“The Chronicle Series of history books by Thames & Hudson are in my opinion among the very best history books in the publishing world.As written by Thames & Hudson (http://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/series/chronicles.htm): "These reign-by-reign records of rulers and dynasties, from ancient Egypt to Tsarist Russia, include comprehensive timelines, datafiles, quotations, and stunning illustrations. Each book is both a highly readable popular history and a unique reference work." We agree. As written about "Hieroglyphic Writing" in this book"Maya hieroglyphs present the reader with a richness and visual elaboration unrivalled by any of the world's ancient scripts.... The discovery of the phonetic basis of hieroglyphic writing, largely the work of the Russian Yuri Knorosov, has proved the key to its decipherment." If you really want to learn about the Maya, start with this book. It is admittedly sometimes intellectually demanding reading, but in the end you will have a sound and fundamental knowledge of the Maya and be in a position to judge other, mostly lesser works in this field. What we really like about the Chronicle Series is their mixture of a superb layout with educated text and enhancing graphics. Last but not least, this is an easily consulted reference volume to be consulted time and time again. I myself would one day like to put out a photographically illustrated book on the megaliths and it would, if possible, follow this delightful book format.”
