost Civilizations: 10 Societies That Vanished Without A Trace By: Michael Rank {Review}

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Lost Civilizations: 10 Societies That

Vanished Without A Trace

By: Michael Rank

I was afforded the unique opportunity to read a copy of this book at no cost, in exchange for an honest review of upon completion.

Quoted From Book/Author Description:

From the #1 bestselling author of History's Greatest Generals comes an exciting new book on the greatest societies in history that vanished without a trace, and why their disappearance still haunts us today.

Whether it is Plato's lost city of Atlantis, a technological advanced utopia that sank into the ocean "in a single day and night of misfortune"; the colony of Roanoke, whose early American settlers were swallowed up in the wild forest lands of the unexplored continent, or the Ancient American Explorers, who managed to arrive to the New World 2,000 years before Columbus, the disappearance of these societies is as cryptic as it is implausible.

This book will look at cultures of the 10 greatest lost civilizations in history. Some were millenia ahead their neighbors, such as the Indus Valley Civilization, which had better city planning in 3,000 B.C. than any European capital in the 18th century. Others left behind baffling mysteries, such as the Ancient Pueblo Peoples (formerly known as the Anasazi), whose cliff-dwelling houses were so inaccessible that every member of society would have to be an expert-level rock climber.

It will also at explanations as to how massive societies that lasted for centuries can disappear without a trace. Did the builders of the pyramids handy craftsmen whose method of transporting massive stones are still unexplainable simply disappear or were they part of an advanced alien race, as conspiracy theorists assert? Was the Kingdom of Aksum really the keeper of the Ark of the Covenant, and did this lead to their downfall?

Whatever the nature of their disappearance, these lost civilizations offer many lessons for us today -- even the greatest of societies can disappear, and that includes us. 

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If you are interested in history, specifically lost or ancient civilizations {both real & possibly fictitious} then you will enjoy this book. This is not a book that is to be read as short stories, as it is full of factual opinions, proven truths, dated discoveries, etc. This is a small condensed version of 10 obscurely known and famously known lost civilizations. Each chapter covers one society or location, each chapter filled with facts and theories as to what may or could have occurred. Some of these civilizations have left clues behind to help us begin to figure out what happened, while others have left nothing at all for us to follow.

The most interesting part of this book were the slew of theories that are floating around the archeological and scientific worlds. Some seem very cut and dry, as others seem far fetched and unbelievable to a sane individual. The author, Michael Rank, takes you from The Lost City Of Atlantis to the Pyramid Builders and plenty of intriguing spots in between.

While reading each account of these lost civilizations, I learned facts that I had not known before. I was amazed when I read about Christopher Columbus in the Chapter entitled "Ancient American Explorers", this was not the Columbus that I was taught about in school. Michael Rank ended this chapter with the best paragraph ever in my opinion.

"The answer to these questions, if nothing else, may further reduce the legacy of Christopher Columbus. They are enough to make the once universally-beloved explorer roll in his grave. Still, at the very least, the Italian navigator will always have two inalienable accomplishments to console his woes: a federal holiday in his name, and a capital city in Ohio." ---This had me laughing but then again I had found things out that I didn't know about good ole Columbus. You will also learn how a sweet potato, a coin from a Greek city, a shipwreck in Texas, and other tokens play into theories based on Columbus and his famous discovery.

The best line in the book and one that most everyone can relate to, came in the third chapter of the book. The third chapter consists of the topic "The Indus Valley Civilization", this is a city where they are still trying to figure out how it ran-meaning did they appoint one ruler, a counsel, etc. People even suggest that it was a civilization without any rule at all. In reply to this it is stated:

" While it is highly unlikely that a civilization with millions of subjects could govern itself in a utopian anarchy- after all, if unmediated forums such as Facebook can erupt so easily into petty squabbles among adults that resemble that of first-graders fighting over a pack of Lunchables, imagine such a phenomenon at a civilization-wide scale." -----Now I am sure most of us can relate to this and probably have even witnessed this on numerous occasions. But what if? What if these civilizations were able to accomplish just that-a utopian anarchy?

That is one thing that I found myself thinking about during my journey through this book. That even if the civilizations are lost to us, they seemed to be living better lives and treating each other with much more dignity. There were many thoughts that I began exploring as I read each chapter of this book, and many questions that I began to want answered. Unfortunately, because they are lost or near lost to us, I will probably never get those answers.

If you would like to learn more about this book, listen to 5 minute History podcasts, grab a couple free eBooks, or connect with Michael Rank you can head over to his website "Michael Rank- History. Only Not Boring."

You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, or RSS feed. Be sure to check out his book on Amazon {on sale for a short time for under $1!}.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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