 | Searching for Golden Empires Subjects: HISTORY / Latin America / Mexico.; Culture conflict; Indians; Indians of North America; Indians of Mexico; Spaniards; Cibola Seven Cities of.; American schoolchildren dutifully memorize names such as Cortés and Coronado, along with their 16th-century expedition routes through what we now call Mexico and the U.S., yet tend to ignore the indigenous populations in those regions. This remarkable new study fleshes out both explorers and natives, revealing nearly forgotten fluctuations of power and persuasion. In a fresh examination of contemporary accounts, planetary scientist and historian Hartmann (Desert Heart) treats conquistadors and natives fairly while offering impassioned arguments for rehabilitating the images of the much-maligned Montezuma II (he argues for spelling it "Motezuma") and the "lying monk" Marcos de Niza. The Europeans receive substantial attention due to more available documentation, but Hartmann carefully describes the Native Americans at the end of the pre- Columbian era and addresses with particular fascination their well-developed long-distance information network. Hartmann uses sidebars to explain controversial topics and his own research techniques, including ethnolinguistics. Detailed archaeological evidence and meticulous scholarly investigations make this book especially valuable in academia, but Hartmann's joyful Indiana Jones-esque attitude will both educate general readers and keep them rapt. Maps & illus. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. William K. Hartmann is internationally known as a scientist, writer, and painter. He has published widely on aspects of the Southwest, including his book Desert Heart , and a novel, Cities of Gold. He received the first Carl Sagan medal, given by the American Astronomical Society for popular presentation of scholarly research. |
