• The Lost Empire of Atlantis

  • History's Greatest Mystery Revealed
  • By: Gavin Menzies
  • Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
  • Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (185 ratings)

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The Lost Empire of Atlantis  By  cover art

The Lost Empire of Atlantis

By: Gavin Menzies
Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
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Publisher's summary

The astonishing true story of Atlantis....

In 1500 B.C. a supervolcano beneath the Greek island of Santorini exploded in a near-apocalyptic eruption. Buried beneath the rubble and waves was the world’s most remarkable lost civilization....

New York Times bestselling historian Gavin Menzies presents newly uncovered evidence revealing, conclusively, that “the lost city of Atlantis” was not only real but also at the heart of a highly advanced global empire that reached the shores of America before being violently wiped from the earth.

For three millennia, the legend of Atlantis has gripped the imaginations of explorers, philosophers, occultists, treasure hunters, historians, and archaeologists. Until now, it has remained shrouded in myth. Yet, like ancient Troy, is it possible that this fabled city actually existed? If so, what happened to it and what are its secrets? The fascinating reality of Atlantis’s epic glory and destruction are uncovered, finally, in these pages in thrilling detail by the iconoclastic historian Gavin Menzies - father of some of “the most revolutionary ideas in the history of history” (New York Times).

Meticulously analyzing exciting new geologic research, recently unearthed archaeological artifacts, and cutting-edge DNA evidence, Menzies has made a jaw-dropping discovery: Atlantis truly did exist, and was part of the incredibly advanced Minoan civilization that extended from its Mediterranean base to England, India, and even America. In The Lost Empire of Atlantis, he constructs a vivid portrait of this legendary civilization and shares his remarkable findings.

As riveting as an Indiana Jones adventure, The Lost Empire of Atlantis is a revolutionary work of popular history that will forever change our understanding of the past.

©2011 Gavin Menzies (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about The Lost Empire of Atlantis

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Absolutely abominable!

I am posting this hoping that other readers might not waste their time with this book and save themselves the time where they might be doing more productive things, like watching paint dry.

The Lost Empire Of Atlantis caught my eye because it was listed in the ‘Non-Fiction Ancient History’ list of books. I assumed after reading the description, it made it sound like the book was a history of the Minoans based on archaeological digs and underwater archaeology around And on Santorini.

When I started listening, it was very confusing at first, as the first chapter kept referring to another book written by the same author, along with completely spurious claims about a “preclassical world trade empire” between the Minoan and ancient Chinese traders.

After doing some online research on the author, it turns out he spreads his fraudulent claims as facts in ‘seminars’ worldwide. His outrageous claims have no basis in fact nor do they have any basis in the archeological record.

So save your money and your time the former will only be going to support his supply of tinfoil hats, the latter you can invest on a more trustworthy cause, like the purchases of swampland in Florida.

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14 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Navigation expert views historical findings better

The internet, and prior to that, international newspapers and magazines, and books make archaeological and scientific findings accessible to anyone interested in a timely fashion.

Now, as people live longer, they can spend their time wholly devoted to mastering a career and then turn their attention to other matters of interest. Example, Christopher Dunn took his experience and knowledge of machining and recognized signs of high technology used on megaliths - where we are told simple tools shaped huge rocks.

Gavin Menzies took his expertise in navigation, knowledge of astronomy, ocean cycles, and his many travels and used that as a foundation to connect-the-dots and see how copper and tin used to make bronze, for the Bronze Age was moved about. His knowledge of ships made what would simply be a beautiful painting or fresco have deeper meaning.

The narrator did an excellent job with this book, and because the book was written both as an exploration of history, archaeological finds, scientific discoveries, astronomical knowledge, and told threaded through a narrative of travel and discovery, this book captures and holds interest the way a mystery being solved does.

I think the term "Atlantis" may be used by New Age believers who have done past life regressions and channeling in a broader sense - covering a much broader expanse of time and I still remain open to those ideas. Gavin Menzies uses "Atlantis" in the more practical sense - with no New Agey goo stuck to it. His Atlantis is the Minoans and in no way does Gavin Menzies mix his Minoans with New Age Atlantis of crystals and mind power, etc. I think both versions are possible if considering that with a broad expanse of time different peoples will rise and fall in the same area, and geology change too.

Gavin Menzies does make some excellent investigations into the description of Atlantis itself and ties it into a physical area with great skill.

It's wonderful that history can be made interesting and when a person travels and sees and investigates with applied personal knowledge some very interesting clues can be brought together.

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Great Story, Great Reader- Compare with McCollough

Would you consider the audio edition of The Lost Empire of Atlantis to be better than the print version?

Having not read the print of this, but read the print of 1421, I would say that listening to this book was even better than reading that one. Something about the way Menzies weaves together details, combined with the excellent voice of his reader, makes it almost like sitting and listening to a sailor tell tales of his time on the seas. Perhaps because his reader is also British, it almost feels as though the author is reading the book himself, to the point that it's more like he's telling you the story than writing it for someone else to read.

What did you like best about this story?

I love the way Menzies crafted this book almost like a novel. It has an attention point (his trip to Athens and the short trip to Crete), a constant foreshadowing of something surprising to come, and then a climax that would hardly be believable if it were actually in a novel. Truly, Menzies knows how to make history come to life in ways I have rarely seen before from novelists, let alone historians. As a second "best" element, I also appreciated how personal the tale was. He injects himself so fully into the story, and he connects parts of his own life to it in a way the echoes Tolkien's sidebar stories in the Lord of the Rings. One minute I'm reading about this ancient people and their imported hippo teeth, and the next he's pointing out why that matters to him because of a drunken excursion to hunt hippos one night. That element brought 1421 to life for me, and it definitely came through in this book.

Which character – as performed by Gildart Jackson – was your favorite?

As there aren't really "characters" so much in a historical novel, this question might ordinarily seem not to apply. Still, because he is British and reading for Menzies, it almost feels at times as though he is reflecting Menzies himself - he is portraying the character of the author reading his book. Jackson does not read it in a monotone, as though he was simply reporting what is on the page, but effects enough emotion and tone that it really feels like a story. Having listened to other non-fiction audiobooks before, I can say that Jackson is quite good at his craft and far superior to some who do simply seem to read blandly with little real connection to the work itself.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The title makes an excellent tagline, quite frankly. Menzies does a great job of catching the eye with his titles. I say that because his first book did just that to me some years ago as I was just wandering through a bookstore looking for something to read. 1421, The Year China Discovered America, certainly jumped off the shelf for me. In this case, The Lost Empire of Atlantis, History's Greatest Mystery Revealed, similarly accomplishes that tagline element. I had been considering this book for some time, but I couldn't find time to read it, so I was very greatful to find it on Audible.

Any additional comments?

To anyone who has ever felt history is boring, dry, and lifeless, I highly recommend the work of Gavin Menzies. In a world where so few people read, and even fewer read non-fiction, Menzies and David McCollough prove that history can be better than movies, television, and even novels when crafted together eloquently. David McCollough has been one of my favorite storytellers, and I have often told friends that he could read a phone book to someone and sound interesting. I never expected to find anyone equal to his oral talent as a historian. Menzies is definitely the first person I have ever placed on his level, and his choice of reader may have greatly helped that. I wish he, like McCollough, might read his own work just once - if only an introduction or an epilogue - to give me a chance to truly compare these two great writers of history. For now, I will at least say Menzies knows how to write an incredible story filled with facts, references, speculations, and intrigue that leave readers and listeners begging for more.

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good listen!

wonderful..interesting. ..lots of supporting evidence. a great listen! narrator was phenomenal! I dont want to spoil it but by the end the author had me convinced he was right for the most part. although I still subscribe to the thought that the technology and know how they acquired was brought from another planet as nd that they mixed with the people of earth. he never broached that but stuck with facts he could substantiate only. no conjecture.

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Amazing Discoveries About an Ancient Civilation

Where does The Lost Empire of Atlantis rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a recent favorite of my brother's. He is interested in archeology, ancient history and early travels of humans. People got much further around the world, much earlier that we've known - until recent discoveries of artifacts combined with genetic research have uncovered the paths of early travelers. Fascinating!

What did you like best about this story?

The way the recent discoveries have been combined and explained in the context of known history, as my brother discussed his thoughts about the book, makes me want to know more.

What does Gildart Jackson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

My brother has difficulty reading for any long periods of time. Having this book available in audible form, read by a good narrator, gives my brother access to a topic that he enjoys.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The lost history of an advanced civilization - an epic and revealing untold story

Any additional comments?

Thank you for audible.com My brother is a bright and inquisitive man who would not be able to access the science and history books he enjoys so much without you!

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I buy it. Don't listen to the haters.

Sometimes it takes an outsider to connect the dots. Someone not inculcated in establishment thinking and dogma. Menzies is our man...all ye truth seekers and independent thinkers.
His conclusions, based on fact, narrated through a listenable yarn will simply BLOW YOUR MIND!!

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more of a travel memoir...

Would you try another book from Gavin Menzies and/or Gildart Jackson?

not really my style in trying to uncover / relate the facts regarding a supposedly technologically advanced society (essential conclusion: "atlantians were minoans"). more of a travel memoir about meandering about the mediterranean, although informative in certain aspects...

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After reading twice, am off to Crete!

… will have more to contribute after experiencing a 14 day excursion to Minoan Crete with the Archaeological Institute of America! Listening to this book has partially prepared me for the trip.

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A half-hearted attempt to “prove” the lost city of Atlantis lies underneath the Greek islands

Assumptions are turned into facts, and the “facts” randomly tossed about to tell an unconvincing story.
Few deny the Minoans were a technologically advanced society that influenced European culture, but to argue they established trading hubs in northern Scotland and mined copper in North America’s Great Lakes region is patently ridiculous.

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Incredible Book, Worth a second read!

This book is incredible. In the midst of evaluating the future of our aging civilization, and then come across this book. Here our fears of being “forgotten” truly come to fruition. Minoans we’re capable of things that we didn’t rediscover in some cases for multiple thousands of years.

Well researched. Well thought out, and also includes tons of data from empirical studies of various disciplines. Amazing.

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