Tikal: The Center of the Maya World (Wonders of the World Book) Hardcover – November 2, 2002

Arrived in the condition stated. Thank you!

This is a very good book to get the attention of youth about the Maya. It is enjoyable for us oldsters too.

While the commentary is speculative, it attempts to paint a picture of the history and life of the Maya. It was close to what our guide told us when we were there. The 2-page photograph and 4-page foldout diagram are wonderful.The book is simplified enough for children yet detailed enough for adults to increase their knowledge.

Elizabeth Mann's "Wonders of the World" series examine buildings and other structures that range in time from Ancient Egypt to the Great Depression. Typically, her books begin by placing the featured building in their proper historical context. Once this context is established, Mann delves into the construction details of the buildigns. Each book is accompanied with detailed illustrations.It has been only in the last fifty years that the history of Tikal has been slowly unraveled with the decyphering of Mayan glyphs. Mann uses the latest archaeological findings to take young readers back to the 800's when Tikal reached its full glory. Mann writes well and both children and adults will enjoy reading the book. Of special note are the carefully rendered illustrations of Tom McNeely. His water color paintings remind me of the beautiful illustrations that graced John L Stephen's classic "Incidents of Travel in the Yucatan". Tikal is a great purchase for all those who love that heady mix of history and architecture. Highly recommended.

This book is for children, not for adults that are planning a visit to Tikal.It was disappointing for that reason.