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Meet Me in Atlantis: Across Three Continents in Search of the Legendary Sunken City
“Adventurous, inquisitive and mirthful, Mark Adams gamely sifts through the eons of rumor, science, and lore to find a place that, in the end, seems startlingly real indeed.” –Hampton Sides
“Infused with humor and pop culture references, Adams makes what could have been a tedious recitation of theories into an exciting adventure.” -Chicago Tribune
“Writing with the same jaunty style as Turn Right at Machu Picchu, Adams merrily entertains the lost-cities audience.” –Booklist
A few years ago, Mark Adams made a strange discovery: Far from alien conspiracy theories and other pop culture myths, everything we know about the legendary lost city of Atlantis comes from the work of one man, the Greek philosopher Plato. Stranger still: Adams learned there is an entire global sub-culture of amateur explorers who are still actively and obsessively searching for this sunken city, based entirely on Plato’s detailed clues. What Adams didn’t realize was that Atlantis is kind of like a virus—and he’d been exposed.
In Meet Me in Atlantis, Adams racks up frequent-flier miles tracking down these Atlantis obsessives, trying to determine why they believe it's possible to find the world's most famous lost city—and whether any of their theories could prove or disprove its existence. The result is a classic quest that takes readers to fascinating locations to meet irresistible characters; and a deep, often humorous look at the human longing to rediscover a lost world.
From the Hardcover edition.
“Infused with humor and pop culture references, Adams makes what could have been a tedious recitation of theories into an exciting adventure.” -Chicago Tribune
“Writing with the same jaunty style as Turn Right at Machu Picchu, Adams merrily entertains the lost-cities audience.” –Booklist
A few years ago, Mark Adams made a strange discovery: Far from alien conspiracy theories and other pop culture myths, everything we know about the legendary lost city of Atlantis comes from the work of one man, the Greek philosopher Plato. Stranger still: Adams learned there is an entire global sub-culture of amateur explorers who are still actively and obsessively searching for this sunken city, based entirely on Plato’s detailed clues. What Adams didn’t realize was that Atlantis is kind of like a virus—and he’d been exposed.
In Meet Me in Atlantis, Adams racks up frequent-flier miles tracking down these Atlantis obsessives, trying to determine why they believe it's possible to find the world's most famous lost city—and whether any of their theories could prove or disprove its existence. The result is a classic quest that takes readers to fascinating locations to meet irresistible characters; and a deep, often humorous look at the human longing to rediscover a lost world.
From the Hardcover edition.
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2015
143 people are currently reading
2771 people want to read
About the author
Mark Adams
33 books87 followersMark Adams is the author of the acclaimed history Mr. America, which The Washington Post named a Best Book of 2009, and the New York Times bestsellers Turn Right at Machu Picchu, which Men's Journal selected as one of the Fifty Greatest Adventure Books of All Time, and Meet Me in Atlantis. His work appears in many national publications, including GQ, Rolling Stone, Outside and the New York Times. He lives near New York City with his family.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 294 reviews
January 5, 2019
I loved this book!
(I won this book in a goodreads giveaway, and very glad that I did.)
A clear, nonbiased, logical approach to the myth-story-legend-maybeitwasreal place called Atlantis, and which has fascinated storytellers, scientists, historians, philosophers and just plain ordinary folk for over a thousand years. Adams is straightforward, to-the-point, investigating many of the major players in this search, outlining their strengths, weaknesses, fallacies, and whatever else he comes up with. Adams does not play favorites; he is quick to challenge long-entrenched beliefs and 'evidence' that simply doesn't hold up.
(And btw, I never could figure out where HE stands on the subject.)
He gets a lead; he follows it. He hears about someone with an idea, a theory, some 'evidence,' and hunts him or her down and interrogates, interviews, questions, engages with said person. He travels wherever the trail leads: Malta, Morocco, Greece, Spain - I must have left some out - and to the supposed site/sites of the great city/metropolis/whateveritwas (or maybe was) to investigate. I felt like I was tramping along right behind him, maybe carrying a spare backpack and a couple of water bottles.
He admits, and often, that 'mainstream science' isn't on board when it comes to this topic, that for most scientists this isn't a 'gray area' - it's just not an area at all. But he also ferrets out a few mainstreamers who have their doubts, who are willing to say well...maybe...
The only part of the book which lost me was when he got heavily into the mathematical aspect of Plato's Republic. (Plato being the single source from which Atlantis, real or not, whatever, sprung.) But his stuff on natural catastrophes throughout history, the 'real cities' which are being dug up in and around the Mediterranean, and what makes a myth a myth - great stuff.
Five stars.
(I won this book in a goodreads giveaway, and very glad that I did.)
A clear, nonbiased, logical approach to the myth-story-legend-maybeitwasreal place called Atlantis, and which has fascinated storytellers, scientists, historians, philosophers and just plain ordinary folk for over a thousand years. Adams is straightforward, to-the-point, investigating many of the major players in this search, outlining their strengths, weaknesses, fallacies, and whatever else he comes up with. Adams does not play favorites; he is quick to challenge long-entrenched beliefs and 'evidence' that simply doesn't hold up.
(And btw, I never could figure out where HE stands on the subject.)
He gets a lead; he follows it. He hears about someone with an idea, a theory, some 'evidence,' and hunts him or her down and interrogates, interviews, questions, engages with said person. He travels wherever the trail leads: Malta, Morocco, Greece, Spain - I must have left some out - and to the supposed site/sites of the great city/metropolis/whateveritwas (or maybe was) to investigate. I felt like I was tramping along right behind him, maybe carrying a spare backpack and a couple of water bottles.
He admits, and often, that 'mainstream science' isn't on board when it comes to this topic, that for most scientists this isn't a 'gray area' - it's just not an area at all. But he also ferrets out a few mainstreamers who have their doubts, who are willing to say well...maybe...
The only part of the book which lost me was when he got heavily into the mathematical aspect of Plato's Republic. (Plato being the single source from which Atlantis, real or not, whatever, sprung.) But his stuff on natural catastrophes throughout history, the 'real cities' which are being dug up in and around the Mediterranean, and what makes a myth a myth - great stuff.
Five stars.
January 5, 2019
I've read a lot of books about Atlantis, novels, of course, but also non-fiction. Back in the 70s, I was so fascinated by the idea that the Greek island of Santorini was the basis of Atlantis that I visited it. However, I did not stay at the Hotel Atlantis, but slept on the beach, a great way to save money. Adams also goes to Santorini--so a high point of the book for me--as well as other sites. I enjoyed the book greatly as Adams did his research and writes with humor, especially about the people who are obsessed with finding Atlantis. As every schoolkid should know, the story of Atlantis goes back to just one source--the writings of Plato. Adams does a great job analyzing Plato, particularly his interest in Pythagorean mathematical theory. A little hard going there, as math was never my strong point! But, overall, a very engaging read. And this may not be a surprising SPOILER, but Adams comes to no conclusion concerning the existence of Atlantis. I now feel Plato's story may be the earliest example of science fiction. But I still like the idea of Santorini being the closest thing to Atlantis that we know.
May 25, 2015
Interesting subject and the author did some extensive research but it didn't hold my interest all the way through as I had hoped it would. I found myself skimming parts toward the end. It began to read like a textbook and while the topic is incredibly interesting, it started to drag on. The reader knows he doesn't find Atlantis but you're still expecting a little more throughout the book. A good read for those historically interested in Atlantis but if you're just looking for a good adventure story about a lost city, look further.
April 2, 2016
If you ever want to travel around the Mediterranean and learn some stuff, without ever leaving your armchair, Meet Me in Atlantis: My Quest to Find the 2,500-Year-Old Sunken City is a good way to do it, as Adams takes you on his personal journey in search of the “real” story of Plato’s lost city of Atlantis.
This book is in part a travelogue, as you go with him to meet many of the current preeminent “Atlantologists”, and then travel with them to their purported Atlantis sites, including southern Spain, Morocco, Malta, Santorini and mainland Greece.
It is also an intellectual journey, with ponderings and analyses of ancient Greek literature, mathematics, geology, archeology, mythology, and Plato, especially Plato. Adams has done a ton of research and it shows. There is much to learn here. We hear about the myths, writings and physical evidence of ancient cataclysms, volcanos, floods and various other sundry catastrophes that could have caused the destruction of Atlantis, or at least may have inspired the whole tale. We learn of the Pythagoreans and how their mathematics winds through much of Plato’s writings. We are told of the Athens of old, of Socrates, Plato and the Academia. And Adam’s teachings go on.
But above all, Adam’s voyages are entertaining, and fun, with a huge dash of his own quirky and ever so contemporary humor. Adams maintains his initial skepticism throughout, and is able to keep a sense of humor as he interviews a steady stream of obsessive and rather crazy Atlantis aficionados.
Yet despite all of this, somehow Adams gets a little bogged down in his explorations. His discussions and analyses at times become repetitive and even a touch pedantic, especially as the book progresses, and the reader gradually becomes dulled. Adams conclusions are all neatly wrapped up, but coming as they do at the end of it all, seem rather tired.
So, 3 stars for me. Entertaining, interesting and a bit boring.
This book is in part a travelogue, as you go with him to meet many of the current preeminent “Atlantologists”, and then travel with them to their purported Atlantis sites, including southern Spain, Morocco, Malta, Santorini and mainland Greece.
It is also an intellectual journey, with ponderings and analyses of ancient Greek literature, mathematics, geology, archeology, mythology, and Plato, especially Plato. Adams has done a ton of research and it shows. There is much to learn here. We hear about the myths, writings and physical evidence of ancient cataclysms, volcanos, floods and various other sundry catastrophes that could have caused the destruction of Atlantis, or at least may have inspired the whole tale. We learn of the Pythagoreans and how their mathematics winds through much of Plato’s writings. We are told of the Athens of old, of Socrates, Plato and the Academia. And Adam’s teachings go on.
But above all, Adam’s voyages are entertaining, and fun, with a huge dash of his own quirky and ever so contemporary humor. Adams maintains his initial skepticism throughout, and is able to keep a sense of humor as he interviews a steady stream of obsessive and rather crazy Atlantis aficionados.
Yet despite all of this, somehow Adams gets a little bogged down in his explorations. His discussions and analyses at times become repetitive and even a touch pedantic, especially as the book progresses, and the reader gradually becomes dulled. Adams conclusions are all neatly wrapped up, but coming as they do at the end of it all, seem rather tired.
So, 3 stars for me. Entertaining, interesting and a bit boring.
July 20, 2015
Lots of fun! It lagged a bit at around the halfway mark, with talk of rings, canals, and plains becoming somewhat repetitive, but the second half was even better than the first, and the book finished strong. I had expected more on the history of the myth of Atlantis, and Adams is very much focused on the location of the “historical” Atlantis, if any. As it turns out, though, Adams's chatty, travelogue presentation of the efforts of a host of enthusiasts to identify an actual site which matches all of Plato's clues makes for an intriguing story too. The personalities of the Atlantis theorists were the most enjoyable aspect of the book for me—Adams does a lovely job with his characters. He is interested and sympathetic, and he presents all these people, with their passion and quirkiness, in a kindly light. Not quite the book I expected, but a quick and very enjoyable read!
March 1, 2018
Like almost all of the reviewers, I grabbed this book (from the library) shortly after reading "Right Turn at Machu Picchu", expecting the same type of lively and witty writing...hopefully relating adventures experienced while searching for the most elusive mythological place in all of history. Right from the start, I realized that that was not to be. This was to be an intellectual journey...with Socrates (i.e. Plato) as the guide...with author Mark Adams as the foil. At first, I didn't much care for the book and seriously doubted if I would finish, but then I decided to learn a bit more about Plato by taking a lecture series dealing with 'The Republic" (and actually trying to read a translation of the most famous philosophical book in all of history). You'll see those reviews on Goodreads in the near future.
"Meet Me in Atlantis", I'm convinced, was a thinly veiled excuse to visit some far-flung locations throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and northern Africa while talking to a litany of 'experts' about the existence and location of the Lost Continent of Atlantis...many of them really smart...many out for a buck...many with serious mental imbalances, but all truly obsessed. As the book progressed I enjoyed meeting these folks and hearing their points-of-view over beer and wine in some of the nicest places in the world.
In the end, it's the philosophy of Plato and his world view, that this tale is ultimately about. For instance, Plato has his Critias describing the vitues of the Atlanteans, explaining:
"For many generations, as long as the divine nature lasted in them, they were obedient to the laws, and well-affectioned towards the god, whose seed they were; for they possessed true and in every way great spirits, uniting gentleness with wisdom in the various chances of life, and in their intercourse with one another. They despised everything but virtue, caring little for their present state of life, and thinking lightly of the possession of gold and other property, which seemed only a burden to them; neither were they intoxicated by luxury; nor did wealth deprive them of their self-control; but they were sober, and saw clearly that all these goods are increased by virtue and friendship with one another, whereas by too great regard and respect for them, they are lost and friendship with them."
However, the Atlanteans became corrupt as:
"...when the divine portion began to fade away, and became diluted too often and too much with the mortal admixture, and the human nature got the upper hand, they then, being unable to bear their fortune, behaved unseemly, and to him who had an eye to see grew visibly debased, for they were losing the fairest of their precious gifts; but to those who had no eye to see the true happiness, they appeared glorious and blessed at the very time when they were full of avarice and unrighteous power."
Some of that sounds all to familiar, almost biblical and antediluvian, eh? Sodom and Gomorrah? Noah, and all that?
Is/was there a place/continent of Atlantis? I don't know...Mark Adams doesn't know...even Plato didn't know...it seems, only The Shadow knows.
I recommend this well-written, entertaining book (after a brief review ow whoever the heck Plato was). You will wish it was longer...
"Meet Me in Atlantis", I'm convinced, was a thinly veiled excuse to visit some far-flung locations throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and northern Africa while talking to a litany of 'experts' about the existence and location of the Lost Continent of Atlantis...many of them really smart...many out for a buck...many with serious mental imbalances, but all truly obsessed. As the book progressed I enjoyed meeting these folks and hearing their points-of-view over beer and wine in some of the nicest places in the world.
In the end, it's the philosophy of Plato and his world view, that this tale is ultimately about. For instance, Plato has his Critias describing the vitues of the Atlanteans, explaining:
"For many generations, as long as the divine nature lasted in them, they were obedient to the laws, and well-affectioned towards the god, whose seed they were; for they possessed true and in every way great spirits, uniting gentleness with wisdom in the various chances of life, and in their intercourse with one another. They despised everything but virtue, caring little for their present state of life, and thinking lightly of the possession of gold and other property, which seemed only a burden to them; neither were they intoxicated by luxury; nor did wealth deprive them of their self-control; but they were sober, and saw clearly that all these goods are increased by virtue and friendship with one another, whereas by too great regard and respect for them, they are lost and friendship with them."
However, the Atlanteans became corrupt as:
"...when the divine portion began to fade away, and became diluted too often and too much with the mortal admixture, and the human nature got the upper hand, they then, being unable to bear their fortune, behaved unseemly, and to him who had an eye to see grew visibly debased, for they were losing the fairest of their precious gifts; but to those who had no eye to see the true happiness, they appeared glorious and blessed at the very time when they were full of avarice and unrighteous power."
Some of that sounds all to familiar, almost biblical and antediluvian, eh? Sodom and Gomorrah? Noah, and all that?
Is/was there a place/continent of Atlantis? I don't know...Mark Adams doesn't know...even Plato didn't know...it seems, only The Shadow knows.
I recommend this well-written, entertaining book (after a brief review ow whoever the heck Plato was). You will wish it was longer...
January 30, 2016
This book was seriously awesome. It was pretty much a total study of the idea of Atlantis from Plato through the current batch of wack jobs that desperately want it to be true and full of magical alien beings that wear sexy steam-punk garb. Or something like that.
He is thoroughly skeptical, but is incredibly good natured when interviewing and traveling with the conspiracy theorist and adults that have really taken to heart the idea that they are true geniuses. Which I'm sure came from their mothers repeating to them over and over again through their bullied childhoods.
He is thoroughly skeptical, but is incredibly good natured when interviewing and traveling with the conspiracy theorist and adults that have really taken to heart the idea that they are true geniuses. Which I'm sure came from their mothers repeating to them over and over again through their bullied childhoods.
April 21, 2017
This is the kind of non-fiction book where the author tells you about the size of the coffee that he drank when he met with a professor who's some kind of an expert on the topic of the book. When you have enough material for a book, that kind of filler is not necessary.
May 8, 2020
This book tickled my happy history buff spots. It was a crazy romp through time, and occasionally space, following the author's quest to find Atlantis. Or at least following other people's quest and asking why they were searching.
I have always loved documentaries that focused on hidden history and coming to the brink of changing our perception of what came before, but often they are too short to explore multiple avenues. The result is often focusing on just one theory and twisting the facts to support it.
Since this book was roughly 10 hours (Audible) the author could romp through various theories across the globe, hearing them out completely, and comparing them to each other and pulling in previous research. (In addition to having an awesome storyteller voice and a dash of humor!)
This means I get a relatively accurate, in-depth study of one of the greatest conspiracy theories of all time, approached with a grain of salt, as little bias as can be expected, and I still get to laugh at how human Mark is.
You sir, get a Fave Pass.
(And now to scout the shelves for the complete works of Plato....)
I have always loved documentaries that focused on hidden history and coming to the brink of changing our perception of what came before, but often they are too short to explore multiple avenues. The result is often focusing on just one theory and twisting the facts to support it.
Since this book was roughly 10 hours (Audible) the author could romp through various theories across the globe, hearing them out completely, and comparing them to each other and pulling in previous research. (In addition to having an awesome storyteller voice and a dash of humor!)
This means I get a relatively accurate, in-depth study of one of the greatest conspiracy theories of all time, approached with a grain of salt, as little bias as can be expected, and I still get to laugh at how human Mark is.
You sir, get a Fave Pass.
(And now to scout the shelves for the complete works of Plato....)
November 3, 2018
No matter what your opinion on the reality of Atlantis, this is a fun and fascinating book! Philosophy, mythology, geology, mathematics, and even vampires and more are all explored in the search for the city. I like these tales of exploration, hearing the thinking behind the research and the interviews with all the people obsessed with finding it or thinking they have, traveling to the different places, and just learning random things about the earth, science, people, beliefs, conspiracy theories, and other “what the what???” moments. I also like hearing about the theories ridiculed by the ruling academic elite only to be embraced later on. The author is pretty condescending about those he interviews. I'm sure his descriptions of them and their time together caused much embarrassment for those who featured. But even a narcissist can be funny sometimes, and there is humor here too.
November 8, 2021
One of my favorite non-fiction books! The legend of Atlantis is intriguing, and I was captivated by Mark Adams' research into this Plato-generated story. His quest to locate the ancient city takes him to Germany, Ireland, Morocco and Spain, as well as several locations in the U.S., and he encounters quite a cast of eccentric characters along the way. He writes with humor and humility, and does a remarkable job breaking down the complex and mysterious patterns woven into Plato's two books that mention the sunken city, Timaeus and Critias. The information he presents encompasses many fascinating fields, including history, mathematics, archaeology, anthropology, philosophy, astronomy, geology, music and geography. Throughout the book I was inspired to do a lot of tangential research, which has been very fulfilling and enlightening. This is a great read <3
March 20, 2018
This is definitively the best book I've read about Atlantis. There are no extraterrestrials, and Edgar Cayce is largely dealt with as a footnote rather than the be-all-end-all source. Bimini Road is only a few paragraphs, while Santorini is given a good number of chapters. The section on pre-Viking transatlantic voyages is incredibly respectful, and explains the reason why such a hypothesis is viewed as controversial rather than "likely" even though overwhelming evidence continues to points towards it being a reality. (Why? Hyperdiffusion theory being leant too much credibility even though pre-Viking voyages happening doesn't require hyperdiffusion to follow. Evidence? Here's looking at you, Kennewick man, sweet potatoes, phoenecian chickens, and any other number of hard evidence towards trade.)
Atlantis, while a tricky business, has a lot of fascinating history and beliefs that back up a kernel of truth existing beneath the layers of allegory and myth. There are many sites that have the possibility of being it, and a long and complex history that makes academics shy away from lending their name to any search for it. Spiritualism, Nazis, catastrophists and our unwillingness to appreciate the fact such patterns exist are just to name a few... Ultimately, however, the real intrigue seems to fall somewhere deep in the Mystery School that Plato himself believed so strongly in: Pythagorean mathematics that mixed mysticism with mathematics and philosophy. Beyond that? A whole new world and possibilities for Atlantis ease their way in.
I am fairly convinced of Mark Adams conclusions, and impressed by the amount of interesting sites discussed in the book and history that I was wholly unaware of. I've a new respect for deep-sea exploration, and a hope that more deep sea archaeology will unearth treasures in my lifetime. I've a new respect for catastrophists, and a deep interest in Tartessos and its eventual discovery. Not to mention Helike.
Wonders await, and the quest is a fine one even without the ancient astronomer theory to make us giggle on our journey.
Atlantis, while a tricky business, has a lot of fascinating history and beliefs that back up a kernel of truth existing beneath the layers of allegory and myth. There are many sites that have the possibility of being it, and a long and complex history that makes academics shy away from lending their name to any search for it. Spiritualism, Nazis, catastrophists and our unwillingness to appreciate the fact such patterns exist are just to name a few... Ultimately, however, the real intrigue seems to fall somewhere deep in the Mystery School that Plato himself believed so strongly in: Pythagorean mathematics that mixed mysticism with mathematics and philosophy. Beyond that? A whole new world and possibilities for Atlantis ease their way in.
I am fairly convinced of Mark Adams conclusions, and impressed by the amount of interesting sites discussed in the book and history that I was wholly unaware of. I've a new respect for deep-sea exploration, and a hope that more deep sea archaeology will unearth treasures in my lifetime. I've a new respect for catastrophists, and a deep interest in Tartessos and its eventual discovery. Not to mention Helike.
Wonders await, and the quest is a fine one even without the ancient astronomer theory to make us giggle on our journey.
March 1, 2017
Got it cheap at Audible and I can see why. If I hadn't been listening, I would have never finished it. It was not what I expected. When he says people are "searching" for Atlantis, I expected to hear about active digs or searches. But the people are all searching by looking at maps and reading books. That doesn't make for an exciting account. It was hard to keep people straight - which ones had which "credentials" and believed which theories. Also, the discussions about Pythagorus (I'm leaving that spelling) were really dry. Super dry.
February 10, 2017
A great introduction to Atlantis. Filled with lots of information and written in a friendly and coffee-filled manner, this book produced a bunch of interesting thoughts and questions in my mind. What was Plato really driving at? What sorts of civilizations existed that are forever lost to our knowledge? I feel I learned a smidgen more about the ancient world. If I had better concentration during the time I read this book, I may have consumed it more thoroughly and given it 5 stars. At the present I give it 4.
August 27, 2023
2.5/5. Adams travels around the world interviewing researchers obsessed with studying Atlantis. An interesting premise that ultimately fell flat for me because of its heavy descriptions and use of dialogue. Some of the interviews could have been summarized, but are rather written word for word on the page. Some interesting information was in here, but I often found myself skimming interviews. Most of the people he interviews are studying maps and geography, and I was hoping for more archeology based work.
April 15, 2017
Did not work for me. I had just finished his "Turn Right at Machu Picchu" and thought this would be just as good. It was not.
The opening pages seemingly screamed at me that this book was a force fed requirement from his publisher. The premise would make a good magazine article in one of the publications he places his work...GQ or Outside. Each page had a "paid by the word" feel to it.
I did try...but gave up early on.
The opening pages seemingly screamed at me that this book was a force fed requirement from his publisher. The premise would make a good magazine article in one of the publications he places his work...GQ or Outside. Each page had a "paid by the word" feel to it.
I did try...but gave up early on.
March 17, 2016
How many of you have heard the legend of the Lost City of Atlantis? I think I can safely say all of us. But how may can tell you the origins of this legend and the historical events linked to it? Not as many hands go up this time. Mark Adams dives into the story of Atlantis and tries to break it down to the bare facts.
Along the way he also discusses the people and culture that has grown around the legend. From the serious scholars to the slightly unbalanced people. He looks at the origins of the legend and examines it's validity as well as the glaring problems such as the many different translations of Plato's work. This is done whilst all the while taking us on his journey around the Mediterranean and Europe to try and discover the truth.
Whilst this book was interesting I did find myself skimming along parts of it. I do though have a greater appreciation and understanding of the pull of the Lost City of Atlantis. I have learnt a great deal from this book and this is why I love to read.
Along the way he also discusses the people and culture that has grown around the legend. From the serious scholars to the slightly unbalanced people. He looks at the origins of the legend and examines it's validity as well as the glaring problems such as the many different translations of Plato's work. This is done whilst all the while taking us on his journey around the Mediterranean and Europe to try and discover the truth.
Whilst this book was interesting I did find myself skimming along parts of it. I do though have a greater appreciation and understanding of the pull of the Lost City of Atlantis. I have learnt a great deal from this book and this is why I love to read.
July 19, 2015
4.5 stars rounded up.
Having read "Turn Right at Manchu Picchu" and now this, I would follow Mark Adams anywhere. Based on places discussed in this book, I'm dreaming of a trip to Crete.
Having read "Turn Right at Manchu Picchu" and now this, I would follow Mark Adams anywhere. Based on places discussed in this book, I'm dreaming of a trip to Crete.
January 30, 2025
I am thankful for this book for giving me a deeper understanding of Plato and Atlantis.
I really appreciate the content about Atlantis in this book, however there is some content that sticks out like a sore thumb and is clearly only in there for political reasons.
I really appreciate the content about Atlantis in this book, however there is some content that sticks out like a sore thumb and is clearly only in there for political reasons.
April 14, 2015
Masterpiece of a serious reality treasure hunt for Atlantis:
Contrary to what most people think, it is not obvious that Atlantis was an invention by Plato. So, Mark Adams did the right thing and just started reading and travelling through world and history, hunting for clues, for possible Atlantis locations and for professional as well as amateur experts who could bring him closer to the truth. Since Mark Adams is open-minded and unprejudiced on the one hand side and on the other hand side armed with a very reasonable skepticism and -- above all -- with a good sense of humour, this book turns out to be an enjoyable and interesting trip. It reads almost like Dan Brown's Robert Langdon hunting for the secrets of history -- only this time, it is real: The clues are real, the possible locations are real, the informants are real, maybe even Atlantis turns out to be real?
The number of experts and amateurs on Atlantis, Plato, Pythagoras, mathematics, oceanography, vulcanology, history, archaeology, mythology, geophysics, and many other disciplines is enormous. Every time you think, that it would be nice if Mark Adams followed a track and visited a certain expert on a certain topic, he really follows this track in the very next chapter! This is a real search, no journalistic fake. We have to be very thankful to Mark Adams that he did this extensive journey acting on behalf of all of us who are interested in the opinions of all these experts.
Having obviously read a lot, and then talking to all these skeptics and searchers, Mark Adams piles up a huge amount of knowledge about Atlantis and possible interpretations, so that even I could still learn something here. But what is more, we also get to know the personalities of all these experts and amateurs, their motivations, their characters and their flaws. Mark Adams is a very good observer and able to ask the right questions in the right moment, and his interviews sometimes turn out to be excellent art pieces of literature as well as of psychology, and show a good sense of humour. This is surely "the" book of our generation of Atlantis research and thus also a historically valuable work!
Only in the very last chapter the limits of Mark Adams become clear. He piled up a lot of valuable information about Atlantis, yet he did not think deeply into the topic. In a liberating jump into a simplistic solution, he falls for the idea that since the cosmology in Timaeus is full of Pythagorean numbers, the numbers in the Atlantis account have to be Pythagorean, too. No one could ever show this convincingly, there are no such regularities, beginning with "one, two, three" at the beginning, where -- obviously -- "four" is missing to the full Tetractys. Besides the fact, that all Pythagorean numbers in the cosmology are not meant to be symbolic, but real, which would be the only valid assumption for Pythagorean numbers in case of Atlantis, too.
So, Mark Adams simply declares all numbers in the Atlantis account to be invented by Plato, as well as the perfect concentric ring structure, and in an act of ludicrous desperation, Mark Adams thinks that all the characteristic features defining Atlantis could be found everywhere and thus are not of any importance. Mark Adams even has bought the idea that the Greek word "nesos" (island) simply could mean anything. On the basis of this iconoclastic approach, Mark Adams declares Atlantis to be a fictional story, with only a small kernel of truth which bears no importance. It does not matter any more, if this kernel is real or invented. This historical kernel clearly does not deserve the name "Atlantis". Mark Adams's hypothesis is basically an invention hypothesis.
The reason for this failure is easy to see: Mark Adams's competence is overstrained, he has no clear idea how Plato constructed his so-called "Platonic Myths". Instead of a desperate iconoclasm he better had tried with historical criticism, which he himself reports to be mentioned (under another name) by Juan Villarias-Robles (p. 77 f.). He should have also better considered the words of K.T. Frost: "The whole description of the Athenian state in these dialogues seems much more fictitious than that of Atlantis itself." (p. 196) And he should have better not fallen into the traps of catastrophism, mythology, Neoplatonic symbolism and Pythagorean number games. With his simplistic solution, Mark Adams could also declare Egypt to be a mostly fictitious invention by Herodotus with only a small and unimportant historical kernel located in -- for example -- India.
Yet, we have to be fair: For a journalist and writer who did not work on the topic for decades, it is an achievement to have a clearly voiced opinion on Atlantis; most journalists like to hide behind nebulous statements, or declare Atlantis simply to be a full invention. Even more important than its end is Mark Adams's book itself: Having read so much, having travelled through all these locations, and having interviewed all these persons is quite a feat and a valuable present to all interested in Plato's Atlantis. This book is surely one of the best recommendations to all who want to get a glimpse into Atlantis research -- with the everlasting caveat: You should read more than one book about Atlantis.
(c) 2015 Thorwald C. Franke
www Atlantis minus Scout dot de
We have to correct some minor mistakes:
pp. 13 f. Contrary to what most people think, there was no rivalry and no fundamental opposition between Plato and Aristotle. Only certain disagreements.
p. 20 "inscribed in Egyptian temples": Not true. Plato talks only of texts which can be "taken at hand" (Timaeus 24a), i.e. papyri. There could have been inscriptions, too, but Plato does not talk of them.
pp. 86 ff. "the Nazis": Not true. Only certain National Socialists were interested in Atlantis, among them Heinrich Himmler, but Atlantis was never part of the general NS ideology. Adolf Hitler even mocked Atlantis searchers, and the tape records heavy laughter in the NS party audience.
p. 172 Plato favoured the military state Sparta: Not true even in a double sense. Before Plato changed his mind on politics in the Laws, he favoured a "closed" society in the Republic. After Plato changed his mind in the Laws, he favoured a more "open" society, and liked the Spartan principle of a constitutional "balance of power".
p. 182 "Thorwald Franke believes Sicily was the original inspiration for Atlantis". Not exactly true, if strictly speaking. Thorwald Franke is convinced that Sicily really was Atlantis, and he is still elaborating this idea.
p. 195 Papamarinopoulos: "In the Republic Plato presents an imaginary Athens". Not true, the imaginary state in the Republic is not related to Athens.
p. 215 Elizabeth Wayland Barber: Information can be passed down "orally and faithfully for up to thousands of years". Surely not true, except for very very crude kernels of truth, yet never for detailed stories.
p. 277 Plato knew the circular harbour of Carthage: Not true, this harbour most certainly was built only after Plato's death.
Index: At least two mentions of Aristotle are missing: pp. 174 f., p. 178.
Contrary to what most people think, it is not obvious that Atlantis was an invention by Plato. So, Mark Adams did the right thing and just started reading and travelling through world and history, hunting for clues, for possible Atlantis locations and for professional as well as amateur experts who could bring him closer to the truth. Since Mark Adams is open-minded and unprejudiced on the one hand side and on the other hand side armed with a very reasonable skepticism and -- above all -- with a good sense of humour, this book turns out to be an enjoyable and interesting trip. It reads almost like Dan Brown's Robert Langdon hunting for the secrets of history -- only this time, it is real: The clues are real, the possible locations are real, the informants are real, maybe even Atlantis turns out to be real?
The number of experts and amateurs on Atlantis, Plato, Pythagoras, mathematics, oceanography, vulcanology, history, archaeology, mythology, geophysics, and many other disciplines is enormous. Every time you think, that it would be nice if Mark Adams followed a track and visited a certain expert on a certain topic, he really follows this track in the very next chapter! This is a real search, no journalistic fake. We have to be very thankful to Mark Adams that he did this extensive journey acting on behalf of all of us who are interested in the opinions of all these experts.
Having obviously read a lot, and then talking to all these skeptics and searchers, Mark Adams piles up a huge amount of knowledge about Atlantis and possible interpretations, so that even I could still learn something here. But what is more, we also get to know the personalities of all these experts and amateurs, their motivations, their characters and their flaws. Mark Adams is a very good observer and able to ask the right questions in the right moment, and his interviews sometimes turn out to be excellent art pieces of literature as well as of psychology, and show a good sense of humour. This is surely "the" book of our generation of Atlantis research and thus also a historically valuable work!
Only in the very last chapter the limits of Mark Adams become clear. He piled up a lot of valuable information about Atlantis, yet he did not think deeply into the topic. In a liberating jump into a simplistic solution, he falls for the idea that since the cosmology in Timaeus is full of Pythagorean numbers, the numbers in the Atlantis account have to be Pythagorean, too. No one could ever show this convincingly, there are no such regularities, beginning with "one, two, three" at the beginning, where -- obviously -- "four" is missing to the full Tetractys. Besides the fact, that all Pythagorean numbers in the cosmology are not meant to be symbolic, but real, which would be the only valid assumption for Pythagorean numbers in case of Atlantis, too.
So, Mark Adams simply declares all numbers in the Atlantis account to be invented by Plato, as well as the perfect concentric ring structure, and in an act of ludicrous desperation, Mark Adams thinks that all the characteristic features defining Atlantis could be found everywhere and thus are not of any importance. Mark Adams even has bought the idea that the Greek word "nesos" (island) simply could mean anything. On the basis of this iconoclastic approach, Mark Adams declares Atlantis to be a fictional story, with only a small kernel of truth which bears no importance. It does not matter any more, if this kernel is real or invented. This historical kernel clearly does not deserve the name "Atlantis". Mark Adams's hypothesis is basically an invention hypothesis.
The reason for this failure is easy to see: Mark Adams's competence is overstrained, he has no clear idea how Plato constructed his so-called "Platonic Myths". Instead of a desperate iconoclasm he better had tried with historical criticism, which he himself reports to be mentioned (under another name) by Juan Villarias-Robles (p. 77 f.). He should have also better considered the words of K.T. Frost: "The whole description of the Athenian state in these dialogues seems much more fictitious than that of Atlantis itself." (p. 196) And he should have better not fallen into the traps of catastrophism, mythology, Neoplatonic symbolism and Pythagorean number games. With his simplistic solution, Mark Adams could also declare Egypt to be a mostly fictitious invention by Herodotus with only a small and unimportant historical kernel located in -- for example -- India.
Yet, we have to be fair: For a journalist and writer who did not work on the topic for decades, it is an achievement to have a clearly voiced opinion on Atlantis; most journalists like to hide behind nebulous statements, or declare Atlantis simply to be a full invention. Even more important than its end is Mark Adams's book itself: Having read so much, having travelled through all these locations, and having interviewed all these persons is quite a feat and a valuable present to all interested in Plato's Atlantis. This book is surely one of the best recommendations to all who want to get a glimpse into Atlantis research -- with the everlasting caveat: You should read more than one book about Atlantis.
(c) 2015 Thorwald C. Franke
www Atlantis minus Scout dot de
We have to correct some minor mistakes:
pp. 13 f. Contrary to what most people think, there was no rivalry and no fundamental opposition between Plato and Aristotle. Only certain disagreements.
p. 20 "inscribed in Egyptian temples": Not true. Plato talks only of texts which can be "taken at hand" (Timaeus 24a), i.e. papyri. There could have been inscriptions, too, but Plato does not talk of them.
pp. 86 ff. "the Nazis": Not true. Only certain National Socialists were interested in Atlantis, among them Heinrich Himmler, but Atlantis was never part of the general NS ideology. Adolf Hitler even mocked Atlantis searchers, and the tape records heavy laughter in the NS party audience.
p. 172 Plato favoured the military state Sparta: Not true even in a double sense. Before Plato changed his mind on politics in the Laws, he favoured a "closed" society in the Republic. After Plato changed his mind in the Laws, he favoured a more "open" society, and liked the Spartan principle of a constitutional "balance of power".
p. 182 "Thorwald Franke believes Sicily was the original inspiration for Atlantis". Not exactly true, if strictly speaking. Thorwald Franke is convinced that Sicily really was Atlantis, and he is still elaborating this idea.
p. 195 Papamarinopoulos: "In the Republic Plato presents an imaginary Athens". Not true, the imaginary state in the Republic is not related to Athens.
p. 215 Elizabeth Wayland Barber: Information can be passed down "orally and faithfully for up to thousands of years". Surely not true, except for very very crude kernels of truth, yet never for detailed stories.
p. 277 Plato knew the circular harbour of Carthage: Not true, this harbour most certainly was built only after Plato's death.
Index: At least two mentions of Aristotle are missing: pp. 174 f., p. 178.
December 15, 2020
I bought this book because--though not inherently interested in the subject--I really, really enjoyed another book by this author,
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time
.
Unfortunately, I never achieved a great deal of interest in Atlantis, despite Mr. Adams's valiant efforts otherwise to engage me. I do NOW know, however, that the Atlantis myth stems from on one man's writing--Plato. (I had never even wondered before where the story sprang from.)
Ultimately, this book isn't really meant a reader like me--I need more closure, it seems. I'm far more interested in reading books about discoveries than about conjecture. I know it should be all about the journey, not the destination, but I don't always have the patience for or interest in all the journeys out there. I really enjoyed how the author dovetailed his own journey to Machu Pichhu with his research in his previous book, and found that part most compelling in this book as well. He certainly meets some characters along the way!
I probably should've given it 4 stars (I don't want to bring a rating down due to a mismatch of reader interest and authorial subject). Hmmmmm . . . I'll consider.
I still like you, Mark Adams! I'll read more books by you for sure!
Unfortunately, I never achieved a great deal of interest in Atlantis, despite Mr. Adams's valiant efforts otherwise to engage me. I do NOW know, however, that the Atlantis myth stems from on one man's writing--Plato. (I had never even wondered before where the story sprang from.)
Ultimately, this book isn't really meant a reader like me--I need more closure, it seems. I'm far more interested in reading books about discoveries than about conjecture. I know it should be all about the journey, not the destination, but I don't always have the patience for or interest in all the journeys out there. I really enjoyed how the author dovetailed his own journey to Machu Pichhu with his research in his previous book, and found that part most compelling in this book as well. He certainly meets some characters along the way!
I probably should've given it 4 stars (I don't want to bring a rating down due to a mismatch of reader interest and authorial subject). Hmmmmm . . . I'll consider.
I still like you, Mark Adams! I'll read more books by you for sure!
April 3, 2024
I'm much more interested in Plato now.
This was a bit of an odd book, overall an interesting analysis of why we think/believe what we believe, not just about Atlantis, but other things too.
The author was a bit up his own ass though, and some things that were probably originally written as jokes fall flat a decade later.
This was a bit of an odd book, overall an interesting analysis of why we think/believe what we believe, not just about Atlantis, but other things too.
The author was a bit up his own ass though, and some things that were probably originally written as jokes fall flat a decade later.
March 10, 2021
I'm not an Atlantis buff. In fact, I have had zero interest in Atlantis to date. To me, Atlantis is just a fairy tale at worst or a myth at best. I chose to read this book purely on the assumption that it would at least be a decent travelogue since I thoroughly enjoyed reading his "Turn Right at Machu Picchu". Yet, I got completely caught up in Mark Adams' telling of his investigative search for Atlantis and needled me into considering and drawing my own conclusion about Atlantis.
June 18, 2022
I loved stories of Atlantis when I was a teenager, and I would have followed youtube videos about it with a passion that I reserved for dinosaur books. This overview of current theories and research was fun to read, and presented a lot of ideas and theories, and was surprisingly informative about the history of philosophy.
July 2, 2022
This book has far more depth than the cover suggests. It's an exploration of Plato's and other classical writers' influence on Mediterranean archeology, and covers a lot of ground about the excavation of lost cities that have actually occurred. It's a serious consideration of what some consider to be an unserious pursuit. And it's more like a 3500-year lost city. It made me want to put together a travel itinerary to Malta, Santorini, Spain, and other locations discussed.
October 2, 2023
Accessible overview of the major theories of the location of Atlantis. Adams keeps it engaging while sketching the personalities he meets and documenting the strengths and weaknesses of each theory, before tying it all together by looping back to Plato, who started the whole thing.
January 13, 2022
We did not find Atlantis 🤷🏻♀️😂
June 9, 2023
Philosophy, history, and colorful characters. A great author with a story to tell, highly recommend.
March 15, 2018
Much more enjoyable than I even thought it would be. As a Classics major and a paranormal skeptic I wasn't sure how much new stuff I would encounter in this book, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the chase for Atlantis is alive and well in the 21st century.
June 14, 2023
An interesting audiobook and worth the read. It kept me engaged, though ultimately had no real answers.
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