The Atlantis Syndrome [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Paul Jordan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 25, 2001

What is the truth behind this mythological super-civilization? Renowned anthropologist Jordan carefully unravels the whole Atlantis mythology, starting with its first reference, the works of Plato around 360 BC.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Jordan read Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University and was for many years a writer and producer of television programmes about science, history and archaeology with both the BBC and Independent Television. He is the author of Neanderthal, Early Man, Riddles of the Sphinx, The Face of the Past (Batsford) and Egypt the Black Land (Phaidon). He lives in Norfolk.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Sutton Publishing; illustrated edition edition (December 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750925973
• ISBN-13: 978-0750925976
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,546,723 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview of pseudoarcheology, November 15, 2009

By 

Stellar Watcher (Earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Atlantis Syndrome (Hardcover)

Although a bit dry at points and laced with Brit-humor that may not be understood (newage types are notoriously lacking in humor), Jordan's book is a good general overview of why Atlantis searchers were wrong, why they are wrong, and why we can expect more of the same in the future. More ink has been spilled over a some completely misunderstood Plato, and Jordan explains why it has been a waste.

I find it remarkable that many of these people who rabbit off in search of Atlantis don't even bother to learn enough Greek to read the original Plato. Why does this matter? Because the Atlantis parts of Plato are often taken more literally than the Bible. If you extrapolate from a translation then you can't be certain that your interpretation is even based on the actual words used. A good read and excellent antidote to the output of the Atlantis-industrial complex.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting popular study from a skeptic, June 27, 2008

By 

thoughtful reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Atlantis Syndrome (Paperback)

Paul Jordan, who studied archaeology at university, is a pretty good writer in my opinion. I quite enjoyed this book, which I got for a project on Atlantology and alternative archaeology. It's one of the few books by a skeptic to give in-depth coverage to some of the newer writers like Graham Hancock and the Flem-Aths. Reading this would be a good way to decide whether you want to invest the time in reading their (rather long) books.

There is a section on traditional/academic accounts of human origins and prehistory, which seems misplaced. Jordan is trying to provide the accepted account along with some of the evidence so that his readers have the necessary information to follow his critique. But I found it disrupted the flow of the book. I wonder whether it would have been possible to integrate it into the Atlantology sections, or move it to a long appendix. It's easy enough to skip over if you know a little about prehistory, and it doesn't significantly detract from the book as a whole.

I've also read Jordan's book on the Sphinx, which is more of a picture book or coffee table book. If you are familiar with his Sphinx book, expect more text and substance from this work.

There are some illustrations in a photo section of the book. Some of them seemed pointless to me, until I finally reached his explanation near the end. Good job, Jordan!

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Case Closed, October 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Atlantis Syndrome (Hardcover)

This book so effectively exposes the pseudoscience behind the continued promotion of the lost continent of Atlantis -- in all its guises, old and new -- that it effectively leaves the matter case closed. I cannot recommend it highly enough, especially for people who believe that Atlantis (or some lost civilization) once existed and influenced the formation of the more familiar ancient cultures of the world (Egypt, the Maya, etc).

Jordan shows, in a lucid and entertaining style, how Plato dreamed up the Atlantis myth to make a politico-philosophical point; how the ancient and modern myths of Atlantis are entirely different and cannot be reconciled; how the modern version runs contrary to over a century of archaeological investigation into humankind's development; and how continued efforts to promote the Atlantis myth require such willful ignorance of masses of evidence and such bizarre "reasoning" as to border on the the deceitful. It is a tour-de-force book, and an essential read for anyone interested in the Atlantis myth.