Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
America Before summary
The Key to Earth’s Lost Civilization
31 mins
Brief summary
America Before by Graham Hancock explores compelling evidence of a forgotten advanced civilization that predated the Ice Age, challenging mainstream history and providing a new perspective on humanity's past.
Table of Contents
America Before
Summary of 10 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 10
The archeological establishment has often been wrong on when humans first reached North America.
The exact point when humanity first set foot in North America has long been a battleground in archeology. And the official academic position has not always been in line with the evidence. Let’s explain.
A hundred and twenty years ago, most scholars believed that there had been no human presence on the North American landmass until 4,000 years ago – the view of an influential scholar, Aleš Hrdlička. The head of anthropology at the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History, Hrdlička made life miserable for any scholar who disagreed with him. A colleague, Frank H. H. Roberts, later admitted that discussing early humanity in North America became so taboo that no academic serious about his career would go near it.
However, in the 1920s and 1930s, evidence emerged which showed that there has been human life in America since at least 12,000 years ago. And it was so compelling that even the most conservative academics had to pay attention.
At a site near a town called Clovis in New Mexico, researchers found beautiful and distinctive projectiles, clearly human-made. They were found next to and in creatures like sabre-toothed cats that had been extinct for over 12,000 years. Here, excitingly, was proof that humans had been present in North America for at least that length of time. Further research led to the discovery of as many as 1,500 Clovis sites, as they came to be known, all across North America.
But instead of seeing Clovis as a starting point, the academic community treated it as an immutable truth. Soon a consensus known as Clovis First emerged – the idea that no older human cultures in America would ever be found.
Dissenters faced ridicule. By 2012, the behavior of the Clovis First brigade was so nasty that the editor of the journal Nature stated that the debate about the earliest Americans had become among the most acrimonious and least productive in all science. When a Canadian archeologist presented fascinating evidence of human activity in caves in the Yukon, 24,000 years ago, he was laughed at.
So, when the archeological community pours scorn on an idea when they reject new theories about earlier humans in the Americas, you shouldn’t just bow to their expertise. They’ve been proved wrong time and time again. And with that healthy commitment to open inquiry in mind, let’s take a look at the evidence for much, much earlier life in America.
Want to see all full key ideas from America Before?
Key ideas in America Before
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is America Before about?
America Before (2019) is a mind-expanding quest for an ancient and lost way of life. Drawing on lesser-known DNA and archeological evidence, it proposes the existence of a great, early civilization based in North America. Lost to history in the aftermath of a cataclysmic comet strike, this civilization is visible today only in the traces it left in Egyptian, Native American and other great ancient cultures.
America Before Review
America Before (2019) by Graham Hancock explores the hidden history of the Americas and challenges the conventional narrative of human civilization. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- With meticulous research and wide-ranging evidence, it presents a compelling argument for sophisticated ancient civilizations existing before recorded history.
- By examining archaeological findings and drawing on scientific breakthroughs, the book offers fascinating insights into the origins of humanity and our interconnected past.
- Through captivating storytelling and thought-provoking theories, America Before brings a sense of wonder and curiosity, making it a captivating exploration of our shared human history.
Best quote from America Before
The influence of the lost civilization declares itself repeatedly in the commonalities shared by supposedly unconnected cultures.
—Graham Hancock
Who should read America Before?
- Anyone looking for an imaginative adventure into the past
- Historians and archeologists willing to challenge the established view
Categories with America Before
Book summaries like America Before
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
33 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
America Before FAQs
What is the main message of America Before?
The main message of America Before is that there is a hidden history of ancient civilizations in the Americas.
How long does it take to read America Before?
The reading time for America Before varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is America Before a good book? Is it worth reading?
America Before is a fascinating read for anyone interested in ancient history. It presents compelling evidence and challenges conventional theories.
Who is the author of America Before?
The author of America Before is Graham Hancock.
What to read after America Before?
If you're wondering what to read next after America Before, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- 1491 by Charles C. Mann
- Fifth Sun by Camilla Townsend
- Kaizen by Sarah Harvey
- Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
- Help Me, I Have No Discipline and Zero Self-Control by Vaughn Carter
- How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less by Nicholas Boothman
- The Chaos Machine by Max Fisher
- Supercoach by Michael Neill
- The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger
- Then I Am Myself the World by Christof Koch