Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age by Annalee Newitz

Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age by Annalee Newitz

This fascinating book takes a hard look at four ancient cities that rose and fell due to politics and climate. Catalhoyuk, in present-day Turkey, shows humans transitioning from nomads to a densely packed community that eventually was abandoned due to years of cold and drought. Pompeii was buried during a volcanic eruption with survivors relocating to surrounding communities. Angkor in Thailand was lush with waterways and temples until the infrastructure became too difficult to maintain and the leadership became shaky. Cahokia, near modern-day St. Louis, supported a large gathering place until flood and drought likely took a toll.

The author visits each site and digs into the stories of everyday people; how they lived, why they came together, and why they eventually sought new opportunities. Complex ideas are broken down and each city receives an approachable and readable description. It’s not hard to see the correlations between the ancient past and some of the issues faced by humanity today.

Carol is the Director of the Churchill County Library. She is happy to be surrounded daily by books.