Reviews (9)

Great edition of an essential world text - lots of helps
The Maya did not divide their everyday lives and religion.In fact, they didn't have a religion in our sense at all.Their everyday lives were bound up in visions, stories of the heavens, earth, past, and future that were not separate from the reality of their everyday experience.This book, the "Popol Vuh" means Council Book.That is, it is a book for the Lords to consult.One of its other titles is "The Light That Came From Beside the Sea".It is a document of the Quiche Maya who lived (and still live) in a portion of what is present day Guatemala.
The Greatest Work of the Americas' Greatest Civilization!
I cannot heap enough praises on this book.Bravo!
Ian Myles Slater on: Even More Definitive?
The "Popol Vuh," written in a Mayan language but a European script, is the most substantial surviving account of the Maya view of their own history, including that of their gods and divine ancestors, and has presented a host of problems for translators. The Tedlock translation of 1985 added new information to the work of many distinguished predecessors, and made substantial parts of the narrative clear (or at least much clearer).
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - Tribes    4. Native American Anthropology    5. Native American Religions    6. Popol vuh    7. Quiche Indians    8. Quiche mythology    9. Quichâe Indians    10. Quichâe mythology    11. Religion    12. Alternative belief systems    13. Central America    14. Ethnic or tribal religions    15. Other prose: classical, early & medieval    16. Sacred texts    17. Social Science / General   

Reviews (1)

Old Translation
This is a 40 year old translation with a new cover and a couple of photos. It is totally out of date and should be allowed to die. There have been so many new developments in Mayan studies that a work like this is useless. The best Popol Vuh is the one by Dennis Tedlock, also listed on Amazon. He has updated it twice so far. He speaks the language of the Popol Vuh and knows the archeaology and glyph field. Read that one! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies    2. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - Tribes    3. Native American    4. Quiche Indians    5. Quiche mythology    6. Quichâe Indians    7. Quichâe mythology    8. Religion    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Ethnic studies    12. History / Native American    13. North America   

Reviews (1)

Antiguo libro maya...
Maravilloso libro que explica la mitologia maya. La historia de un pueblo, la creacion del hombre. Realmente imperdible para aquellos estudiosos del tema, y para aquellos curiosos, como yo. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children's Books/All Ages    3. Foreign Language Study    4. General    5. Spanish    6. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Sociology    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 People & Places    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. Juvenile literature    6. People & Places - United States - Native American    7. Quichâe Indians    8. Quichâe mythology    9. Religion    10. Social Science - Folklore & Mythology    11. Social Studies - Folklore & Mythology   

Reviews (3)

The Best
I agree with the last review.This is the best version of the Popol Vuh to date.Tedlock's is good but this translation, format, and over all presentation is excellent.The first review seems to have a case of the sour grapes!

From An Attentive Reader
It would be a shame to let the slipshod and factually inaccurate review (below) pass without correction and comment as this is an exciting new scholarly edition of the most important extant Maya text.
Mayan Languages
This translation of the Popol Vuh is not very good compared to the one by Dennis Tedlock that has been updated once again. This one does, however, have some interesting new photographs from the author's research among the Tzutuhil Maya around Lake Atitlan. Note that the Tzutuhil do they speak the language of the Popol Vuh (Quiche). The errors in translation relate to the differences in these two Mayan languages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - Spirituality    2. Folklore & Mythology    3. General    4. Mythology    5. Native American Religions    6. Religion    7. Sociology    8. Central America    9. Ethnic or tribal religions    10. Myths & mythology    11. Religion / History    12. Sacred texts   

Subjects:  1. Children's All Ages    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. General    4. Literary Collections    5. Spanish: Adult Fiction   

Reviews (3)

The K'iche' Mayan sacred book
This "translation" of the K'iche' Mayan sacred book was not made from the original K'iche' Mayan text but rather it is a weak translation from an early Spanish version based on an even weaker French version. There are many many mistakes. Reader beware!

Sacred Book of the Maya
A common misconception is that the Native Americans did not have a written language. While it is true most Nations didn't, the fact is that the Zapotecs, Mayans and others in Mesoamerica did in fact have a great many books, though most of their sacred texts were lost to the fires of the Spanish conquistadors and missionaries. The Popol Vuh is a creation story and mythical history of the Quiche Maya, and one of their few books to survive. This first English translation of the book is still one of the best and certainly a great source for gaining an understanding of Mayan religion and belief. Great History
Anyone wishing to aquire a higher understanding of the Quiche` Maya and a most accurate interpretation of their Creation stories will Love this Book. While there are several interpretations of "Popol Vuh" in print,this is by far the definitive. Written as accurate to the originalmanuscripts as intended by the Mayan People. Highly recommend for anystudent of Antrhopology and/or Old-World Religion's. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History - General History    2. Latin America - Central America    3. Literary Criticism    4. Literature: Folklore/Mythology    5. Native American Anthropology    6. Reference    7. Anthropology    8. Guatemala    9. Indigenous peoples    10. Other prose: 16th to 18th centuries    11. c 1500 to c 1600   

Reviews (2)

Bad old translation
I don't know why such a weak old translation remains in print given the excellent more recent ones by folks who actually read, speak, and understand current K'iche' Maya and who also have the translators' tools for historical work. This translation is based on a one hundred-year-old French translation that was full of errors. Get Tedlock's prize-winning translation instead.

a journey in to the pre-hispanic mayan wolrld
I remember when I was about 16 or 17 years old I had to read this book as part of my homework, I became so passionate about the complete story and the journey were it takes you.It is a fascinating book that will allow you to take your self into the Mayan world and enyoy a spiritual jouney trhough time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - Tribes    2. Fiction    3. Short Stories (single author)    4. Sociology    5. Short stories   

Reviews (1)

Weird and weirder
This book is an English rendition of an ancient text known as the Popol Vuh, the Mayan equivalent of the Bible.The story describes the creation of the world, as known to the Mayans, and of nature, man, and civilization.The authenticity of this story is unknown, as there is very few copies of the original text, and they were published in a Western alphabet (Latin I believe) after the Spanish conquest of Central America.Hence the amount of corruption due to conversion from the Mayan language to a Western one, and due to socio-political pressures of the Spanish presence is unknown.
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Subjects:  1. Literature - Classics / Criticism    2. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - Tribes   

Reviews (1)

A Superb Intro to the Popol Vuh
I was looking for a preview or introduction to the Popol Vuh. I had heard of the Popol Vuh but I never took the time to study it. When I came across the Jaguar Priests, I was delighted with it. This book has made an impression on me: life is a generational process that extends before and beyond us, which leads us to work and focus on the present. I have read this book several times to myself and to others. I have read it to children and teen-agers. This book is a must to open the minds of the present Maya. A wonderful reference book for your library. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - Spirituality    2. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - Tribes    3. Folklore & Mythology - Mythology    4. History    5. Religion    6. Sociology    7. Central America    8. Literary reference works    9. Myths & mythology    10. Non-Christian religions    11. Religion / History   

Subjects:  1. Fantasy - Epic    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. Short Stories (single author)    5. Spanish: Adult Fiction   

Subjects:  1. Manuscripts, Quiché    2. Popol vuh   

Subjects:  1. Antiquity    2. Guatemala    3. Quiché Indians    4. Religion and mythology   

Subjects:  1. Folklore & Mythology - Mythology    2. Metaphysics    3. Mysticism    4. Philosophy    5. Sociology    6. Religion: general