Review by Choice Review
Clendinnen's elegantly written work describes the devastating effects of Spanish conquest and settlement on the politically fragmented Maya of the Yucatan until 1570. Its centerpiece is the religious conquest spearheaded by the Franciscans and dominated by the zealous Fr. Diego de Landa. A careful evaluation of printed primary and secondary sources and a keen appreciation of Landa's personality lead Clendinnen to discount, but not eliminate, the Franciscan's charges of Maya idolatry and human sacrifice. Her account of the 1562 investigation into Maya religious practices and the political conflicts that accompanied it makes fascinating reading. The brutal and illegal torture and trial of natives and the destruction of their idols convinced the Maya that Spanish settlement and the triumph of the Christian god ``Lord Dios'' were not ephemeral. The Maya never accepted, however, Spanish claims that they were the sole guardians and interpreters of the imposed religion. College and university libraries should purchase this valuable complement to Nancy M. Farriss's prize-winning Maya Society Under Colonial Rule (CH, Nov '84).-M.A. Burkholder, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
