CHARLES MANN is the co-author of four books, including The Second Creation: Makers of the Revolution in 20th Century Physics and the bestselling 1491 (2005/6). He is the correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly and Science magazines, and editorial co-ordinator for the internationally best-selling Material World books. He lives in Massachusetts.
A New York Times Notable Book A TIME Magazine Best Book of the Year A Washington Post Notable Book Fascinating. . . . Lively. . . . A convincing explanation of why our world is the way it is. -- The New York Times Book Review Even the wisest readers will find many surprises here. . . . Like 1491, Mann's sequel will change worldviews. -- San Francisco Chronicle Exemplary in its union of meaningful fact with good storytelling, 1493 ranges across continents and centuries to explain how the world we inhabit came to be. -- The Washington Post Engaging . . . Mann deftly illuminates contradictions on a human scale: the blind violence and terror at Jamestown, the cruel exploitation of labor in the silver mines of Bolivia, the awe felt by Europeans upon first seeing a rubber ball bounce. -- The New Yorker Revelatory. --Lev Grossman, Time Magazine Compelling and eye-opening. -- Publishers Weekly Top 100 Books of 2011 A book to celebrate. . . A bracingly persuasive counternarrative to the prevailing mythology about the historical significance of the 'discovery' of America. . . 1493 is rich in detail, analytically expansive and impossible to summarize. . . [Mann's book] deserves a prominent place among that very rare class of books that can make a difference in how we see the world, although it is neither a polemic nor a work of advocacy. Thoughtful, learned and respectful of its subject matter, 1493 is a splendid achievement. -- The Oregonian Despite his scope, Mann remains grounded in fascinating details. . . . Such technical insights enhance a very human story, told in lively and accessible prose. -- Cleveland Plain-Dealer Mann's excitement never flags as he tells his breathtaking story. . . There is grandeur in this view of the past that looks afresh at the different parts of the world and the parts each played in shaping