On the Verge of Lunacy

This volume presents the history and mythology of the Aztecs, Maya and the surrounding communities and their predecessors in writing that is easy to understand. Even within just a few pages the author was able to explain the records and artifacts existing at the time of the book's publication very clearly. He begins by providing the common cultural traits of the peoples occupying the areas in what is now Mexico to the Nicoya peninsula of Costa Rica. He also gives brief accounts of the Olmecs and Zapotecs and an outline of the different periods of Mesoamerican history. There is a separate chapter about calendrics which is important in religion and sciences. Then he provides and compares the various sources of what we currently know of the customs and religion of those people. Finally, the two separate sections for Aztec and Maya mythology. The similarities and differences in the myths are provided early in the last two chapters before the recounting the stories. I didn...