Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs (Ancient Peoples and Places)

This book is similar in style to another book that Michael Coe wrote called "Maya". It focuses more on archaeology than on history or anthropology. I read that one before I knew anything about the Maya and right at the beginning of my 6-month trip through Mexico. I hated that book. It assumes you already know a lot about the Maya before reading it. I did not. And so it was boring and difficult to follow.Now fast forward to the end of my trip through Mexico and I just finished another book by Michael Coe, "Mexico." It's written in the same archaeological dry way that assumes you already have some background on the subject matter. But because I've visited some of these places mentioned in the book and have read tons on Mexico and the Maya, I absolutely loved this book. When he talks about Monte Alban and Mitla, I can picture the ruins and the valley surrounding the ruins, the cactus, the mountains, and the fields of corn and agave. It puts everything in perspective for me. It clearly explains how all of these different groups are related to each other and when they existed during the different periods of Mesoamerica.My recommendation is to read this book after you have some background on the prehispanic groups of Mexico and you have a geographic understanding of the different areas of Mexico.

The section I was after, the Toltecs, was limited to a small section but it was enough for the introduction I wanted before my trip to explore that culture. It isn't a quick read as it is more something you study and digest but it was well presented and written and a good prelude to the trip. More importantly it is a reference I'll use as I explore other cultures in Mexico in the future.

this book looks awesome

Good information from page one.

A bit dry, and it really condenses a lot of history into a relatively short narrative. However, it does well for an initial survey of pre-colonial Mexican history. A notable exception, is the lack of info on the Mayans, however they are covered in this books companion, so its forgivable.

This excellent volume reviews the history of ancient Mexico from the Olmecs to the Aztec conquest, with frequent reference to the state of knowledge obtained from digs and available documents (a woefully small amount for the latter). He touches on the predisposition for the grotesque and monstrous in pre-Columbian art, which has always amazed me. I suspect that the common people of those times deserved a better religion and government than the one they had, steeped as it was in the blood of captives. This book is well worth the read, unbiased, scholarly, and balanced

A good book on pre-columbian history but is a bit hard to understand, has a lot of pictures and an overemphasis on the detail of art.

A very good book on a very complex subject. Offers a wide picture of the numerous cultures that populated precolumbian Mexico and at the same time is rich in details, perhaps too many. This book is not easy to read for people not familiar with these sciences. It is well written and well organized. I truly recommend it.

This is a great book, but it has a few problems. First, the book is heavily centred on describing archaeology rather than anthropology, archaeological sites are explained in intricate detail but such concepts as human sacrifice or cannibalism are mentioned as mere throw away comments without any further explanation... why were they sacrificed? how? It turns out this is described in more detail in the last and final chapter about the Aztecs but why wait so long to explain such a fundamental concept of Mesoamerica.The first chapter contains a series of descriptions of the types of stone cutting tools found in prehistoric Mexico and they are described with archaeological terms without any explanation of what these specific tools are, the author just assumes you know. There were many times I felt exasperated reading this book, wishing the author would elaborate more on a concept or detail or talk more abut the people connected to the sites.That said, if your primary concern IS archaeology then it is probably perfect for you, and I do now have a good understanding of what the great historical sites are in Mexico (and now dreaming of visiting them). Besides these problems this book is lavishly illustrated with illustrations and photos both colour and black and white. As mentioned above, the final chapter on the Aztecs is easily the best and ends on quite a sad note.If you have a serious interest or love for Mesoamerica then this book is a must read, especially if you are able to visit the sites mentioned, if you have no knowledge about it at all and just want a simple chronology of Mexican history this may frustrate you especially with the lack of political or social commentary.

A look back way into history of the first civilisations in Mexico starting with Olmecs through to the Aztecs right up to before Cortes arrived with the conquistadores to brutalise and subjugate a once proud people

This book was a bit pricey but contained an abundance of information and facts about Mexico. The recipient was quite pleased with this book. It was a gift.

After being in Mexico, this is a definite must have to deepen my knowledge on the history and areas I visited. It's a delight to read.

Fue un regaló y eles encanto