Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age

Four Lost Cities is a book by Annalee Newitz that explores the rise and fall of four ancient cities: Çatalhöyük, Pompeii, Angkor, and Cahokia. It investigates the cutting-edge research in archaeology and the workers who built these cities and created monuments that lasted millennia. The book predicts a future in which the majority of people will be living in cities and reveals something of our own fate.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 16 March 2021
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

In her captivating book, Four Lost Cities, acclaimed science journalist Annalee Newitz takes readers on an exhilarating and thought-provoking expedition into the rich tapestry of urban history. Spanning across centuries and continents, Newitz delves into the rise and fall of four ancient cities, each serving as the epicenter of a sophisticated civilization: the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük in Central Turkey, the Roman town of Pompeii on Italy's southern coast, the medieval metropolis of Angkor in Cambodia, and the indigenous American metropolis Cahokia, situated beside the Mississippi River, where East St. Louis now stands.

Newitz embarks on a remarkable journey to each of these sites, conducting groundbreaking archaeological research that unveils the intricate interplay of environmental factors and political upheaval that led to the demise of these ancient settlements. Through her meticulous exploration, she sheds light on the early stages of urban planning and introduces us to the often-unrecognized individuals—slaves, women, immigrants, and manual laborers—who played a pivotal role in constructing these cities and leaving behind monuments that have stood the test of time for millennia.

Four Lost Cities is not merely a voyage into the distant past; it also serves as a poignant reflection on our present and an insightful glimpse into our collective future. As the global population continues to urbanize, this book offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that cities present. It may even shed light on our own destiny as inhabitants of this rapidly changing world.

Weight: 562g
Dimension: 162 x 238 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780393652666