1491 creates a picture of the Americas before the Europeans landed by synthesizing scientific discoveries from anthropology, archaeology and paleolinguistics. Mann arrives at startling conclusions about the civilizations thriving before Columbus: a far more urban, populated and technologically advanced region than generally assumed. And the Indians, rather than living in static harmony with nature, radically engineered the landscape across the continents, to the point that even “timeless” natural features like the Amazon can be seen as products of human intervention.

MLF: SF Book Discussion
Program Organizers: Barbara Massey and Howard Crane