The Anasazi of Chaco Canyon: Greatest Mystery of the American Southwest

Have read several articles, books, etc about the Anasazi and it is my hope to see more of their home in the Four Corners area. I found this book to be interesting, reading almost like novel. Though we may never solve the many mysteries of Chaco Canyon and the surrounding areas, it slowly adds more clues that point to more mystery. All in all, they capture the imagination; to see the shadowy people going about their lives in our mind's eye, hoping to eventually bring them out of the shadows and into focus.

Widner's Chaco Canyon is a work of love as is shown by his research. He has spent many hours on site and in the library not to mention dreaming about Chaco Canyon in his dreams (all my opinion). This is one of many good references regarding this area and is worthy of one's time. If you have a deeper interest there are early views of Chaco Canyon taken by outstanding photographers for postcard usage. I am sure they could be found on internet.

Charming and informatively written; full of thought-provoking detail. Woefully edited, unfortunately, with numerable needless repetitions, grammar, structural, even spelling errors. Illustrations reproduced very poorly; needs a map. Given more recent scientific research, this would benefit from updating in a second edition.

What a fascinating historical review of the ancient people of the American Southwest! And, it is wonderful how the personality and sense of humor of the author come through as he talks about this great adventure. Having lived in Albuquerque, NM for a couple of years, where you come across bits-and-pieces of Native American history, this account of the ancient history of the indigenous nations was really interesting, informative and enlightening. With so many Pueblos along the Rio Grande river, I now have to wonder how many of these were descendants of the Chacoan-era Anasazi? I especially loved Part 3, and I'll just leave it at that. What a great way to end a great story. Would have liked to see more images and photos....

Very readable. The summarization of the various mysteries is solid. The fictional part, a speculation on how Chaco Canyon happened and then fell apart, is great for starting a conversation. I'm glad it was in a section by itself and accompanied with the right disclaimers.

On first try at reading I gave up less than halfway through, because of the very poor editing and my questioning of the intent of the author. I gave the book an overly generous rating.Bored and looking for something in my library to read a few years after the initial attempt, I noticed that i had previously suspended reading it. I decided to read the reviews, many of which were glowing, and decided to give it another try. After plowing through even more abysmally poor editing, and concluding that the author had never decided whether to write a factual survey of scientific study of Chacoan history and culture, or to pen a fictional short story set in Chaco Canyon, I concluded that I had been correct in giving up at my first attempt.

Kyle Widner has managed to keep his excitement over Chaco Canyon that I have seen expressed by every college student I have seen there. I don’t know how long the students maintain their excitement, but it is very clear that Widner has maintained his excitement over many years. And rightly so. There is a sacredness about the place that our modern edifices have long lost if they ever had it. Widner demonstrates his excitement and wonder on every page. He doesn’t share the sacredness one can experience sitting in the silence of a kiva, but I know he has experienced it. Perhaps it should not be shared. Perhaps that is The Greatest Mystery. Perhaps it should just be held close by the individual. If the reader has been to Chaco Widner produces a lot of hmm, hmm. If the reader has not been there Widner may create a stirring that will cause the reader to move in that direction. Perhaps you will solve the Greatest Mystery of the Southwest.

The opening chapter of this book seems pointless, designed, I think, to demonstrate the author is willing to rough it in the wilderness for a few days as he wanders around some SW canyons and gets lost for a while on the return trip. The rest of book provided insights based on the scholarly work of others topped off with a chapter of the author's theory that is plausible. It is a quick read. For excellent insight into Chaco Canyon and the Anasazi, I recommend Craig's Child book "House of Rain", which at nearly 600 pages is not a quick read, but is a splendid examination of the Anazazi throughout the Four Corners region over time (and beautifully written).

Lack of quality images, diagrams or maps of the site.

Easy and fun to read

Amazing book