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Four Lost Cities

A Secret History of the Urban Age
By Annalee Newitz
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Check link for latest rating. ( 7,221 ratings, 1,022 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz explores the rise and fall of ancient cities that were once thriving urban centres. The book delves into the archaeological and anthropological aspects of these cities to uncover why their inhabitants eventually abandoned them. Through engaging storytelling, it examines the social, political, and environmental factors contributing to their decline, offering insight into urban life across different eras.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by archaeology and history, as it takes you on an intriguing journey through the rise and fall of ancient urban centres. With a blend of scientific insight and storytelling, it explores the forces that shaped these forgotten cities, making it an enlightening read for anyone curious about human civilisation and urban development.

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A fascinating look at four of the most spectacular cities in human history—and why they were all abandoned.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In Four Lost Cities, acclaimed science journalist Annalee Newitz takes readers on an entertaining and mind-bending adventure into the deep history of urban life. Investigating across the centuries and around the world, Newitz explores the rise and fall of four ancient cities, each the centre of a sophisticated civilisation: the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in Central Turkey, the Roman vacation town of Pompeii on Italy's southern coast, the medieval megacity of Angkor in Cambodia, and the indigenous metropolis Cahokia, which stood beside the Mississippi River where East St. Louis is today.

Newitz travels to all four sites and investigates the cutting-edge research in archaeology, revealing the mix of environmental changes and political turmoil that doomed these ancient settlements. Tracing the early development of urban planning, Newitz also introduces us to the often anonymous workers—slaves, women, immigrants, and manual labourers—who built these cities and created monuments that lasted millennia.

Four Lost Cities is a journey into the forgotten past, but, foreseeing a future in which the majority of people on Earth will be living in cities, it may also reveal something of our own fate.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz is acclaimed for dismantling myths and uncovering intriguing narratives about ancient urban cultures. Reviewers highlight Newitz's ability to distil complex systems into engaging discussions, provoking thought about contemporary urban life and its future.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780393882452

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 February 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Illustration: 4 maps

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 211.0mm

Weight: 255g

Pages: 320

Collections

Annalee Newitz Education & Reference History & Archaeology History & Military Science & Nature Uncategorised

About the Author

Annalee Newitz is a journalist and author of the national bestseller Four Lost Cities. They write for the New York Times and New Scientist and co-host the Hugo Award–winning podcast Our Opinions Are Correct. They live in San Francisco.

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