Four Lost Cities

[E]xcellent...fair, judicious, open-minded...the strength of the book arises from distrust of elites and preference for common people. -- Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Wall Street Journal [An] astounding reflection on the rise and fall of civilisations...energising. -- Nilanjana Roy, Financial Times The book functions as a travel guide to places that no longer exist...[it] filled me with wonder. -- Russell Shorto, New York Times Book Review Newitz clearly draws parallels and lessons for the here and now from these once-vast settlements...Highly recommended. -- Booklist (starred review) [A] richly detailed, progressively minded history...Newitz skillfully fuses personal reflections with scientific observations, and offers a welcome tribute to the legacy of human resilience. -- Publishers Weekly [W]ell-researched, current, and directly applicable to our modern lives...An excellent contribution to literature on ancient civilization and complexity. -- Library Journal A revealing look at the ancient past that speaks thoughtfully to the global-warming present. -- Kirkus Reviews Cheerful, curious, amused, and amusing, Annalee Newitz is a fabulous tour guide through the latest archaeological perspectives on four of humankind's most remarkable urban experiments. Along the way, Newitz dispels myths, evokes fascinating stories-and makes us think hard about our own urban future. -- Charles Mann, author of 1491 and 1493 Newitz always sees to the heart of complex systems and breaks them down with poetic ferocity. -- N. K. Jemisin, author of the Broken Earth trilogy and The City We Became Annalee Newitz is a brilliant writer with the heart of an archaeologist and the soul of a visionary. Four Lost Cities should open our eyes to all that may happen to our cities in the future. Vibrant and adventurous, this is a necessary book for turbulent times. -- Sarah Parcak, archaeologist and author of Archaeology from Space Drawing on four examples from the ancient world, Annalee Newitz gives us clear-eyed insight into how cities never are truly lost; they just change with their times. Newitz takes readers on a journey that reveals as much about the future of cities as it does about our urban past. Beautifully written, Four Lost Cities tells a fascinating tale of disaster and resilience that is welcome in our uncertain era. -- Andrew Lawler, author of The Secret Token In their fascinating book Four Lost Cities, Annalee Newitz journeys to a quartet of ancient ghost cities, asking not only why they once thrived but why they ultimately vanished. The result is a deeply insightful look at human culture everywhere: inventive, social, resilient, and hauntingly fragile. -- Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Poison Squad