Rating: 
Summary: Interesting read
Review: Childress opened my eyes to a new world of suppressed/lost discoveries in archeology. Given some of the examples in the book, current dogma deserves as much scrutiny as the "underdog" theories of ancient civilizations. However, Childress gets personal in his travel dialogue and some of the ancient civilization subjects are just briefly mentioned. But overall, it was very interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting book, regardless of factual errors.
Review: David H. Childress's Lost City series has been one of the most interesting collection of books I have read in a long time, however, I really don't know how accurate many of his theories are. Even many minor statements he makes, such as "Native Americans can not grow facial hair" are fallacies, I know an abundance of Native Americans, and they're facial hair rivals that of Che and Fidel. So when a guy gets facts as simple as these garbled, how much credibility can he possibly have when he starts rambling on about "Smithsoniangate", and "living dinosaurs".I find these possibilites as intriuguing as the next guy, but exactly where is his proof. He cites some archival information from an Arizona newspaper as proof that in the Grand Canyon in the early 1900's researchers found a cave full of Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Egyptian artifacts, and the Smithsonian museum came in and barricaded the area to this day(sort of like Raiders of the Lost Ark). And he uses oral history as proof that there are living Pteradactyls in the forests of Arizona. Perhaps Childress is correct in these assertions, and the US gov't is suppressing evidence of his relatively outlandish claims, then again, perhaps he's just trying to exploit the gullibility of the American public. But judging from his appearances on various talk shows, my guess is that he honestly believes that the gov't is suppressing information on the esoteric subjects he discusses in his books, of course this doesn't neccessarily mean that he's correct in these claims. I suppose that Childress's writings are extremely interesting, whether they are complete fabrications or are truisms. Reading this book certainly won't make you a better person, but it will force you to question what the author is claiming(that the US gov't is involved in clandestine activities of a paranormal nature, and that there are living prehistoric creatures), and will almost definitely force you to ponder what the US gov't plans to accomplish by suppressing ancient history(from my perspective they recieve no incentive by suppressing info that would link the Egyptians with North America). If you have a relatively large amount of time on your hands, I would definitely recommend this book, it makes you question the "accepted" history of the North American continent, but it also frustrates the reader with the lack of viable evidence to support his outrageous suggestions.
Rating:
Summary: Been there, done that, read it!
Review: Having not only read the book but also having checked out a number of acknowledged sites within the continental United States, I most happily recommend this bokk to anyone interested in the field of archaeology. It is refreshing to note that the author is not taken in by every story that he hears but neither does he pass them off without some form of "seasoned" comment. Even though it is filled with personal comments and banter, it must be remembered that this is a "traveling narrative" and a good one at that. As I said previously, I have personally visited a number of the sites in this book and have found the author's discriptions to be exact and his references to be valid. If you are ever in Cuba, N.M. stop by and see Bill Fortini, area archaeologist for the Gallina area of the Santa Fe National Forest and ask him to show you the "towers" mentioned on pages 366-369 of the book. They really are there!
Rating:
Summary: Lost Cities of North & Central America
Review: I could not put the book down, until I had consumed over half the material. It make for a great read and a must for the curious traveler. This book will really make you reconsider some of the things you were taught in school.
Rating:
Summary: The perfect book for maverick archaeologists
Review: I enjoy Childress' books mainly because he comes across as very honest, although he engages in too much speculation to be taken at face value. Overall I find his books a very engaging read, and the speculative aspect, though often unscientific, is very entertaining. Moreover, the amazing amount of study and travel he has done brings a certain amount of credibility to his work.
Rating:
Summary: I thought it was great
Review: I enjoyed this book very much.I thought he did a great job of including the known facts along with the legends and hearsay. It is refreshing to hear the "other side of the debate" concerning the continent's archeology by some one who's enthusiam for the subject prevades the book and succeeded in infecting me with a desire to see these sites for myself.It was a bit long winded in trivia at times but that was easy to skim through.Beware those afflicted by the prevailing myopic dogma, this book will only irritate you and raise your ire.
Rating:
Summary: Highly entertaining
Review: I received this book as a birthday present last month from a friend who has read a number of Childress's books. As we share an interest in anthropology and have visited some of the sites in New Mexico mentioned in this book, she thought I would enjoy it. And I did! This book is part travelogue, part archaeology text, and part collection of legends, folktales, and any odd theories he comes across. The mix makes for interesting reading. Childress is intelligent and well-informed but quirky as well. His observations on people he meets and life in the places he visits are at times insightful, funny, and strange. The only warning I'd give is that the books published by Adventures Unlimited tend to be poorly edited so don't be surprised to find some spelling and grammar errors present. Still, these errors didn't detract from my enjoyment of "Lost Cities of North and Central America." This isn't a serious academic text, but it's quite informative, an excellent read, and lots of fun!
Rating:
Summary: Did the Egyptians Colonize North America?
Review: I was amazed by this book: The author, while travelling from Central America to Canada provides evidence for North America being colonized by Egyptians, Chinese, Phoenecians and other ancient civilizations. The most amazing part of the book was the story of an Egyptian city in the Grand Canyon. Childress reproduces the actual Arizona newsclippings from 1909. Like his other books, this one is richly illustrated, far-out and fun to read!
Rating: 
Summary: I had High Hopes, but ...
Review: I was sorely disappointed. This book looks like it was printed in a home officer before the days of capable desktop publishing. I just don't understand how such an interesting topic could be reduced to such a terrible book, but it is. Main problems with the book: It reads like a random, unedited and self-indulgent roam of the author. It is replete with grammatical errors, misspelled words and simply stupid sentences. I just don't care whether the author enjoyed a particular meal (described in excruciatingly boring detail) so much as I care about the title topic, and the book seems replete with a self-centeredness that only Childress' mother will appreciate. "I wore a white cotton shirt from Patagonia made with organic cotton grown in the upper Hullaga Valley of SOuth AMerica. It was getting dirty by now, so I stopped in a convenience store to buy some washing power. I was surprised to find that they carried "Tide" in Guatemala, but I was relieved. I loved that shirt, you see." Give me a break. Who cares? I want Lost Cities, not a juvenile's diary of his camping trip. Look for other books on this very interesting subject.
Rating:
Summary: Review by George Erikson, coauthor of Atlantis In America
Review: If a pagan and primitive band of Asians wandered over 3,000 miles atop 2 mile thick icesheets (and brought enough food for the journey), settled all of the Americas, and then remained primitive and pagan until Conquistadors and Missionaries of the Church of the Inquisition arrived to set them straight, they hardly could have built the enigmatic (and often mathematically sophisticated) monuments that David Childress has encountered throughout the Americas. For one that Childress missed -- and for an important link to ancient navigational cultures -- see Atlantis in America.
|
