2012 and the End of the World

Matthew Restall, Amara Solari

ISBN 10: 1442206098 / ISBN 13: 9781442206090

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, US, 2011

About this Item

Did the Maya really predict that the world would end in December of 2012? If not, how and why has 2012 millenarianism gained such popular appeal? In this deeply knowledgeable book, two leading historians of the Maya answer these questions in a succinct, readable, and accessible style. Matthew Restall and Amara Solari introduce, explain, and ultimately demystify the 2012 phenomenon. They begin by briefly examining the evidence for the prediction of the world's end in ancient Maya texts and images, analyzing precisely what Maya priests did and did not prophesize. The authors then convincingly show how 2012 millenarianism has roots far in time and place from Maya cultural traditions, but in those of medieval and Early Modern Western Europe. Revelatory any myth-busting, while remaining firmly grounded in historical fact, this fascinating book will be essential reading as the countdown to December 21, 2012, begins.

Seller Inventory # LU-9781442206090

Bibliographic Details

• Title: 2012 and the End of the World
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, US
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1442206098
• ISBN 13: 9781442206090
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 318 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Did the Maya really predict that the world would end in December of 2012? If not, how and why has 2012 millenarianism gained such popular appeal? In this deeply knowledgeable book, two leading historians of the Maya answer these questions in a succinct, readable, and accessible style. Matthew Restall and Amara Solari introduce, explain, and ultimately demystify the 2012 phenomenon. They begin by briefly examining the evidence for the prediction of the world's end in ancient Maya texts and images, analyzing precisely what Maya priests did and did not prophesize. The authors then convincingly show how 2012 millenarianism has roots far in time and place from Maya cultural traditions, but in those of medieval and Early Modern Western Europe. Revelatory any myth-busting, while remaining firmly grounded in historical fact, this fascinating book will be essential reading as the countdown to December 21, 2012, begins.

About the Author

Matthew Restall is Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of History, Anthropology, and Women's Studies at Penn State University, USA. He has written a number of history books, with titles like Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest and When Montezuma Met Cortés, but he secretly always wanted to write about music. Now the secret is out. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife (not a huge Elton John fan), his many daughters (four), and his many records (more than four).