A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya

It is so sad that we have lost Linda Schele. But we can rejoice that we still have her wonderful books. This book is among her best. It is almost magical in the way she and David Freidel create the atmosphere of the Mayan culture. There are wonderful pictures and illustrations. She unfolds the stories of the archaeological discoveries and then helps us understand the real lives revealed in the evidence. The book also shows how the Mayan glyphs and counting systems work. There are nowadays very good texts on the writing system itself, but this book shows us how the glyphs are woven into the culture and religion of these people. We learn how the lineage worked and how the monuments were used as what we would call propaganda to support one line over other possibilities. We learn about the role of magic and visions and the way the leaders were the empowered by those visions. There is just so much here that any reader will be richly rewarded. The Mayan civilization is incredibly fascinating because it is so foreign to our own and yet it is a part of the heritage of the American continents. This book isn't just a text, it is a work of art in itself. You will have a hard time putting it down.

This has to be one of the best books written on the ancient Maya. You can really tell Linda not only has a great understanding of her subject, you can also tell she loves what she's doing. The art work is great and ties to the text completely. Most books I buy now have Text text text with a few B & Ws in the middle, just so they can say they have pics, not this one. You'll find 100s of pics and believe it or not, their on the same page as the text that tells you about them. The info contained in this book is up to date and pretty much uncontested. The book hits almost every subject possible with a few exceptions that only the very serious scholars would miss. I really enjoyed the sections on temple design and how the Maya chose the locations for the temple sites. The section on the Mayan alphabet and it's symbology is very informative. Even though this book is quite long, it will keep you interested threw out. If your a student in the history of the Americas or if your a casual reader with an interest in the ancient Maya, I think you'll find this book is for you. Five Stars with two thumbs up!

After reading Stephens books on his explorations of the Yucatan ruins in the 1840s, this was a real revelation.. I have a very hard time putting it down. Linda and David have presented Maya history in an easy to follow text. Forest of Kings is a must read if you have any interest at all in the Maya. Wonderful... Just keep at least two bookmarks handy.

This book is phenomenal. Linda Schele is a gift to Mayan studies. She brings the Maya to life through her work reading and translating the ancient pictographs. This book has the glyphs themselves translated syllable for syllable in the context of the history as it is understood. Pictures of Mayan art and recreative semi-fictional vignettes literally bring ancient Cental America to life. For those who want to know more about the Maya but cannot afford a trip to Mexico or Guatemala, this book offers a fascinating look at MesoAmerica that will change your perception of the world.

If you are looking for an fascinating introduction, this is the book for you. No one writes about the Maya as Linda Schele, one of the anthropologist's responsible for the latest and most accurate translations of the Maya, did. The shamanic Maya kings intrigue many people and the authors of this book make them come alive with all their foibles and vanities intact. Knowing that the Maya continue to live in their Central American homeland means that this book is a vital history lesson for the Maya people who have often forgotten their own interesting past.