Review (PDF) The Aztec World
The Aztec World is an illustrated survey of the Aztecs based on insightful research by a team of international experts from the United States and Mexico. In addition to traditional subjects like cosmology, religion, human sacrifice, and political history, this book covers such contemporary concerns as the environment and agriculture, health and disease, women and social status, and urbanism. It also discusses the effects of European conquests on Aztec culture and society, in addition to offering modern perspectives on their civilization. The text is accompanied by colorful illustrations and photos of artifacts from the best collections in Mexico, including those of the Templo Mayor Museum and the National Museum of Anthropology, both in Mexico City, as well as pieces from archaeological sites and virtual reconstructions of lost artwork. The book accompanies an exhibition at The Field Museum.
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; First Edition edition (October 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0810972786
ISBN-13: 978-0810972780
Product Dimensions: 9 x 1 x 11 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #251,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #29 in Books > History > Ancient Civilizations > Aztec #144 in Books > History > Americas > Central America #198 in Books > History > Americas > Mexico
This is a wonderful book and took my breath away with the research that was done to achieve it. Yes, there's a lot of sex and human sacrifice, this was the Aztec Empire after all.It is the story of a (fictional) Aztec who testifies about his life before a panel of priests who record the tales for their king in Spain. The details about the experiences of the narrator are only exceeded by the wonderful descriptions of how the people of that time in Central Mexico may have lived. The historical associations are extremely informative even if they are not all based on fact. One truly gets the sense of what life may have been in that part of the world before the arrival of Cortes and the end of the Aztec empire.The narrator himself is an interesting character. His scruples and values often fluctuate but he is a person of his time. His adventures enable the author to speculate about the surrounding tribal areas, the sexual behavior (there is plenty of this-some of which is hard to take as is the abundance of violence in the wars and ceremonies which are described) and the values of the civilizations he touches. He is a proud, highly achieving, adventurous man whose life is full of important and interesting encounters which occasionally are rather hard to identify with but which offer an entree into the life of the Aztec area. His cleverness is beautifully demonstrated by his comments about the Church of the priest/recorders and the similar values the "barbaric" Aztecs have with the "holy messengers of Jesus" and the Spanish church.The book is 750 pages long, full of action and clever observation. It is not an easy read but the narrative flows smoothly and the writing is outstanding. I enjoyed the book so much, I felt empty when it ended for me.
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