House of Rain

Tracking a Vanished Civilization Across the American Southwest

By: Craig Childs

Narrated by: Craig Childs

Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

In this landmark work on the Anasazi tribes of the Southwest, naturalist Craig Childs dives head-on into the mysteries of this vanished people.

The various tribes that made up the Anasazi people converged on Chaco Canyon (New Mexico) during the 11th century to create a civilization hailed as "the Las Vegas of its day", a flourishing cultural center that attracted pilgrims from far and wide, and a vital crossroads of the prehistoric world. By the 13th century, however, Chaco's vibrant community had disappeared without a trace.

Was it drought? Pestilence? War? Forced migration, mass murder, or suicide? Conflicting theories have abounded for years, capturing the North American imagination for eons.

Join Craig Childs as he draws on the latest scholarly research, as well as a lifetime of exploration in the forbidden landscapes of the American Southwest, to shed new light on this compelling mystery. He takes us from Chaco Canyon to the highlands of Mesa Verde, to the Mongollon Rim; to a contemporary Zuni community where tribal elders maintain silence about the fate of their Lost Others; and to the largely unexplored foothills of the Sierra Madre in Mexico, where abundant remnants of Anasazi culture lie yet to be uncovered.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2007 Craig Childs (P)2018 Hachette Audio

A look way, way back

I loved this.  Craig Childs writes about the history of the ancient American SW peoples with compassion and care, distilling ideas into a first person narrative of his exploration of landscapes and concepts.  This wasn't a quick listen for me and I took my time mulling over ideas, time-lines, and competing schools of thought.  I enjoyed his narration and thought it matched his writing style, in some places nearly poetry.  Thanks for this.

Masterful Ancient Mystery Adventure True Story

Strap on a pack, try to keep up as Craig Childs tracks the Ancient ones.

Outstanding

An evocative journey through time and space. The curiosity of the seeker and links between the landscape and its people are explored in a magnificent fashion. You are going to inspire more visits to the region. Kudos.

keeping me pacified

thank you Craig. as I haven't gotten to spend much time lately out in the world of ruins, you have captured, so well, the feeling of adventure and wonder of seeking out these wonderful people and places of the past. now, onto your next book!

Unraveling the rich history and migrations of the American Southwest indigenous cultures

Who were they? What happened in the 13th through 14th centuries to the Anasazi and the many indigenous peoples before colonization ? The author is an excellent writer, bringing the pre-history people’s to life.

My eyes continue to be opened!

The more I learn, the more I want to know! Craig, this is a very special book! Thank you!

one of the greatest I've read

so many insights on ancient civilizations of the south west just mind blowing, thank you for doing all this work.

Tlaloctlan

The Southwest part is excellent. The associations with some parts of Mesoamerica are a bit speculative.

Wonderful overview

I am admittedly an ancient sites junkie and have been to a number of the sites which the author reviews and many many others I will never see. He puts everything into perspective and tells a winding story of how all these sites relate to each other, along the way showing how some long held myths do not hold up to scrutiny. Childs never loses that sense of wonder as if he is seeing each place anew. I absolutely loved this book; listened while I worked in my studio, in the car, before going to bed.

excellent

I felt like I was right along with him on his journey to his quest