Customer Reviews

Aztecs (Peoples of America)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent summary book on Aztec civilization. Well organized and written clearly, this book is distinguished from prior overviews by its integration of archaelogical information that has permitted some understanding of the life of the majority of Aztec commoners. Smith covers Aztec history, the physical and ecological basis of their society, agriculture and economy, art and religion, and the organization of Aztec polities. The book is illustrated well. This is definitely the best single book I have read on this topic and has an excellent bibliography for those wishing to pursue the literature in depth. This book is part of the Peoples of America series published by Blackwell. I've read another book in this series, The Incas by D'Altroy, which is first rate. The publishers deserve a pat on the back for producing this highly informative series.

I'm an engineer, not a historian or archeologist, yet I very much enjoyed this book. It didn't get boring, and made learning about the life of the Aztecs interesting. It was scholarly yet accessible.

I've read a few books on Aztecs and this one is somewhat unique in that in addition to using textual sources, it gives a good deal of focus to the archaeolgical record as well. This perspective gives a fuller view of Aztec society as a whole, and illuminates the lives of commoners as well as those of nobles. This perspective, along with Smith's expertly and well written explanation of the Archaeology behind this perspective is fascinating. That is why this book is so keen. Also the pics are pretty nifty as well.

This Book is well organized, illustrated and written. The various aspects of Aztec Civilization and History are organized into seperate Chapters, making this Book both, a good Introduction and Reference Book. A look at the Bibliography reaveals all the right sources. Scholarly, yet accessible.

this book is well written, giving thorough scholarly information from archeaology and ethnohistoric accounts youll learn from their early migration to the mesoamerican valley to the landing of cortes and even how the aztec nahuatl culture lives on in modern mexico.

michael smith does a great job on delving into the life of the commoners, the nobles and tlatoani.

while maintaining the contentious and often ambigous nature of ancient history this author does a great job at trying to piece it all together from multiple historical accounts.

A good modern study of the Ancient Aztecs. Presents a broad overall view of Aztec life and culture. Based on modern scientific insights, yet without becoming boring.

A most excellent book for the unlearned of this subject and the learned. In depth and precise. It is illustrated to inform. It is objective but it is biased towards the mainstream thinking of of what we are all taught in school of how civilisations 'must' have started. Albeit a thoroughly engrossing book.

I mean how do you rate a textbook. This book is a scholarly book and has been cited by professors. There are pages, they happen to be very turnable. The words were in English, hooray.