Ancient America

March 15, 2017
This reference-y book takes a very different perspective from typical U.S. guidebooks. It provides the reader with the 50 best places to visit and things to see but recommends sites of historic interestspecifically, pre-Columbian sites that highlight the lives of the first North American peoples living in what is now the continental U.S. The sites included in this work range in location from Pennsylvania to California and Florida to Washington, although the majority are concentrated in the Midwest, Southeast, and Four Corners regions. The book is personal to the author, who visited every site, often with his family. Entries are written in a conversational tone, and each site is illustrated with photos taken by the author. Sites are grouped into three main categories: Mound Builders, Cliff Dwellings, Great Houses, and Stone Towers, and Rock Art with the majority of sites in the last category. For each site, the author provides his journal entry from the site visit, what visitors should expect to see, and why the site is important. Sites are also ranked on a number of factors useful for visitors, including Ease of Road Access, Natural Beauty, Kid Friendliness, and the overall Wow Factor. Most sites are either national or state parks, although a few are privately owned attractions. This work will be very useful for anyone wanting to see what remains of the first inhabitants of our land. Part travel guide, part reference book, and part personal narrative, it will inspire readers to visit places that will connect them to the early peoples of North America.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)