Customer Reviews

Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History

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Several years ago, my high school age sister rushed through the Louvre, sought out a laundry list of masterpieces and then checked them off as she viewed each one. As an accounting exercise, it was quite satisfying as she now has a piece of paper evidencing that she had physically seen each work of art. As an exercise in art appreciation it left a lot to be desired.

Fortunately, when Patrick Hunt wrote Ten Discoveries that Rewrote History, he brought to the project not just the completeness and accuracy of an accountant but also the sensibility of the well-renowned archaeologist and excellent story teller that he is.

Hunt knows his subject inside out and there is probably not better authority on the landmarks he has chosen to write about. More importantly, however, is that he makes the discoveries come to life. Hunt starts each chapter with a description of the discovery then describes in detail the excavation of the landmark. He then weaves the historical, cultural, and political implications of the discovery into his narrative, thus giving his readers a well-rounded view of some of the most well known wonders in the span of less than 25 pages.

Patrick Hunt excels at capturing the sentiments of both the creators and the discoverers of each featured item. The vivid descriptions make the reader feel as if he is situated in the time period and watching each story unfold before his/her eyes. It is also evident that Patrick Hunt shares in the awe of the grandeur and splendor of these amazing discoveries and through the strength of his writing is able to transfer that same excitement and awe to his audience.

Informative, yet entertaining, the book appeals to readers of all ages and will surely entice all to experience the discoveries first hand.

I am fortuante that I have been able to attend the course that Dr. Hunt taught on this subject a few summers back and I am thrilled to see the same subject come out in print. Dr. Hunt's expertise in archaeology and history is clearly demonstrated in this precious collection of ten well known archaeological sites. His writing style and ability to bring to light the most interesting facts about each discovery left me feeling that I wanted to visit each site in person. His prose is easy to read and follow, yet not at all over simplified. This is a huge benefit to me, since I have neither the technical nor scientific background to comprehend an overly academic treatment of the same subject matter. For those who wish to read more about each site, the selected bibliography included at the end of the book provides a helpful starting point.

Overall, a wonderful read - I do hope he is able to do the same with other fascinating discoveries that combine his knowledge of archaeology and history.

I just finished reading "Ten Discoveries that Rewrote History", by Patrick Hunt. This is a terrific book that is very readable yet provides great insight into some of the most important archaeological discoveries of all times (e.g., Rosetta Stone, Troy, Nineveh Library, King Tut's Tomb, Machu Picchu, Pompeii, Dead Sea Scrolls, Thera/Santorini/Atlantis, Olduvai Gorge, and the Terra Cotta Warriors in China). Besides giving the basics on the digs and their history, Prof. Hunt provides hard to find information on the people involved as well as the importance of the digs to archaeology and society. I especially enjoyed the anecdotes whereby he describes his own personal experiences (e.g., becoming an "amauta" (high priest) by playing his flute at Machu Picchu). This book will appeal to history buffs as well as to travelers going to the areas described, and I think it should be required reading for all college students.

Patrick Hunt put together a delightful little book from the themes he covers in a popular college course, Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History. This well written book takes the reader on a journey across the globe and back and forth through time.

As a Biblical historian, I found the text not overly academic without shirking responsibilities of noting cultural context and impact on traditional understanding in various schools of thought. Hunt chronicles such discoveries as the Terracotta Warriors, the Rosetta Stone and Machu Picchu and their effect on science, history and popular culture.

Hunt's book gives meaningful information that will serve all readers well regardless, of their walk of life. If it doesn't make you fantasize about being Indiana Jones, it will certainly entice you to travel to some of, if not all of, the exquisite locales described within the book.

This pocket-sized book by Stanford Archaeologist Patrick Hunt on "Ten Discoveries that Rewrote History" covers a lot of ground on this weighty subject. At first I was mildly disappointed that it offered no photos, maps, drawings or illustrations that normally accompany such texts, but once I started reading, I quickly forgot about this omission.

It is not easy to treat effectively ten major archaeological discoveries in some 20 pages each, but Dr. Hunt has done this masterfully, starting with a description of what the initial discoverer must have felt upon realizing the significance of what he had come across, whether by chance or determined effort. He then describes the ensuing study of these finds and why they changed the way historians and archaeologists look at the past. I am personally familiar with several of his chosen sites (Pompeii, Machu Picchu, Thera, Troy, Nineveh, Rosetta Stone), yet learned something new about each from this his descriptions and analysis. Interjected throughout are personal anecdotes by Dr. Hunt regarding his contract with these sites and the scholars who are studying them.

This book can easily be read and enjoyed over a single weekend, with the resulting urge to visit many of these fascinating sites. I would certainly recommend it to the adventurous traveler with an interest in the ancient world.

I wanted to love this book because the topics it covers are fascinating, but the poor writing ruined it for me. For one thing, the author is incredibly repetative. For instance, in the chapter on Troy he makes the point that the importance of its discovery comes from the fact that it ushered in the modern ear of archeology. Valid and interesting point, but he makes it over and over again. He must state it in nearly every other paragraph. If he was restating it to elaborate on the idea, that might be okay, but he rarely elaborates in this book. He sticks to broad, superficial explanations... which is another complaint I have about the book: it's too superficial. Don't get me wrong -- I was looking for a book written for laymen, not academics. But even so, I still expected the book to be a bit more detailed.

In addition, his writting is erractic and unclear. For instance, in the chapter on the Assyrian library he states that "Layard knew he would dream that night the same dream about Ninevah." The "same" dream? Same as what? There doesn't appear to be an antecdent to the dream. I have no idea to what he's referening. Though things like that are minor, the book is riddled with them.

Finally, in the chapter on Machu Picchu he quotes an excerpt from Hiram Bingham where Bingham says that the native guide was reluctant to take him up the mountain top until he offered him a substantial sum of money. Seems like a pretty straight forward anecdote, but the author sees it as "condescending" or "eurocentric." He says Bingham's quote might suggest that Bingham harboured racists feelings of superiority over the natives. Huh? Because he said the guide was persauded by money? I persaude my son to shovel the walk in snow storms by offering him money -- does that make me condescending, eurocentric or racist? The author's irrational reaction suggests he's one of those overly-sensitive PC-types who's looking for boogie men.

I am a fairly educated individual and admittedly an anthropology guru. Not to mention when it comes to books about history, they are frequently dry and repetitive, little fun to read and merely present raw facts. Patrick Hunt, however, weaves eloquent tales of discovery with hard facts and ancient evidence to create a learning adventure.

I can only say this infrequently, but this was quite a page-turner! I highly recommend this book to adventure connoisseurs, history buffs, and anyone intrigued by pieces of out human legacy.

The author does an impressive job in making the past come alive in a thoughtful, compact read. After getting this book I enjoyed it so much that I ended up buying a couple more copies and giving it to friends and family. If you are looking for an approachable book that will spark your imagination about history, then look no further.

As a busy professional who loves learning but doesn't have a lot of time free for reading, this book hits all of the bases without drowning the reader in endless facts. I was surprised to see that the last Amazon review panned the book for not being detailed and of all things boring! That couldn't be farther away from the mark. I was glad to see that everyone else has heaped praise on this book which is well deserved! The author sounds like the kind of college professor that you see in the movies but rarely get in real life - bright, articulate and stimulating.

This is the direction that I hope more college professors go, rather than continuing to churn out scholarly books that only specialists read. Kudos to the author - he gets it - here is to more accessible surveys written for the general public!!!

For a really quick review of the most important archaeological finds in history, this is an awesome book. It will make you want to do more research on all 10, which is what I done.

I can't really add anything that the other reviewer's haven't said. But I can say that this is one of the best books i've read in a while. it's so exciting. like i'm there digging up the past. there's almost no nonsense in this book, no unneccessary technical babble, etc. it's written almost like a novel, only with facts. Patrick Hunt is obviously a very passionate person. When he described what he considers the most magical moment of his life, I could directly relate with it, and I was extremely moved. If you buy this book and read it I guarantee you will revise your bucket list.