Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book of the Maya: The Great Classic of Central American Spirituality, Translated from the Original Maya Text: Allen J. Christenson: 9780806138398: Amazon.com: Books

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Allen J. Christenson

Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book of the Maya: The Great Classic of Central American Spirituality, Translated from the Original Maya Text Paperback – March 1, 2007

by Allen J. Christenson (Translator)

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The Popol Vuh is the most important example of Maya literature to have survived the Spanish conquest. It is also one of the world’s great creation accounts, comparable to the beauty and power of Genesis.

Most previous translations have relied on Spanish versions rather than the original K’iche’-Maya text. Based on ten years of research by a leading scholar of Maya literature, this translation with extensive notes is uniquely faithful to the original language. Retaining the poetic style of the original text, the translation is also remarkably accessible to English readers.

Illustrated with more than eighty drawings, photographs, and maps, Allen J. Christenson’s authoritative version brings out the richness and elegance of this sublime work of literature, comparable to such epic masterpieces as the Ramayana and Mahabharata of India or the Iliad and Odyssey of Greece.

Print length

328 pages
Language

English
Publisher

University of Oklahoma Press
Publication date

March 1, 2007
Dimensions

6 x 0.69 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0806138394
ISBN-13

978-0806138398
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Allen J. Christenson is Associate Professor of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. He is the author of Art and Society in a Highland Maya Community: The Altarpiece of Santiago Atitlan.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Oklahoma Press; Illustrated edition (March 1, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0806138394
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0806138398
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.69 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #227,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5 in Popol Vuh
- #95 in Native American Religion
- #367 in Native American Demographic Studies

Customer Reviews:
168 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

168 global ratings

5 star		78%
4 star		12%
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Top reviews from the United States

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AP World History Review: Fantastic book on the history of the Maya

Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2014

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In Popol Vuh, anonymous Mayan authors excellently combine both the history and the lore of the Quiché Maya to tell the story of their origin and explain their existence as well as explain why things in the world happened the way that they did. As an AP World History student, I found this book incredibly intriguing. The way that Christenson translated this from the original language was not only fluid but captured the voice of the Maya. Their unique tone and style is clear and contributes a rustic feel that helps the reader clearly visualize the events being described. Both the adventures of the various Mayan gods and the tales of wars between the Quichés and the so-called nations offer an interesting read and an insight to early Central American culture.
Popol Vuh has a clear purpose. As stated in the preamble, it is to "...tell the ancient stories of the beginning, the origin of all that was done in the citadel of Quiché, among the people of the Quiché nation." The authors do this well, of course. They clearly illustrate how the earth, the animals, and the different versions of people (mud, wood, etc) were created and what purpose they served in the order of things. Animals, for example, were created to be eaten and humans were created to praise the gods. Then, slightly out of order, the stories of various human-like gods, including Hunahpu and Xbalanque, are told. These stories describe why things happen the way they do. They give explanations to things such as the size of the macaw's eyes and the wideness of the whippoorwill's mouth. Finally, Popol Vuh gives an account of the early history of the Quiché Maya. All of these combined complete a tale of the ancient stories of the beginning, as the authors reference them in the preamble, as well as the origin of the Quiché Maya and their people.

12 people found this helpful

AP World History Student

AP World History

Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2014

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This book was very fun to read! There were many parts of the book where I got confused about what was going on, but a quick reread of the section cleared things up. Christenson completed his goal of given these ancient authors their voice once more. The different writing styles throughout the piece kept it interesting as well. This Mayan story of creation had many dark twists and turns, such as when the gods were not pleased with the people created out of trees, so the sentenced to death by sending a large flood to wipe them out.

I would recommend this book to people that are interested in the ancient Mayan culture and the religion surrounding them. The Popol Vuh goes into great detail of way the gods that purposed throughout the text should be worshiped and even have human sacrifices for. This polytheistic religion was very intriguing to learn about. I ended up doing some researching of my own after completing the book. Overall, I thought that the Popol Vuh was an excellent book and I couldn't stop reading it after I started.

One person found this helpful

This is a very well researched and beautifully translated work

Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2016

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This is a very well researched and beautifully translated work. It is a little difficult to read on my iPhone in Kindle version, owing to the vast number of footnotes and explanatory notes. These are very good and thorough, but it becomes somewhat hard to follow the narrative on such a small screen. It would likely be much more easily read in print media. It is the translation of the material recorded by the Spanish from the oral account given them by the conquered Maya. Since their "books" records and genealogies were destroyed by the zealous missionaries seeking their total conversion (as an afterthought not considered to have been the best idea), this is the only surviving record of their beliefs and traditions. It is enlightening and this appears to be a very good translation.

3 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2020

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This book is an incredible read, and great quality. The binding of the book is strong. Overall, I recommend this book as a product and piece of literature.

Good read format with many footnotes.

Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2014

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I was looking forward to what ancient texts would reveal about the events beyond our understanding. It's translated well but the format is somewhat lacking. The Preface is longer than it should of been. Being straightforward, get to the content immediately, nobody really cares about the pet parrot and what cute mud puddle your child slipped on (<All my exaggeration), this book was bought on the premise that to point to history and the mystery it shrouds upon on.

Classic religious/spiritual text with important creation myths encoded.

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2016

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One of my favorite books so far. You'll notice a lot of similarities to Christian and other religious stories. This helps to show that all religions and creation stories have a unified source and are all basically teaching the same things. There is also a video version of this available on my youtube channel. Just search Popol Vuh animated version and you'll find it.

2 people found this helpful

V. M. Badertscher

Scholarly Work that Also Serves Layman

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2013

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Since I'm not a scholar, I cannot judge whether this is the best of the many translations and explications of Popol Vuh. Although the footnotes make it perhaps more detailed than an ordinary reader can digest, I learned a great deal about the Maya by reading this. Fascinating stories with fascinating parallels to legends of other religions, including Jewish and Christian.

5 people found this helpful

i still need to read this and find out where ...

Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2018

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i still need to read this and find out where i had this sent to (former place or current place).

Top reviews from other countries

A. Fosse

beautifully translated and a great insight into Mayan culture

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2013

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Everyone in the world knows something about the Mayans and their beliefs, but most don't know or understand their religion in full.
This book is very well translated and is indeed very readable for the one who knows something, and for the one who is more knowledgable.
Allen J christenson has lived with the quiché people for more than 20 years researching their history, customs and history and has a vast base of knowledge to draw upon in the translation of this text. He does explain key points when it comes to understanding the nature of the Quiché language along wiht the customs around reading of texts like this, before he delves into the history of the text itself.

As you may know the text was compiled by unknown elders around the Spanish conquest of the areas and the invasion of the priests and Christianity. The first thing the priests did when arriving in the country was to outlaw hieroglyphic writing and they burned most of the existing books in the mayan language. Something they did to make them forget that they come from a highly developed culture and to introduce christianity and European ideas. This of course made some people angry and they made the Popol Vuh to preserve their culture for the future. This text was hidden successfully for about 200 years among the elders in the town of Chichicastenango where the priest Fr Francisco Ximénes found it and convinced the elders to allow him to copy it. The original might still be out there among the village elders but this copy is the only one we know of. You can find some other text out there and i do recommend the The Codex Borgia: A Full-Color Restoration of the Ancient Mexican Manuscript (Dover Fine Art, History of Art) as a companion as these texts are fantastic and illuminating when you wish to understand the fascinating world of Mayan culture.

Christenson has managed to translate the language beautifully and legible and provides you with fantastic footnotes that adds or explain passages and certain important points in the story you read and I for one have found them to be a very important part of the experience first time you read the text. Second time around you understand their importance and meaning more fully. The stories themselves are wonderful allegorical and poetic. You will first not see all the different meanings one sentence might have until you understand how the language is built up, and this is where the footnotes plays a big part.
I fully recommend anyone interested in the culture and religion of the Maya people to pick up this one to enjoy over and over again. It is suitable for everyone and the illustrations add to the richness of your experience.

I hope to have been of assistance and wish you great reading!

4 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

A fantastic book. Packed full of useful information and a ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2017

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A fantastic book. Packed full of useful information and a great translation of the text ! Years of work to create a masterpiece .
Sometimes the notes on the text take over but would recommend that you read it first and read notes as you go then just read the Popol Vuh text.
A truly wonderful book and great as reference too.

Lorraine M Newman

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2015

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A beautiful creation myth poem, with very scholarly footnotes. Very informative, a must for research, and for enjoyment.

XIII Warrior

Classic of Humanity

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2009

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This is one of the classic texts of human spiritual experience. Mayan civilization which despite being 'off the mainstream' is nevertheless as worthy of comparitive study as the more apparently 'successful' systems which currently dominate. It is here tranliterated into english to give the closest sense to the original. Beautifully illustrated, scholarly, illuminitative notes. Most importantly, very readable.

5 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Thanks

Reviewed in Canada on August 4, 2022

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Learned a lot thanks.

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