Cahokia
Ancient America's Great City on the Mississippi
by Timothy R. Pauketat
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Pub. Ed. $22.95
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Cahokia
A thousand years ago, a Native American city named Cahokia thrived along the banks of the Mississippi. Yet by 1400 it had been abandoned. Cahokia explores the mystery of ancient America’s one true city north of Mexico. HC. 208pp. 2009.
Hardcover : 208 pages
Publisher: Viking Penguin/Div of Penguin Putnam ( August 03, 2009 )
Item #: 12-759330
ISBN: 9780670020904
Product Dimensions: 5.125 x 7.5 x 0.49inches
Product Weight: 8.0 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Too dry to finish. 
February 22, 2011
This is not a review of the full book. Unfortunately, the author's writing style was so dry and dull that I could not get past the first 50 pages. Perhaps I am too used to historical fiction, but this book just could not hold my interest.
Reviewer: Rob M
Good, but some misdirection
March 22, 2010
Pauketat's "Cahokia" (underline unavailable) is well-written and is based on intensive engagement and research about the site. If the reader is looking for content focusing altogether on the people and times of the Cahokia site, this piece may disappoint somewhat since much of the storytelling is about the saga of its archeological explorations. The reader who has any interest in an account of these studies might be inclined to award at least a four-star rating. To be fair, the story of the process is interesting, but the subtitle and promotional comments offered to the prospective reader should probably be amended to reflect its proportionate emphasis on the doings of archeologists - especially in a book that is relatively brief to begin with.
Reviewer: Charley S
An Unfinished Work
February 21, 2010
This book is an interesting introduction, but leaves a lot of uncertainty. That may simply reflect the state of empirical knowledge about Cahokia. It draws some interesting connections with the cultures that existed at the time of European penetration of the continent. It is worth reading, but left me a little unsatisfied that we really know much yet about the purpose and motivation for the construction at Cahokia. So much still has to be inferred. The connections between known facts that have been studied in isolation could be a good foundation for another generation of research. I don't regret reading the book, but I'll look forward to new material in the future.
Reviewer: Charlie R
January 19, 2010
good book, very interesting for any one that has interest in pre-columbian america. astounding what man kind can come up with. i wish the authors had fleshed out the possible connections with some of the central american construction. and just a bit more about the remnants of the cahokian society that remained with some of the indians that the europeans encountered. i would recommend to others
Reviewer: blaine A
Some Questions Answered
November 21, 2009
Cahokia is an interesting book. Some chapters are more interesting than others. I have taken my students there on field trips over several years and have always been intrigued by the civilization that once lived there. Through reading this book I have learned more about the Cahokians, their use of chunky for games possibly for political reasons as well as military reasons, their practice of sacrificial offerings and much more. I have always been curious as to why it failed and that is yet to be answered.
Reviewer: Dorothy O
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